ChildStory from Stamina Zero and Oliver Orangers is a narrative-driven adventure in which you’ll aim to reach the moon. Learn more in our ChildStory review!

 

ChildStory from Stamina Zero and Oliver Orangers is a narrative-driven adventure in which you’ll aim to reach the moon. You’ll be placed in the role of Sonya, a young girl with big dreams. Your small town is getting ready to celebrate the Festival of the New Star, an activity that is part of a cycle that repeats month after month. Exploring the town is how your journey will begin, and it’s thanks to those who live there that you’ll be able to make some progress in your mission. And if you run into any troublesome spirits, you’ll need to make good use of your equipment to put them to rest.

As you can tell from the trailers and screens in this ChildStory review, the game draws inspiration from – and pays homage to – the beloved The Legend of Zelda series, in particular to games from the classic releases in the franchise leading up to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Maybe it even has a bit from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask…

 

You’ll be taking control of your character with the left analog stick or the D-Pad, using the ZL button for a melee attack and the B button to perform a dodge roll to try to avoid incoming attacks. Do know that these actions will consume some of your stamina bar, so be sure to pay attention to the bar at all times! Interact with objects or other characters by pressing the A button.

You will be able to purchase a crossbow as long as you have enough bolts. Just press the Y button to attack enemies from a safer distance. Cycle between your items by pressing the L and R buttons, and use it by pressing the ZR button. Throw an item you’re carrying by pressing the B button.

Be sure to collect as many coins as possible along the way by cutting down patches of tall grass, defeating enemies, as well as by smashing pots. These coins can be put to good use by purchasing useful items, such as extra bolts for your crossbow or a hook that you can attach to a chain that you find. You know, so that you can craft a hookshot. You can use this by pressing the X button to overcome some gaps.

ChildStory is a narrative-driven adventure in which you’ll aim to reach the moon. You’ll be placed in the role of Sonya, a young girl with big dreams. Your small town is getting ready to celebrate the Festival of the New Star, an activity that is part of a cycle that repeats month after month. Exploring the town is how your journey will begin, and it’s thanks to those who live there that you’ll be able to make some progress in your mission. And if you run into any troublesome spirits, you’ll need to make good use of your equipment to put them to rest.

If you ever feel a bit lost, you might want to pause the game by pressing the + button, so that you can see if there are any specific objectives you should currently be working on completing. While the general experience has a bit of a chill and cozy feel, battles – especially those against bosses – change the vibes, since you’ll need to focus on making sure every hit counts, as you have a limited health count to keep in mind. ChildStory is out on Nintendo Switch with a budget price of only $6.99 price tag.

Disclaimer
This ChildStory review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Stamina Zero.