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Lightmatter

Lightmatter's puzzles are shockingly smart, and getting that "Aha!" moment is brilliant. A little more refining and this may be a true first-person puzzle classic
Lightmatter Game Cover
84%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
91% User Score Based on 1,818 reviews
Critic Score 72%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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Lightmatter Game Cover

About

Lightmatter is a single player puzzle game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Tunnel Vision Games and was released on January 15, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Lightmatter is a single-player Science Fiction Adventure game with an intriguing story, stellar gameplay, and fantastic visuals. As a visitor to the world debut of Lightmatter, a revolutionary renewable energy source, you'll encounter mind-bending technological wonders and a life-changing experience, as described in a personal invitation from Virgil, CEO of Lightmatter Technologies."

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Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
Lightmatter screenshot
+19
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91%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,818 reviews
story272 positive mentions
grinding16 negative mentions
  • Engaging puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
  • Strong voice acting and humor, particularly from the character Virgil, which adds to the overall experience.
  • Unique light and shadow mechanics that create an interesting gameplay dynamic.
  • The game is relatively short, taking around 4-5 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • Heavy reliance on Portal references can feel forced and detract from the game's originality.
  • Some technical issues, including crashes and performance drops, can disrupt the gameplay experience.
  • story
    563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Lightmatter" is a blend of humor and intrigue, narrated by a character reminiscent of GLaDOS, which keeps players engaged despite its predictability and brevity. While some reviews highlight its derivative nature, drawing comparisons to "Portal," others appreciate its unique mechanics and the clever integration of light and shadow into the narrative. Overall, the story is seen as enjoyable and well-executed, though it could benefit from deeper character development and a more complex plot.

    • “The story unfolds through environmental cues and occasional dialogue, creating an intriguing sense of isolation while leaving enough room for interpretation.”
    • “The way light plays a central role in both the gameplay and the story is incredibly clever.”
    • “The story is engaging and the references to other games are a nice touch.”
    • “The story is rather bland but it is sprinkled with nice humor.”
    • “The only things that did disappoint me were the game's incredibly predictable story and seeming pride at being inspired by Portal.”
    • “The story is a straightforward narrative but interesting enough for a single playthrough.”
  • gameplay
    500 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Lightmatter* is characterized by its unique light and shadow mechanics, where players must navigate through puzzles while avoiding darkness, akin to a "floor is lava" concept. While the game features engaging puzzles and a visually appealing art style, many reviewers noted that the mechanics felt limited and repetitive, with only a few core elements utilized throughout the game. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and offers a fresh take on puzzle-solving, but it may leave players wanting more complexity and variety, especially given its relatively short playtime of around 3-6 hours.

    • “Lightmatter is a truly captivating puzzle platformer that offers a unique and immersive experience, blending thoughtful gameplay mechanics with striking visuals.”
    • “The core mechanic, where light is both a tool and an obstacle, provides a fresh take on puzzle-solving.”
    • “The game excels at gradually ramping up the difficulty, introducing new mechanics at just the right pace.”
    • “However, whilst similar in style to the portal games, it's really not in the same league: the game mechanics are quite limited and so some of the puzzle solving can be a bit repetitive; the graphics are a bit cartoonish (though that probably helps performance on my older PC); and it's relatively short - none of the puzzles are likely to have you scratching your head for more than a few minutes.”
    • “The game’s puzzles are okay, but the mechanic of the game is nowhere near the cleverness of portal’s central mechanic, and indeed, overall, the game feels very standard from a mechanical standpoint, and lacks the variety of something like portal or even the talos principle, with only a very limited number of puzzle variants.”
    • “The primary gameplay mechanic of moving light sources to stay out of the darkness remained fun and puzzling at times, but I did feel some more puzzle elements would have benefited the game.”
  • graphics
    249 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Lightmatter are characterized by a unique, minimalist art style that blends well with its gameplay mechanics, often drawing comparisons to titles like Portal and Borderlands. While many players appreciate the striking visuals and effective use of light and shadow, some have reported performance issues and a lack of detail in certain areas, leading to a somewhat simplistic aesthetic that may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game's visuals are generally well-received, contributing to an immersive experience despite some technical drawbacks.

    • “The visuals are stunning, with sleek, minimalist design that allows the lighting effects to shine in all their glory.”
    • “Lightmatter is a truly captivating puzzle platformer that offers a unique and immersive experience, blending thoughtful gameplay mechanics with striking visuals.”
    • “The art style is beautiful, the dialogue entertaining.”
    • “My biggest gripe is graphic performance.”
    • “I can't quite put my finger on the problem but it felt very stuttery, like playing at 20-30 fps, while the Steam FPS counter clearly showed 75 with VSync on (I played with basically every graphics setting and nothing worked).”
    • “There's not much to brag about from a graphics standpoint, but that's to be expected with an indie budget.”
  • humor
    134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, drawing heavy inspiration from titles like Portal and The Stanley Parable, with some players finding it charming and entertaining while others feel it falls short or feels forced. The narration often provides witty commentary and funny moments, but critiques highlight that it sometimes lacks the finesse and depth of its inspirations, leading to a tone that can feel inconsistent. Overall, while many appreciate the humor and clever dialogue, some find it unoriginal or lacking in genuine comedic impact.

    • “The game is funny, fun, and has a fantastic concept.”
    • “The narration and story is also well done, funny at times and it keeps you engaged.”
    • “Great writing, good humor, tough puzzles.”
    • “Some humor is okay, but it's mostly unfunny and mentions Portal too often to leech off its glory.”
    • “The narrator is a bad, unfunny, cheap version of Portal and The Stanley Parable narration.”
    • “The writing was pretty bad, and the references are not funny and stale.”
  • music
    77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric and immersive, effectively enhancing the overall experience, particularly during tense moments. However, some players found the soundtrack to be repetitive and lacking in variety, especially during gameplay, with a few noting that the finale music could have been more intense. Overall, while the sound design and voice acting received praise, the music's effectiveness varied among players, with some enjoying its chill vibe and others wishing for more dynamic compositions.

    • “The ambient soundtracks are subtle yet atmospheric, enhancing the sense of unease as you move through each level.”
    • “The music is incredible and really adds to the overall feeling of importance and impact that the player is supposed to feel while navigating the machinery and offices of the facility.”
    • “The soundtrack is also one of the better soundtracks I've heard in a while.”
    • “The sound design and music are pretty repetitive throughout, up until when the finale music kicks in.”
    • “Pretty dull soundtrack, doesn't really change depending on what's happening.”
    • “Music wasn't there; the game gives you hope of more interesting scenes before shoving you back into more of what you know.”
  • atmosphere
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Lightmatter is widely praised for its unique visual style and effective use of light and shadow, creating a cold and menacing environment reminiscent of Portal. The ambient soundtrack and engaging voice acting enhance the overall experience, contributing to a sense of unease and immersion as players navigate through clever puzzles. While some players expected a creepier atmosphere, the combination of art design, humor, and atmospheric tension has resonated well with many, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “Lightmatter stands on its own as an incredibly solid game with clever puzzles, a beautiful atmosphere, and an entertaining antagonist à la GLaDOS.”
    • “The ambient soundtracks are subtle yet atmospheric, enhancing the sense of unease as you move through each level.”
    • “The game plays its light versus darkness aesthetic to magical effect, creating an appealing and atmospheric mixture of subdued purples, blues, white, and black.”
    • “Was expecting a creepy atmosphere though from the impression on the store page.”
    • “The lack thereof certainly lends to the overall atmosphere of the game, and I very much vibed with it, but I'm left wondering what it'd be like with more color is all.”
    • “Very entertaining game with well-designed puzzles and some excellent voice acting and art design, although the number of overt references can be a bit much sometimes as it jars quite a lot with the atmosphere it tries to build.”
  • optimization
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on older systems due to its simpler graphics, others found it poorly optimized, leading to frustration during gameplay. Overall, while there are moments of good performance, the game's optimization appears to be a major drawback for many players.

    • “The lighting style they used works so well with the theme and puzzle mechanics, and the game was flawlessly optimized, at least for me.”
    • “Many options to set the graphics quality and performance, so this will run on older hardware.”
    • “Game is polished and well-optimized, there're cool achievements and great voiceovers.”
    • “So even though the game runs fine in 240fps, it looks insanely choppy and the amount of stuttering makes it impossible to enjoy - or even look at.”
    • “It has many obvious flaws, like the ugly game menu, the optimization is bad (a simple puzzle game took nearly 100% GPU), the talk is not that bad but does slow down the gameplay, other sound is either too low or none.”
    • “Yet even so, the game suffers from lack of optimization still -- even my RTX 3080 had additional aggressive stutters in some parts of the game even when locked to 50 fps.”
  • replayability
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with most players completing it in 3-6 hours and finding little incentive to return after the initial playthrough. While there are some achievements and alternate endings to explore, as well as speedrunning options, the consensus is that the game is primarily a one-time experience. Many reviewers suggest waiting for a sale due to its short length and minimal replay value.

    • “The story is good, replay value for achievements and different endings, speedrunning potential is great, and the voice acting is superb.”
    • “The game is pretty short, it took me just under 3 hours to beat the campaign, but it has some replay value because there are secret things you can do or find to unlock achievements, and there's an option to enable speedrun stats if you're into that sort of thing.”
    • “Replayability is conditioned by a few achievements that collectionists will spend an extra hour getting and an alternate ending you can unlock by idling at a key moment.”
    • “Replayability is conditioned by a few achievements collectionists will spend an extra hour getting and an alternate ending you can unlock by idling at a key moment.”
    • “Not much replay value once the puzzles get cooked out, and honestly with the short play time (3-5 hours, I found it on the shorter side but I did rush it), I would save this one for a Steam sale.”
    • “Getting into what makes me not recommend this game, it's only about three hours long, with zero replay value unless you wanted to speedrun or listen to developer commentary.”
  • grinding
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that while the puzzles in the game are generally well-designed and offer moments of cleverness, they often become tedious, particularly in execution. Many players found the gameplay marred by excessive busy work and a lack of rewarding experiences after solving puzzles, leading to a sense of grinding that detracted from overall enjoyment. Additionally, the presence of an overly talkative narrator further contributed to the feeling of tedium.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A lot of grinding.”
    • “All of the puzzles have a sense of tediousness to them and never really feel rewarding at the end.”
    • “Honestly, it annoys me that this isn't a demo. Besides that already being a bad thing, the narrator just isn't really funny; it's just annoying, and the puzzles are super simple and honestly more tedious executing them than figuring them out.”
    • “I agree with almost all of the problems that were already mentioned, but in my opinion, Lightmatter's biggest problem is that after you've solved a puzzle in your head, everything that comes afterwards is just a lot of tedious busy work that takes way too long to finish.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and crashes, particularly during later levels, leading to significant frustration. While some users experienced minimal issues, others faced constant freezes and had to restart the game multiple times, indicating that stability remains a major concern. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, its technical problems detract from the experience.

    • “This is one of my favorite games, and it runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “I had no technical problems and found no glitches. Thumbs up!”
    • “In my 3 hours of actual gameplay, I experienced about 30 freezes and crashes where I had to restart the game.”
    • “I have no idea what can go so wrong in such a simple and short game, but when your first launch of the game freezes, it doesn’t look good.”
    • “Its a buggy mess that constantly crashes, and I wasn't able to get through the first puzzle because the game forgot to load the exit section.”
  • emotional
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the heartfelt dev commentary and the relatable voice acting that conveys character emotions, others feel that certain impactful moments fall flat due to gameplay mechanics that detract from immersion. The storyline and character development are praised, but repetitive music and frustrating puzzle elements can hinder the overall emotional experience.

    • “Ever since I played The Talos Principle by Croteam, I have felt a real emotional response from a female researcher's recordings laying out the background story for me.”
    • “Virgil and Natalie both sounded like actual people rather than voice actors reading lines - I could really feel Virgil's emotional state changing over the course of the game.”
    • “Not the best graphics, but good storyline, good voiceovers, and gameplay that actually made me feel smarter.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features surprisingly deep character development, especially considering its short playtime of around 5 hours, complemented by engaging mechanics and appealing character design.

    • “The story has surprising depth and character development for a game that can be 100% completed in about 5 hours.”
    • “Nice mechanics and character design.”
    • “The character development feels rushed and superficial, leaving little room for meaningful growth.”
    • “I found the characters to be one-dimensional, lacking the depth needed to make their journeys engaging.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the character arcs are predictable and fail to evoke any real emotional connection.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for aggressively promoting Discord ads upon launch, which some users find intrusive, while others acknowledge the cleverness of the advertising approach.

    • “Also spams Discord ads in your face when you launch the game.”
    • “The way they are advertising is so clever, but it feels intrusive.”
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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews
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5h Median play time
5h Average play time
4-6h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Lightmatter is a puzzle game with science fiction theme.

Lightmatter is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Lightmatter.

Lightmatter was released on January 15, 2020.

Lightmatter was developed by Tunnel Vision Games.

Lightmatter has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Lightmatter is a single player game.

Similar games include The Entropy Centre, The Turing Test, Viewfinder, Darq, Quantum Conundrum and others.