Lithium City

About

Lithium City is a single player hack and slash game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Nico Tuason and was released on June 15, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Lithium City" is a fast-paced, action-packed parkour game set in a dystopian future. As a runner, navigate through a sprawling metropolis while evading enemy attacks and collecting valuable resources. Use your parkour skills to climb, slide, and dash your way to freedom in this thrilling, challenging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 434 reviews

gameplay70 positive mentions

replayability4 negative mentions

Stylish visuals and a fantastic soundtrack create an engaging cyberpunk atmosphere.
The gameplay is fast-paced and fun, with a variety of mechanics introduced throughout the levels.
The game offers a satisfying challenge, especially in the final boss fight, which tests the player's skills.

The game is very short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
There is a significant difficulty spike in the final chapter, particularly with the last boss, which can feel frustrating and unfair.
Some levels feature mechanics that can be confusing or frustrating, such as the soccer mini-game and the helicopter chase.

gameplay
226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
66%
3%
The gameplay in "Lithium City" is characterized by its engaging and polished mechanics, blending elements of beat 'em up and shooter genres with puzzles and time-based challenges. Players appreciate the variety introduced in each chapter, which keeps the experience fresh, although some express frustration with the final boss's departure from the established gameplay style. Overall, the game is praised for its stylish visuals, stellar soundtrack, and tight controls, making it a compelling, albeit short, indie title.
- “Excellent gameplay, well-polished, all mechanics don't get overused.”
- “The gameplay is tight and fluid, the soundtrack is stellar, artistic direction is utterly gorgeous, and controls feel natural and I never had any issues with them directly.”
- “Lithium City has no fat: it is all fun, no filler; every level introduces and explores new mechanics and twists to the experience but never overstays its welcome.”
- “The final boss more-or-less cheats by throwing out everything you've learned up to that point by imposing a slow burn battle that goes against the agile glass cannon gameplay prior to the boss.”
- “Gameplay is too slow for a game like this and the enemies are very repetitive.”
- “So overall, this game feels like a cheaply made mobile game with very boring and bland gameplay mechanics.”
music
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
30%
2%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its exceptional quality, effectively complementing the vibrant visuals and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Reviewers noted the soundtrack's ability to evoke strong emotions and tension during gameplay, with standout moments that resonate well with the game's cyberpunk aesthetic. While some felt certain tracks were generic, the majority agree that the music is a significant highlight, making it worth listening to outside of the game.
- “The music really complemented the art style and in big fights it also often gave you a sense of tension that was great.”
- “The soundtrack is incredible and managed to do what a game like Hotline Miami did with its soundtrack but with an original score instead of licensed music.”
- “The music is phenomenal, too, an excellent accompaniment to the high-octane slashing, dashing, and shooting.”
- “Also the soundtrack just doesn't fit this cyberpunk atmosphere as well as I hoped; for the most part, this game has a very generic electronic soundtrack which just doesn't fit.”
- “The art style is simple, but efficient, and while the soundtrack isn't full of bangers, it doesn't need to be; it sounds like it should and has enough motif work to do what it needs to do.”
- “Music in games is a massive driving force to emotionally move the player, and can be a determining factor whether the game is worth being immersed in or not.”
graphics
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
2%
The graphics of "Lithium City" are widely praised for their striking neon and minimalist cyberpunk aesthetic, which effectively enhances the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals, vibrant colors, and seamless integration with the game's soundtrack, creating an engaging atmosphere that captivates players. While some note minor issues with visibility in certain sections, the overall presentation is considered polished and visually impressive, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The game is extremely pretty, featuring a neon glass-like aesthetic that is hard to forget, accompanied by a banger of a soundtrack that provides a nice ambience for each chapter.”
- “Fast paced, skill based, beautiful minimalist glassy cyberpunk aesthetic.”
- “If you care about aesthetics, Lithium City offers an experience unlike any other game on the market - if you want to play a video game set in a synthwave album cover that was recreated as a glass window - with the music to match - this game is for you.”
- “This part of the game serves absolutely no purpose and this is where you see the developer was more focused on aesthetics than gameplay as the pillars you must hide behind are translucent to a degree and make it very difficult to tell if you are behind it or not.”
- “The isometric art style makes this pretty annoying, and just isn't very fun compared to the rest of the game and there are a couple sections like this.”
- “The game does get a bit frustrating towards the very end, as the aesthetic becomes slightly more abstract and thus makes it a little difficult to read what exactly is going on (there's a section with a helicopter I found particularly tough).”
story
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
85%
5%
The game's story is minimal and often ambiguous, lacking explicit dialogue or detailed characterization, which can make it difficult for players to connect with the characters or understand the plot. While some appreciate the minimalist approach and find the atmosphere and art style engaging, many reviewers note that the story feels underdeveloped and does not significantly impact the gameplay experience. Overall, the narrative serves more as a backdrop to the action rather than a central focus, leaving much open to personal interpretation.
- “You can tell that there's talent in every department: the music sets up the mood so well, the art style and storytelling are simple but delightful and effective, and the gameplay is the right mix of fun and challenging.”
- “I can appreciate why it took Nico nearly 5+ years to make a hand-crafted, level-based game with stylish storytelling where every chapter introduces new mechanics and maintains great scenario variety.”
- “Plus, I feel like it conveys tone well even without an explicit narrative—leaving enough to get you interested and try to map your own story onto the game.”
- “The game is not very long (a third of my playtime is from the final boss, if you're not bad at games like me, you can probably finish it in an hour or under), there doesn't seem to be very much story, and there's no achievements.”
- “There's very little in the way of story and characterization, which is a shame as it's harder to get attached to our heroine or her nemesis, who are the only major characters in the game.”
- “If you care most about story, there is little to be found here - or, rather, there's nothing explicit about the story, and it's up to your own interpretation on what it's actually about.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find enjoyment in revisiting the core gameplay, many criticize the lack of additional content, such as side modes or difficulty options, which limits replay value. Suggestions for improvement include implementing achievements, score systems, or new game modes to enhance the experience. Overall, the game is considered short, and while it has some replay potential, it falls short of creating a compelling reason to return.
- “Short but sweet, and plenty of replay value to go with it, and it's chock full of pure eye candy - what's not to love?”
- “I've come back to this game a few times and it has fun replayability as well.”
- “You'd barely make it out alive each time, so if there was some time-based or other record to strive for, that'd increase its replayability exponentially - maybe even making it similar to Slay the Spire (the main game plays only for an hour, but because you'd want to get better and better, you'd spend well over 20, 30 hours on it).”
- “It's short and there isn't any replay value either.”
- “There is no replay value at all outside of experiencing the core gameplay in the campaign again and there is no side content like an endless mode or Steam Workshop to compensate.”
- “There's not much replayability since the rooms and enemies are the same, and the solutions to each room tend to be intuitive and obvious (e.g. hide behind the boxes on the conveyor belts to avoid getting shot).”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is described as having a strong sense of style and effective minimalist storytelling, particularly appealing to fans of cyberpunk themes. However, some players find the level settings repetitive and lacking in narrative depth, and the soundtrack is criticized for being generic and not fitting the cyberpunk aesthetic. Overall, while the atmosphere is praised for its art style and excitement, it may wear thin over time, especially for older gamers.
- “It's got a sense of style and atmosphere that is darn near flawless.”
- “I love the atmosphere, the art style, the minimalist but still effective storytelling, and most of all, the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very tight and fun, the general atmosphere is top-notch (especially if you're a fan of cyberpunk themes), and for less than ten dollars it's a pretty good deal.”
- “The atmosphere and setting for the different levels are very repetitive and ordinary, with not a hint of story to be found.”
- “The soundtrack just doesn't fit this cyberpunk atmosphere as well as I hoped; for the most part, this game has a very generic electronic soundtrack that just doesn't work.”
- “The atmosphere feels lacking and fails to immerse the player in the intended experience.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most users reporting it as relatively bug-free. However, some players have experienced occasional glitches during cutscenes and issues with controls, though the developer is actively addressing these problems through updates. Despite these minor setbacks, many players find the gameplay experience enjoyable and fast-paced.
- “The game is relatively bug-free.”
- “The game is relatively bug-free.”
- “At times the cutscenes can get glitched and you can watch them, which freezes up the game.”
- “The controls tend to be a bit buggy; I almost beat the final boss because of a bug that let me float in space!”
- “In addition, the developer is continuing to update what issues do exist within the game - I was unable to encounter any glitches personally, and what glitches I have seen referenced appear to be getting fixed.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly during encounters with the helicopter, which introduces overly difficult mechanics and tight dodging windows. However, some appreciate that the game avoids artificial prolongation through excessive padding, offering a more streamlined experience compared to many modern titles.
- “I think everyone who has played this will probably agree that when the helicopter shows up, it gets tedious, overtly difficult, and the windows to dodge its bullets are too tight.”
- “Instead, it devolves into a tedious game of tag where you hit her, she runs away, she hits you, then you run away.”
- “In stark contrast to most modern games, Lithium City does not artificially prolong itself by diluting the experience through padding and grinding.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle yet effective, often eliciting smiles and laughter through unexpected enemy encounters and chaotic gameplay moments, particularly with the amusing light disc weapon. While the overall tone leans more towards badassery, the lighthearted elements add a delightful touch to the experience.
- “The game does surprise you at certain points with the enemies and battle situations, in a way that always brought a smile to my face or had me laughing because I should have seen it coming.”
- “My favorite weapon by far was the light disc; that thing is hilarious, and the levels with it are just pure, unadulterated chaos.”
- “It's very well put together, with a bleeding-cool aesthetic, a deep library of sound effects, a spectacular soundtrack, general badassery on the part of the mute protagonist, and just a tiny dash of humor.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is highlighted by significant improvements in female character designs, which enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the depth of the world and background lore that unfolds through gameplay, contributing to a richer understanding of the characters and their narratives.
- “The character designs, world, and background lore that you gain a basic understanding of through playing is what makes this game great.”
- “Shortly after, the female character designs greatly improve.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Music plays a crucial role in evoking emotions in players, significantly influencing their immersion and overall experience in the game. Its effectiveness can often determine the game's emotional impact and value.
- “Music in games is a massive driving force to emotionally move the player, and can be a determining factor in whether the game is worth being immersed in or not.”