Light Fall
- May 28, 2015
- BishopGames
- 208h median play time
Light Fall is a simple platformer designed great for speed runners but with enough lore for any casual player to enjoy
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "Light Fall," players explore the mysterious world of Numbra using the Shadow Core, a magical box they can manipulate to create platforms and overcome obstacles. They'll encounter strange creatures, guided by the narration of a sarcastic owl named Stryx, all in an effort to save the land from an imminent threat. With a variety of environments to discover, players must master the Shadow Core to survive in this challenging 2D platformer.
Reviews
- Light Fall features a unique platforming mechanic that allows players to create their own platforms, enhancing mobility and exploration.
- The game boasts beautiful visuals and a captivating story that draws players into the world of Numbra, complemented by a great soundtrack.
- The gameplay is enjoyable and fluid, with responsive controls and a speedrun mode that adds replayability for fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from a steep difficulty spike in Act IV, which can be frustrating and unbalanced compared to the rest of the game.
- Some players found the story to be lackluster and disconnected from the gameplay, with excessive dialogue that detracts from the experience.
- There are issues with controls, including a lack of customization options and occasional unresponsiveness, which can hinder the platforming experience.
- gameplay39 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a standout feature, praised for its tight controls and innovative mechanics, particularly the ability to create platforms with the protagonist's shadow core. While some players found the controls unresponsive and the world uninspiring, many enjoyed the unique platforming experience and the challenge it offers, making it appealing for fans of the genre. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging mechanics with a visually appealing design, though opinions vary on the balance between gameplay and narrative elements.
“Absolutely loved the mechanic of creating your own platforms and the speed that you could move.”
“The platforming mechanic, the shadow core, is top notch as you can go through each level however you want with it.”
“Overall, the gameplay is the most important aspect of a platformer - and this game nails it.”
“I normally don’t review games with so little time on them, but I feel as though I have had enough and even introducing new mechanics and story beats won’t change much due to:”
“Bishop Games gave it their best shot, and despite producing a beautiful game, they have failed by creating one with unresponsive and floaty controls, a dull and generic world that makes me feel no need to explore it, poor art direction that causes difficulty to actually play the game, and an innovative game mechanic that is severely hampered by all of the above.”
“Games that try to add a super artificial difficulty by repeating and repeating mechanics and designing the main character as literally feeling like one pixel on a 75" flat screen, so you can't see where you jump, awkwardly trying to badly imitate Ori's escape levels are basically an insult to every platformer gamer out there.”
- story34 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging narrative and beautiful visuals, while others find it bland or forgettable. Many appreciate the unique world and mechanics, but some criticize the story for being clichéd or lacking depth. Overall, while the story may not be the main draw for all players, it does contribute positively to the overall experience for those who value narrative in platformers.
“With a wonder-filled story and awe-inspiring visuals, this game is sure to take your breath away!”
“Fantastic story, awesome art style, and great gameplay.”
“The story is well written, drawing the player into the land of Numbra, the plight of the Kamloops, and the conflict of Eternia.”
“A bland story & world.”
“The story was forgettable, but such is often the case for these types of games where you just want to get back to the platforming action as soon as possible.”
“Stupidly placed save points, uncreatively frustrating obstacles and an artsy-fartsy 'story' and graphics that are neither appealing nor making much sense.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the beautiful artwork, unique art style, and awe-inspiring visuals that enhance the overall experience. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in character design and a lack of coherence in the story and graphics. Overall, the visuals are highlighted as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The art style is great.”
“With a wonder-filled story and awe-inspiring visuals, this game is sure to take your breath away!”
“This game is amazing from the beautiful visuals to the haunting soundtrack; Lightfall is fantastic!”
“The simple color palette and aesthetic feel underwhelming.”
“The story, narration, and main character design, along with the overall art style, kind of bugged me.”
“The graphics lack detail and depth, making the game feel less immersive.”
- music12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being beautiful and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with a haunting soundtrack and great sound effects. While some reviewers find it good but not exceptional, many appreciate its ability to complement the visuals and gameplay effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
“The music is surprisingly really good.”
“If you like puzzle-platformers that give a challenge but aren't unfair; a beautiful, atmospheric game with a lovely soundtrack, this can be wholeheartedly recommended!”
“This game is amazing from the beautiful visuals to the haunting soundtrack; Lightfall is fantastic!”
“The music is fine, but nothing special; it isn't insulting or anything either.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable, particularly due to its official speedrun mode, which offers opportunities for optimization and challenges. Overall, it has received positive feedback, with a rating of 8/10 for its replayability.
“I'd give this game an 8/10 for sure, with a lot of replayability in the speedrun.”
“The game is replayable and still has plenty of room for optimization on the official speedrun.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by its beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of challenging yet fair puzzle-platforming elements, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.
“The whole point of this game is the platforming and the atmosphere.”
“If you like puzzle-platformers that provide a challenge but aren't unfair, this beautiful, atmospheric game with a lovely soundtrack can be wholeheartedly recommended!”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
“The environments are lifeless, making it hard to feel engaged with the game world.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development received mixed feedback, with some users expressing dissatisfaction with the story, narration, and main character design, suggesting that these elements detracted from the overall experience.
“The story and narration, along with the main character design, really bugged me.”
“Character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
“The characters are one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game is almost non-existent.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to a noticeable delay between button presses and actions, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay. This can be particularly frustrating for those who prioritize enjoyment and story over speedrunning achievements.
“There is a long delay between button presses and certain actions, so you have to know what lies ahead or feel the flow. If you play for fun and the story, rather than for speedrun achievements, that's tedious to get through.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again just to progress, which takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers significant replayability and has ample opportunities for optimization, particularly highlighted in the official speedrun community.
“The game is replayable and still has plenty of room for optimization on the official speedrun.”
Critic Reviews
Light Fall Review
Light Fall swiftly finds a spot among all the other Switch hardcore 2D platforming greats by offering not only a quality game wrapped in a beautifully unique atmosphere, but by successfully providing the player with a plot and characters that are worth investing, making the game very hard to set aside until you complete the tiny shadow-being quest. We found very little to complain about the whole package and as such have very little reserve in recommending you add yet another fantastic platform adventure to the growing list of titles already available on Switch.
80%Light Fall Review
Light Fall is a very competent 2D platformer with a fairly low barrier for kids to enjoy. This could be a good gateway game for the likes of N++ or Super Meat Boy, since the checkpoints are plentiful and it is generally not a punishing title. The visuals are not going to win any awards but they are not offensive or too derivative; merely adequate. Light Fall is a great one for those who are not quite ready to take on Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, but are growing out of Kirby Star Allies.
70%Light Fall Review
Though not without some minor issues, Light Fall manages to overcome its fairly typical visual design and platforming gameplay thanks to the unique Shadow Core mechanics and an engaging narrator.
68%
