Children of Morta
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A family that fights together, falls together, and grows together. Every run is another scar — and a reason to return.
What it's about
The Bergson family against the corruption of Rea
Children of Morta: The Board Game is the board game adaptation of Dead Mage's cult video game. Designed by Amir Salamati with illustrations by Soheil Zarghami, Negar Motevali, Hoda Doroudian and Esmeralda Puerto, it brings the roguelike soul to the tabletop: every run is a descent into chaos, every defeat is a step forward.
The heart of the game is shared bag-building: all players draw from a single bag of action tokens. What you put in — and what you manage to take out — determines the fate of the entire family. There is no lone hero: you either win together, or you start over together.
Two game modes: Story Mode with seven narrative chapters and permanent progression between sessions; Family Trial, a one-shot roguelike challenge where everything resets at the end. Two different experiences, one shared bag.
From the FroGames table
Shared bag-building is the most original idea of the year: every chit you add to the bag changes the game for everyone, not just for you.
The secret of Children of Morta in one line
Corruption advances. The bag gets worse. The family grows anyway. It's that tension — between resource deterioration and hero progression — that keeps you glued to the table run after run.
From the game experience
Children of Morta: The Board Game
Played by controlling two heroes in parallel — the management complexity is normal and the experience is complete. Some of the live synergy of multiplayer is lost, but the shared bag keeps the entire mechanic going even alone.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and game sessionsWhat you bring to battle
The Bergson family's tools
6 Playable Heroes
Each member of the Bergson family has unique abilities, a different combat style, and a personal growth trajectory.
The shared bag
A single bag for all players. The chits you draw determine group actions — and every upgrade changes the experience for everyone.
7-Chapter Campaign
Story Mode connects sessions: progress remains, the bag improves, heroes evolve. Every run is part of something bigger.
Roguelike Family Trial
A stand-alone challenge where everything resets. No mercy, no memory. Just the family against corruption — until the last token.
The Bergson family will return home. Maybe not tonight — but they will. And next time they'll be stronger.
🎲ComponentsOver 400 pieces including cards, tokens, and markers
A run in five acts
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The family prepares
Choose your heroes, place basic tokens in the bag, and lay out the first dungeon tiles. Everyone has already chosen their character — and already knows who they will protect during the run. Corruption doesn't wait.
The bag speaks
The first tokens are drawn, and the situation quickly becomes clear. The bag is still clean, the basic abilities are there — but already in the first encounter, someone takes unexpected damage. The real game begins.
Corruption creeps in
In the middle of the run comes the critical moment: enemies become more aggressive, corruption tokens start appearing in the bag, and the group's resources dwindle. You must decide together — and quickly — who to heal and who to sacrifice.
The boss is there
The boss deck is revealed. The enemy's action cards arrive one by one, unpredictable and brutal. Every remaining token, every unlocked ability, every possible combo is used. Someone might not make it — but what matters is whether the boss falls.
Return home — and grow
End of run. Coins are spent, abilities are improved, better chits are added to the bag. In Story Mode, progress remains: the next session starts stronger. Everything is put back in the box with the feeling of having gained something — even when you've lost.
How to play
The flow of each run
Simultaneous turns mean no waiting. You draw, you plan, you fight — and you go home with something more.
Each round, all players simultaneously draw action tokens from the common bag. What comes out determines the options available to the entire family — not just you.
Turns are simultaneous: everyone decides together how to use the tokens, coordinating attacks, heals, and defenses. Communication is central — and so are discussions.
Heroes face enemies, reveal new dungeon tiles, collect loot. Surviving enemies attack — those who don't manage the pressure risk running out of resources before the boss.
After each session, coins are spent to improve the bag and XP to upgrade heroes. In Story Mode, everything carries over. In Family Trial, everything resets — and you start from scratch.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
One bag for all
Bag-building is shared: every chit you add changes the possibilities for the entire family. Cooperation isn't a choice — it's structural to the mechanism itself.
Simultaneous turns, zero waiting
No waiting for others to finish: everyone acts simultaneously. The table is always alive, decisions are made together in real-time.
Permanent progression in Story Mode
Each session leaves a trace: the bag improves, heroes' abilities expand. Failure doesn't reset everything — it makes you better prepared for the next chapter.
Corruption that degrades the bag
Corruption tokens enter the bag during the run and worsen draws. Pressure builds organically — not by an arbitrary rule, but because the system naturally generates it.
Two modes, two experiences
Story Mode for those who want a true campaign with growth over time. Family Trial for those who want a roguelike challenge in a single session. The same game, two opposite philosophies.
Heroes with their own identity
Six members of the Bergson family, each with exclusive abilities and distinct growth paths. Changing heroes means resetting the game — but bag improvements remain for everyone.
How it ends
Winning, losing — and what remains
In Story Mode, losing a chapter isn't the end: the family returns home and grows. In Family Trial, there are no second chances.
Victory
- Defeat the chapter boss with at least one hero still standing
- In Story Mode: advance to the next chapter with progress intact
- In Family Trial: you have completed the entire sequence of encounters
Defeat
- All heroes are eliminated before defeating the boss
- In Story Mode: restart the chapter, but bag upgrades remain
- In Family Trial: progression reset, start from scratch
Children of Morta: The Board Game is one of the most original cooperative dungeon crawlers of recent years. A shared bag that unites the family — on the table and in the game.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Children of Morta: The Board Game
What makes shared bag-building unique compared to other dungeon crawlers?
In most dungeon crawlers, each player manages their own resources separately. Here, there's only one bag for the whole family: the chits you draw determine the options for everyone. Adding a better token doesn't just benefit you — it improves the possibilities for the entire team. It's a structural cooperation mechanic, not just a narrative one.
Is it better to play in Story Mode or Family Trial for the first game?
Story Mode is recommended to start: it gradually introduces the mechanics and allows you to feel the family's progression chapter after chapter. Family Trial is more suitable for those who already know the game and want a purer roguelike challenge, with no continuity between sessions.
Does it work well solo?
Yes, it's an official mode. You typically control two heroes in parallel — the creators recommend it because it allows you to use the synergies between characters that make the system interesting. Playing with only one hero is possible but loses some of the cooperative depth.
How many chapters does the Story Mode campaign have?
Story Mode includes seven chapters, each with different characteristics and challenges. The chapters are narratively connected, and progress — bag improvements and hero development — carries over from one session to another, building a campaign with a real growth arc.
Is it based on the video game? Do I need to know it to play?
It's an official adaptation of the Children of Morta video game by Dead Mage — same family, same world, same lore. However, it's not necessary to have played the video game to enjoy the board game: the setting and mechanics are independently understandable. Video game fans will find many familiar references.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. The rulebook is in English — the linguistic complexity is average, with specific terminology for character abilities. It's not an edition suitable for those who are not familiar with gaming English.
Children of Morta: The Board Game is a cooperative board game for 1–4 players (ages 12+, duration 30–60 min per session). Designed by Amir Salamati, illustrations by Soheil Zarghami, Negar Motevali, Hoda Doroudian, and Esmeralda Puerto, published by Roomiz Games. Main mechanic: shared bag-building with simultaneous turns and permanent character development. Players embody the members of the Bergson family in fighting the corruption advancing through the land of Rea — defeating monsters and bosses to unlock upgrades. Two modes: Story Mode with a seven-chapter campaign and permanent progression, and roguelike-style Family Trial. Official adaptation of the video game by Dead Mage. Official solo mode. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
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