Review · Adventure · PC
The Child of the Forest
Reviewed: 21 Apr 2026
PC
CEDylanMicheli · 2020
Ludograph rating
C
Mixed
49 /100
The Child of the Forest is a puzzle-platformer that exercises problem solving, spatial awareness, and critical thinking through a young witch's journey.
Growth (BDS)
33
Risk (RIS)
3
Daily limit
120min
Age guidance
7+
Developmental benefits
| B1 | Cognitive | 0.42 | |
| B2 | Social-emotional | 0.17 | |
| B3 | Motor | 0.35 | |
The Child of the Forest is a heartfelt student-made puzzle-platformer that exercises genuine problem-solving and spatial reasoning as players navigate forest obstacles using a young witch's ghostly powers. The level-based structure encourages learning transfer — skills mastered in one area are applied in new ways as the game progresses. The emotionally resonant premise (reuniting with a lost pet) provides a gentle narrative hook that fosters empathy and emotional engagement without any harmful manipulation. Its clean, imaginative design makes it a calm, low-pressure cognitive workout appropriate for younger players.
Design risks
| R1 | Compulsion-loop pressure | 0.07 | |
| R2 | Monetization | 0.00 | |
| R3 | Social risk | 0.00 | |
As a short academic game jam project, The Child of the Forest carries virtually no monetization, addiction-design, or social risks. There are no microtransactions, loot boxes, notifications, streaks, or spending prompts of any kind. The mildly spooky forest aesthetic may produce minor apprehension in very young or sensitive players, but there is no graphic violence, mature content, or stranger-chat functionality. The greatest practical limitation is that the game is a brief, unpolished student project and may have bugs or rough edges typical of academic prototypes.
Content (not in risk score)
| R4.1 | Violence Level | 0.00 | |
| R4.2 | Sexual Content | 0.00 | |
| R4.3 | Language | 0.00 | |
| R4.4 | Substance References | 0.00 | |
| R4.5 | Fear / Horror | 0.33 | |
Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.
Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria
- DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
- GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
- ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.
These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.