Lightstep Chronicles
- March 13, 2019
- Eipix
Lightstep Chronicles features some great characters and world building, but some lame puzzles and weird design choices drag it down.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Lightstep Chronicles" is a dark sci-fi text-based adventure game set in a futuristic art deco universe. As a military captain, you explore an alien spaceship with a seemingly insane AI, whisked away on an intergalactic journey to stay alive and relevant. The game delves into themes of humanity vs. artificial intelligence and transcendence.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a compelling story with interesting plot twists and character development.
- It offers multiple endings and complex conversations, encouraging replayability and player engagement.
- The immersive atmosphere and well-crafted AI personalities enhance the overall experience, making it a treat for fans of text-based adventures.
- The game suffers from a lack of meaningful choices, often presenting players with fake options that lead to the same outcomes.
- Dialogue can be excessively lengthy and repetitive, making it tedious to progress through conversations.
- There is a significant absence of voice acting after the initial cutscene, which detracts from the overall immersion and engagement.
- story35 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as engaging and filled with plot twists, making it compelling enough for players to complete in a short time. However, some reviewers noted issues with player choice and interface mechanics that detracted from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a feeling of disconnect from the narrative. Despite these criticisms, many praised the writing, character development, and immersive world-building, highlighting the story as the standout feature of the game.
“The story is extremely compelling and the visuals are stunning.”
“The story moves along very nicely and has a lot going on in it with a good few twists and turns, and the interactions with various AIs (who you're talking to throughout the game) are very well built, with excellent personalities and backstories.”
“I found it to be refreshing in its exploration of some deeper topics, including not just humanity but also psychology, world building, storytelling, and character building.”
“Very quickly, I was unable to connect with the story at all.”
“Unfortunately, a lot of these suffer from the same problem: contrived plot elements that only serve the UI and not the story.”
“What truly did disappoint was the fact that it did not really feel like there were any type of branching story paths.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and high quality, often described as stunning and on par with epic standards. While the visuals create an immersive atmosphere and enhance the storytelling, some users noted inconsistencies with voice acting and minor bugs in cutscenes. Overall, the game's impressive graphics are a standout feature that elevate the experience, making it worth the admission price.
“Beautiful graphics.”
“Well, for a 'point and click' game, the graphics were quite surprising at 4K resolution.”
“The graphics are on par with epic standards and above par when compared to many others.”
“Even though the visuals are immaculate, they barely respond to the dialogue.”
“The art moderne aesthetic, I believe, is based on the novel, and in the game, I think they really take it to the next level of kitsch.”
“The game is gorgeous, the cinematics are astounding... but the voice acting isn't that same quality the visuals led me to believe, and after that first cutscene, there doesn't seem to be any voice acting.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a point-and-click mechanic that some players find tedious and unclear, often feeling like obstacles to the narrative rather than enhancements. While it offers interactive elements and dialogue branches that can engage players, it is best suited for those who appreciate a story-driven experience akin to an interactive book. Overall, the gameplay serves primarily to support the immersive storytelling rather than stand out on its own.
“If you are willing to play something more akin to an interactive book, then this game is perfect for you, very similar to 'The Ballad Singer' in terms of gameplay.”
“There are enough dialogue branches and a bit of gameplay clicking around to keep one properly engaged as well.”
“I could comment on gameplay, graphics, and design (all of which I found very immersive) but the true star is the story.”
“After the first pass, I was eager to get to the next step and didn't bother reading the crew log entries, which did nothing to advance gameplay.”
“Here you have to figure out the UI mechanics presented as if they were part of the story, but not only is that part uninteresting, it's not clear what you need to trigger to advance.”
“Many of these point-and-click type games are like this; we have been pointing and clicking for ages. These contrived mechanics are simply speed bumps to the point-and-click enjoyment of a good story.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, featuring impressive graphics and an exceptional sound score that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note the strong writing and solid soundtrack as key elements that contribute to its immersive environment.
“Great atmospheric game, complemented with good graphics and an incredible sound score.”
“It is very well written and has a solid soundtrack to complement the atmosphere.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the storytelling, with a solid soundtrack that complements the well-written narrative and overall atmosphere.
“The storytelling aspects of this game are impeccable, including the marvelously written text as well as the music.”
“It is very well written and has a solid soundtrack to complement the atmosphere.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game effectively evokes a range of emotions, prompting deep reflections and personal introspection.
“This game played on some of my emotions, made me feel other ones, and forced me to reflect on various aspects of life.”
“The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making their struggles feel personal and relatable.”
“I found myself deeply moved by the storyline, which evoked a range of feelings that lingered long after I finished playing.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally strong, with impressive graphics; however, some users have reported minor bugs during a few cutscenes.
“The graphics are incredible, though a couple of the cutscenes were a bit buggy.”
“I experienced frequent crashes that made it hard to enjoy the game.”
“The game often freezes during gameplay, which is really frustrating.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts strong replayability, allowing players to revisit and alter their outcomes for a more satisfying experience.
“The good news is that the game offers great replay value if you are not satisfied with your outcome.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, making you want to dive back in for more.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two runs are ever the same.”
