Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother
- April 11, 2024
- Unstable Games
"Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother" is a roguelike top-down action game inspired by Chinese mythology. As Chenxiang, you'll rescue your mother Sanshengmu from imprisonment by mastering martial arts from Sun Wukong, combatting enemies with distinctive styles, and utilizing magical treasures to defeat formidable foes. Multiple sect systems and magical treasures offer rich combat possibilities in this sincere retelling of a classic tale.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and accessible experience, making it suitable for casual gamers.
- Combat mechanics are smooth and enjoyable, with a variety of artifacts and abilities to choose from.
- Great value for the price, providing hours of entertainment despite some shortcomings.
- The game suffers from poor translation and UI issues, making it difficult to understand the story and mechanics.
- Difficulty is significantly lower than similar games, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement.
- The story is uninteresting and predictable, especially for those familiar with wuxia themes.
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of familiar mechanics and a variety of combat options, offering up to four artifacts alongside standard attacks. While some players appreciate the complexity and replayability reminiscent of titles like Hades, others criticize the difficulty level as either too easy or overly reliant on mechanics like the infinite dash, which can diminish the challenge. Overall, the game provides a visually engaging experience but may not satisfy those seeking a more refined or challenging gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is more complex than Hades: instead of one special attack, you have up to four artifacts you can use besides the normal and secondary attacks.”
“Think of Hades and Warm Snow having a baby: easier combats, a lot of sparkling visual effects, high variety of in-game mechanics, and surprisingly a lot of replayability, not for the story end but the gameplay itself.”
“The gameplay itself is pretty weak; the infinite dash makes it a simple task to breeze through by simply adding almost any damage modifier to your dash.”
“While the core gameplay experience is similar, the difficulty is not – I'd go as far as saying this game is too easy.”
“The combat mechanics are similar, and you’ll have to clear several different types of rooms in each chapter until you reach the last, where you’ll face a boss.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story is generally perceived as unoriginal and simplistic, primarily revolving around a familiar narrative of a disciple of Sun Wukong trying to rescue his mother from a nemesis. While some players appreciate the game's unique style and mechanics, they find the storytelling lacks depth and engagement, often overshadowed by gameplay elements. Additionally, issues with translation further detract from the overall experience, leaving many players indifferent to the story's conclusion.
“The story is rather simple: you’re a disciple of Sun Wukong and a demi-god that needs to save his mother who is currently being held captive by your nemesis.”
“Lotus Lantern is a good Hades clone, with its own style and mythology and an interesting story and characters.”
“I got lost a bit in the story because of the English translation, but I tried to understand as much.”
“The story is rather simple: you’re a disciple of Sun Wukong and a demi-god that needs to save his mother, who is currently being held captive by your nemesis.”
“I apparently have to beat it multiple times to get the ending to a story I don't really care that much about.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed feedback, with some users noting that they fall short compared to Hades, particularly in level design, which exhibits a simplistic, low-polygon aesthetic typical of some indie games. However, the character design and dialogue screens are praised for their originality and quality, striking a balance that avoids a cartoonish appearance. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's addictive nature and theme.
“The graphics are a bit worse than Hades regarding the level design: the levels and starting zone have that usual Unity simple, low polygon 3D look some indie games have, but the character design in the game and in the dialogue screens look great and original, without looking too cartoonish.”
“Action roguelite + cool graphics + addictive = cultivator themed action adventure.”
“The graphics are a bit worse than Hades regarding the level design; the levels and starting zone have that usual Unity simple, low polygon 3D look that some indie games have. However, the character design in the game and in the dialogue screens looks great and original, without appearing too cartoonish.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highly praised, with many finding it exceptionally funny, particularly due to the intentionally poor translation that adds to the comedic effect.
“It's funny as hell.”
“The translation is brutal, which is hilarious.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players highlight strong replayability due to the variety of weapon options and diverse gameplay mechanics, reminiscent of a blend between "Hades" and "Warm Snow." The focus is on engaging combat and visual effects rather than the narrative, encouraging multiple playthroughs for a fresh experience each time.
“There is replayability considering you can use different weapon options each time you start anew!”
“Think of Hades and Warm Snow having a baby: easier combat, a lot of sparkling visual effects, high variety of in-game mechanics, and surprisingly a lot of replayability, not just for the story but for the gameplay itself.”
“There is some replayability considering you can use different weapon options each time you start anew!”
“Think of Hades and Warm Snow having a baby: easier combat, a lot of sparkling visual effects, high variety of in-game mechanics, and surprisingly a lot of replayability, not for the story end but for the gameplay itself.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game's graphics may not match the level design quality of Hades, the character design and dialogue screens are praised for their originality and appeal, striking a balance between stylized and realistic without veering into cartoonish territory.
“The character design in the game and in the dialogue screens looks great and original, without appearing too cartoonish.”
“The character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters.”
“Each character has a unique backstory that unfolds throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting that it feels immersive and engaging, complementing the abilities well, despite some concerns about balancing.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
“The sound design and visuals create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
“Every location feels alive, with a rich atmosphere that enhances the storytelling.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, highlighting poor translation quality and a glitchy, buggy user interface that does not accommodate English effectively.
“The translation is poor, and the user interface is extremely glitchy and buggy, making it difficult to navigate.”
“The game crashes frequently, disrupting the overall experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that made it nearly impossible to progress in the game.”