Lunark

Anyone who still thinks that pixel graphics are a dying art form hasn't dipped their toes in the indie scene. It's alive and well there, and {Lunark} is one of many excellent examples of this. Created by one-man studio Canari Games and made real by 2824 people via a successful Kickstarter, {Lunark} is a celebration of many things. Perhaps most notably, it shows how a strong focus on a simple story and stripped-down game mechanics can be solid foundations for this kind of experience. {Lunark} is an adventure that pays tribute to its roots and inspirations in an often beautiful and entertaining way, but unfortunately not without its shortcomings.

{Lunark} introduces itself with a cinematic opening, and continues in the same vein. In a dystopian future against a background of giant skyscrapers, flying cars and high-tech environments, we find our protagonist Leo, who, under mysterious circumstances, soon finds himself on the run. Much of the story is traditional, but the fact that the game draws inspiration from so many things makes it all the more charming. Because alongside the pixels there are also game mechanics that really breathe and feel like a tribute to the past.

Anyone who was there at the time will recognize every move Leo can make. Movements and sequences feel like experiencing a variety of games from the 80s and 90s, which the game obviously approaches with great awareness. The movements are not necessarily limited, they just have to be executed with precision. The challenge that a jump must be performed at the right moment leads to lots of trial and error, but any frustration rarely lies in the gameplay sequences but rather in a slightly inconsistent system of checkpoints. Sometimes you are forced to redo longer parts which just feels boring, and if you want to take a break during a level to later start the game again, you are often forced back to the beginning. A strange and punishing design choice that feels like a hard blow to the game's otherwise generally successful pace.

Many of the levels in {Lunark} are a bit of a puzzle in themselves, whether it's the moves you have to make or figuring out how to proceed. Sometimes the path is obstructed by enemies and although Leo is equipped with a gun with unlimited ammunition, the weapon has to cool down after a few shots. Thankfully, however, encounters with enemies can be limited to dealing with them one-on-one, but there are some parts where the design feels a bit of a failure and one of the three hearts you start with has to be sacrificed in order to progress. As with the above criticism regarding checkpoints, some levels have been filled with too many obstacles to overcome. Sure, there should be challenges, absolutely, but as a player I would rather be challenged by obstacles to be solved one by one, instead of creating chaos on the screen just for the sake of it. Especially when death forces me back a bit.

{Lunark} has plenty of charm in its pixelated graphics where I especially like how it gives life to things such as a bar adorned with neon signs or other environments where the details come to life. Overall, the graphics succeed best in futuristic and more colorful environments. There are a few too many dark caves and other gloomy places where the pixels feel rather flat, although I understand that some environments are included for the sake of variety and challenge. There are also some short charming cutscenes I enjoyed and the animations in the game are really top notch. Unfortunately, the most noticeable limitation of the graphics, apart from the aforementioned darker locations, is our rather dull and anonymous protagonist. I would also have liked a more memorable and vibrant soundtrack that would have elevated the experience as the game's music is unfortunately not very impressive.

Of course, I also understand the love for the game design of the past, even if the forced jumping on a certain frame, or the forced rigidity in general, often just feels sluggish and boring. I would have preferred a better flow and a less forced way to make it difficult with a game design that often punishes me as a player just to make it "feel like then". Climbing and timing jumps is fun in many moments, but most of the sequences feel dull when they are so repetitive. There are plenty of surprises in both design, story and what the game challenges you with, but the whole is dragged down by some downright boring environments, and when a fall to death or something else forces me to replay the same sequence, I feel mostly frustrated.

{Lunark} is in many ways an entertaining indie game with numerous good ideas. The pixel graphics are one of several reasons why it has a charm that is hard to resist, but the game is mainly a voyage to how games used to feel in many respects. But even if I understand that the slightly sluggish control is a conscious choice, it is often also the source of moments of pure frustration. These could have been counteracted if there had been better checkpoints and I personally would have had more fun with this. At the same time, I think it is enough to look at the pictures to see if {Lunark} is the kind of retro-classic action game that suits you and despite its negative sides, there are large parts that actually feel very successful.