Equin: The Lantern

About

In "Equin: The Lantern," you play as a gray, rabbit-eared kid tasked with investigating a magical lantern causing chaos beneath a town. With procedurally generated levels and various color-coded magical effects, each playthrough offers a unique experience. This roguelike game features 50 floors to conquer, presenting a challenging and entertaining adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+10

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

Equin: The Lantern offers a simple yet challenging roguelike experience with a variety of classes and lots of ways to die, making each run unique and engaging.
The game features charming pixel art and upbeat music that enhance the overall feel-good atmosphere, appealing to fans of retro-style games.
With a plethora of items, events, and mechanics, the game provides depth and replayability, encouraging players to experiment and learn from their runs.

The lack of a fullscreen option and limited resolution can detract from the visual experience, making it feel cramped for some players.
Some mechanics, such as the lantern color changes and certain item effects, are not well explained, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
The game can feel repetitive over time, as the dungeon levels may look similar and the absence of a tutorial can leave new players feeling lost.

gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
75%
13%
The gameplay is characterized by its turn-based mechanics and a unique lantern system that alters gameplay rules, adding variability but also confusion due to a lack of clear instructions. While it offers a compact experience suitable for short or long play sessions, many players find the mechanics limited and sometimes frustrating, with some aspects feeling underexplained. Overall, the game successfully incorporates traditional roguelike elements but could benefit from clearer guidance and more depth to enhance the user experience.
- “The lantern adds variability to the gameplay by changing the rules of the game.”
- “Compact game, easy mechanics, and something you can play for a few minutes or a few hours.”
- “And make no mistake, while this game has a unique take on roguelike mechanics, it's very much a true roguelike; it's turn-based, has intense resource management, and every run is totally different.”
- “With no tutorial and no real help outside of tips you buy at taverns, the game largely leaves you dazed and confused, wandering aimlessly about fighting monsters, collecting treasure and trying to figure out the mechanics.”
- “I found the lack of help annoying, the monsters overpowered, and the gameplay mediocre.”
- “A lot of mechanics are unclear without hints right off the bat.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The game's graphics feature a retro pixel art style that appeals to fans of old-school games, though it lacks fullscreen resolution options, limiting players to small or slightly larger windowed modes. While some users note minor graphical issues on Linux, the overall aesthetic is described as charming and fitting for the game's brutal roguelike nature, with clear visuals that run well on low-end hardware. However, those who prefer high-quality graphics may find the visuals underwhelming.
- “The pixel graphics, however, look nice in both of these.”
- “With its pixelated graphics that are reminiscent of old Dragon Warrior titles, Equin: The Lantern provides an interesting experience into the unforgiving realm of old-styled games with a healthy dose of modern-day twists and turns.”
- “Impressive graphics - seriously, those crisp big and blocky pixels and palettes are just perfectly fitting.”
- “First thing I should mention is that the game won't use fullscreen resolution; there are only two graphics options - a small window or a slightly bigger window.”
- “Note for Linux users: Equin: The Lantern can be played on Linux, but there are minor graphical issues like text being too big, and when it's in multiple lines, they might not display correctly. The indicator of taken/inflicted damage during the fight is displaying distorted, stuff like that.”
- “The crude graphics of the menu did not fill the screen, and the interface with arrow keys, spacebar, tab, etc. did not impress.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The music in the game is generally praised for its catchy, upbeat, and retro chip tune style, which complements the game's design and storyline. However, some players note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetition, prompting them to mute the music after a while. Overall, while the music is well-received, its simplicity and lack of variety may not appeal to everyone.
- “The music has that retro chiptune to it that fits the way the game is designed.”
- “Great music in the game and just enough flavor text on the items to make you want to know about the rabbit-warrior's world.”
- “Very simple game with really fun music.”
- “When it comes to the music, it's catchy but there aren't too many tracks.”
- “Still, some people might mute the music after hearing the tracks a few times.”
- “Music rarely changes.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The story of the game revolves around a young adventurer's quest to navigate a 50-floor dungeon in search of a mysterious lantern, facing various traps and enemies along the way. While some players appreciate the straightforward narrative, others feel it lacks depth and complexity, suggesting it may be more of a light RPG experience than a story-driven one. Overall, the plot serves as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus.
- “In this game, you will play the part of a young adventurer who is on a quest to find the mysterious lantern in a dark and dangerous dungeon comprised of 50 deadly levels filled with traps and enemies.”
- “Conquer the 50-floor dungeon and its evil inhabitants in a quest to the bottom to find the mysterious lantern itself.”
- “Equin: The Lantern is a retro-style roguelike game that puts you on a quest to obtain a mysterious lantern of unknown origin and design.”
- “I guess there isn't too much story; however, since I haven't finished the game yet, there might be a lot I'm missing.”
- “This is a no frills, no story, light RPG, rogue-like dungeon crawler...”
- “Equin: the lantern is a retro style roguelike game that puts you on a quest to obtain a mysterious lantern of unknown origin and design.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its fantastic and feel-good humor, with players highlighting the clever jokes, amusing item descriptions, and the expressive comedic design of characters. Overall, the humor adds a delightful charm that enhances the gaming experience.
- “The game has nice artwork, animation, and perhaps best of all - the humor.”
- “Let me tell you that the humor in this game is just fantastic.”
- “There is a great sense of humor running throughout this game; some of the item descriptions are really funny!”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong replayability, offering enjoyable short sessions and solid roguelike elements that encourage repeated play. Players find it fun and engaging, contributing to its overall replay value.
- “A very good game, replayable in short bursts.”
- “A solid roguelike with lots of replay value.”
- “Overall, it's a fun game with a decent amount of replay value.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers appreciate the game's retro atmosphere, noting that it effectively captures the intended nostalgic feel.
- “The game perfectly captures a nostalgic retro atmosphere that immerses you in its world.”
- “The haunting soundtrack and detailed environments create an incredibly immersive atmosphere.”
- “Every element of the game contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that keeps you captivated.”