"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.
Stylish visuals and a captivating soundtrack create an immersive cyberpunk atmosphere.
Engaging gameplay with a variety of mechanics introduced in each chapter, keeping the experience fresh.
Fast-paced action that rewards skill and strategy, making for a satisfying combat experience.
The game is very short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
A significant difficulty spike in the final boss fight can feel frustrating and unfair compared to the rest of the game.
Checkpointing can be sparse, leading to potential backtracking that disrupts the flow of gameplay.
gameplay
246 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The gameplay in "Lithium City" is characterized by its engaging and polished mechanics, blending beat 'em up and shooter elements with puzzles and time-based challenges, all set against a vibrant cyberpunk aesthetic. 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 game's established mechanics. While the game is short, lasting around 2 hours, it offers a satisfying challenge and a rewarding gameplay loop that encourages skill improvement and replayability.
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
music
198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
32%
2%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beautiful and stylized soundtrack, which effectively complements the vibrant visuals and enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers noted the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and set the mood, with standout tracks that resonate during key moments, particularly in intense battles. While some felt certain tracks were generic or didn't fit the cyberpunk theme as well as hoped, 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.”
“You can tell that there's talent in every department: the music sets up the mood so well (buy the OST, do it), the art style and storytelling are simple but delightful and effective, and the gameplay is the right mix of fun and challenging.”
“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.”
“Even though it's largely composed of sound effects I'd think of as a form of beep or boop, and has a fairly quick tempo, I found many of the songs had a moody tone to them.”
“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.”
graphics
170 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The graphics of "Lithium City" have been 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. However, some players noted that certain visual elements can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity, particularly in more chaotic scenes.
“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.”
“The art style works perfectly with the futuristic cyberpunk setting.”
“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
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
86%
5%
The game's story is minimal and largely ambiguous, relying on player interpretation rather than explicit dialogue or text, which some players found unsatisfying. While the atmosphere and art style are praised, the lack of a fleshed-out narrative makes it difficult to connect with the characters or feel a sense of accomplishment. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay, which remains the primary focus.
“You can tell that there's talent in every department: the music sets up the mood so well (buy the OST, do it), 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 play time 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 achievements, which limits replay value. The short length and repetitive nature of rooms and enemies contribute to a sense of stagnation, though some suggest that higher difficulty levels or time-based challenges could enhance replayability. Overall, while there is potential for fun in repeated playthroughs, the current offering leaves much to be desired.
“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
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag; while some players praise its stylish and immersive cyberpunk setting, others find the environments repetitive and lacking in narrative depth. The soundtrack has been criticized for not fitting the game's aesthetic, often described as generic. Overall, titles like "Lithium City" are highlighted for their strong atmosphere and engaging gameplay, appealing particularly to fans of the genre.
“It's got a sense of style and atmosphere that is darn near flawless.”
“Lithium City is a wonderfully atmospheric isometric twin-stick action game.”
“I love the atmosphere, the art style, the minimalist but still effective storytelling, and most of all, the gameplay.”
“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 fit.”
“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 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 and it 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!), but the game makes up for it with the fast-paced action.”
“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 in 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 game's humor 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 humor is not the primary focus, it adds a delightful layer to the overall experience, enhancing the game's engaging aesthetic and mechanics.
“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, mixed with a simple mechanic that comes together into a really good game.”
“My favorite weapon by far was the light disc; that thing is hilarious, and the levels with it are just pure, unadulterated chaos.”
“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.”
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.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance across various hardware configurations. However, some users have reported occasional frame rate drops and minor stuttering, suggesting that further refinements could enhance the overall experience.
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.”