VALIANT HEARTS and CHILD OF LIGHT - Ubi's New IP's Steal the Show

While most people (including me, mind you) were buzzing when Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD for consoles, they also debuted two new IPs, titled Valiant Hearts and Child of Light, respectively. Both of these unique games use the   Ubi Art Framework, the engine responsible for Rayman's lush visuals, and provide a much needed alternative to Ubisoft's Assassin and Watchdogs-themed game slate.  

Valiant Hearts is a puzzle and adventure game hybrid that takes place during World War I and is based on real letters from that time period. It spins a tale of 5 people, each unique in ability and appearance, but somehow all connected. In the center of it all is a rather adorable canine ally who will guide you through the world and help with puzzles as well. The game features completely hand drawn art by Paul Tumelaire and has a wonderful style and aesthetic to it. This game is best described by seeing it in action, and while there isn't any gameplay featured in the trailer, it will at least give you an idea of what the game is going for. 

Child of Light on the other hand is an exploratory RPG with bits of platforming and turn based combat, which is an interesting mix to be sure. The game follows a young girl named Aurora and her sidekick (which you can take co-op control of) Igniculus. As you can see in the trailer, the visuals are just breathtaking, and the game itself promotes exploration as you can fly at will throughout the world. Combat is handled in a turn-based manner, and as someone who loves turn based combat (when its handled well, that is) their spin on it seems interesting, and could allow for some unique strategic possibilities. Make sure to check out the screens and trailer below, and if you would like a more in depth preview, make sure to check out RPS's nice rundown of their time with it.