Lantern

52%
Game Brain Score Based on 33 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • story
Lantern Game Cover
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Be the wind and guide a beautiful lantern that spreads the powerful message of everlasting love, by bringing life and color back to the world around you. Lantern is a relaxing game experience full of positive emotions.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

52%
Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews
music11 positive mentions
atmosphere3 negative mentions
  • Beautiful art style and relaxing soundtrack create a soothing atmosphere.
  • The gameplay is simple and meditative, allowing players to enjoy exploring and coloring the world.
  • The game offers a unique experience with its charming concept of bringing color back to a dull landscape.
  • Lack of save options leads to frustration, as players must complete levels in one sitting.
  • Controls can feel clunky and difficult to master, especially with a joypad.
  • The game may cause motion sickness in VR, and the implementation of VR is not well optimized.
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the relaxing gameplay experience, with many players appreciating the soothing soundtrack and cultural influences. However, some users noted that the music can be repetitive and lacks smooth transitions, suggesting a desire for more variety in the tracks. Overall, the combination of the game's visuals and music creates a captivating and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “I loved this game, such wonderful music, inspiring messages, loved the way you could bring back color to the world, and although the story had no words, you could see the whole story; I would not change a thing as it is a masterpiece.”
    • “Transforming everything to as lively as it used to be all while listening to a relaxing beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “With the lively colors and the soothing cultural music and sounds, Lantern is stimulating for both the eyes and the ears.”
    • “The soundtrack could have used a few more tunes for good variation, but even as it is now, you won’t be disappointed.”
    • “Each season has its own traditional Chinese style music, and the sound design is rather well done.”
    • “While the visuals are soothing, the soundtrack lacks diversity and could benefit from more variety.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by janky visuals and awkward controls, leading to a sense of busy work rather than engaging challenges. While some players appreciate the relaxing and simple mechanics, reminiscent of titles like Okami, others find the lack of direction and depth a significant drawback. Overall, the experience is described as enjoyable for those seeking a laid-back atmosphere, but it may not satisfy players looking for more substantial gameplay.

    • “Definitely recommending this to everyone who just wants to sit back and enjoy beautiful music and easy, relaxing gameplay.”
    • “I was still playing around with the game mechanics and exploring/coloring the world when I realized it, so it was quite alright for me.”
    • “What truly helps it stand out is not the colors and shapes, but their clever mix within the gameplay and the central role played here by diversity in opposition to the initially monochromatic levels.”
    • “Janky visuals, uneasy control on the joypad, scenery-coloring gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay, however, just has almost nowhere to go and ends up just feeling like busy work.”
    • “Regardless, the gameplay itself was a deal breaker in this instance.”
  • story10 mentions

    The game's story is described as minimalistic and lacking in traditional narrative elements, with no deep plot or cutscenes. However, players appreciate the emotional depth conveyed through visuals and music, finding beauty in its simplicity and the inspiring themes of color restoration and personal struggle. Overall, while the story may be skeletal, it resonates with players as a heartfelt experience that invites personal interpretation.

    • “I loved this game, such wonderful music, inspiring messages, loved the way you could bring back color to the world, and although the story had no words, you could see the whole story; I would not change a thing as it is a masterpiece.”
    • “Lantern is a year-long story of a princess who falls into depression, and her tears turn the world grey.”
    • “Very relaxing, beautiful game with a pretty story to go with in my opinion.”
    • “There's no deep storyline or cutscenes.”
    • “Not much of a story to spoil here, and I won’t be doing it anyways.”
    • “It's up to you to write the story inside.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the brilliant and colorful visuals, beautiful art style, and level design, while others find the low poly graphics to be nice but not exceptional. Overall, the visuals are described as soothing and complemented by a relaxing soundtrack, though some users note issues with janky visuals and control difficulties.

    • “Brilliant colorful visuals.”
    • “Beautiful art style and level design.”
    • “Soothing visuals and relaxing soundtrack.”
    • “Janky visuals, uneasy control on the joypad, scenery-coloring gameplay.”
    • “The low poly graphics are nice but not exceptional.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive quality, reflecting the developers' experience in creating engaging environments. However, some users note that sluggish controls can disrupt the overall experience, leading to moments of frustration that detract from the intended ambiance.

    • “The development team has had their fair share of atmospheric projects on Steam, and I'm pleased to notice that all that previous experience was put to good use, ultimately giving us a wonderful example of independent gaming.”
    • “The controls are sluggish, requiring attention and causing some frustrations, which often breaks the atmosphere.”
    • “The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and unengaging.”
    • “Despite the visuals, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, failing to draw me into the experience.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with some users noting that while it is short, it does offer a degree of replay value, albeit not the most compelling kind.

    • “While it may be short in length, it certainly has some replayability.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users report that the emotional impact of the VR experience is intense, with some experiencing significant discomfort and nausea, indicating a strong visceral reaction that can be overwhelming.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it requires covering all grounds in each season to unlock the next level, leading to a repetitive experience.

    • “You must cover all grounds in each season to unlock the next level, which can become very tedious.”
    • “The grinding feels endless, and it often overshadows the fun aspects of the game.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over just to progress, which is incredibly frustrating.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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