Lucid Cycle

About

Lucid Cycle is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Tonguç Bodur and was released on February 19, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Lucid Cycle offers a set of short but unique experiences.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a stunning atmosphere that captures the surreal nature of dreams.
It offers a unique gameplay experience with varied dream sequences and light puzzle elements, making it engaging and thought-provoking.
The developer is responsive and helpful, addressing bugs and providing fixes, which enhances the overall experience.

Many players found the game to be tedious and lacking a coherent narrative, with some levels feeling overly short or frustrating.
The use of asset flips and inconsistent quality in visuals led some to perceive the game as low-effort or poorly executed.
Controls can be unresponsive or confusing, leading to frustration during gameplay, particularly in puzzle segments.

gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The gameplay is primarily centered around walking simulator mechanics, with some titles incorporating additional elements like puzzles and shooting segments, though these often lack polish and can be frustrating. While some players appreciate the surreal and varied experiences offered in dream-like stages, others criticize the inconsistent controls and the overall lack of engaging gameplay. Overall, the gameplay experience is mixed, appealing mainly to those who enjoy artistic exploration rather than traditional storytelling or polished mechanics.
- “It's literally a game of dreaming, where each stage of the dream we live in a different universe, with distinct gameplays.”
- “The dreams consist of short, surrealistic gameplay segments, most of which are puzzles of some sort or another.”
- “The game is mostly focused on the experiences of the dreams themselves and figuring out the mechanics of each puzzle.”
- “Get this if you enjoy artsy things, but if you want something with actual story or gameplay, look elsewhere.”
- “None of the gameplay elements are polished and visually it's not that great.”
- “Gameplay is either non-existent (walking simulator parts) or boring (shooting segments and collect-x-items) or infuriating (NPC can't touch you or you can't look at some objects or you trying to avoid lighthouse's lights etc -- which all lead to level restart if failed).”
story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The game's story is described as layered and nuanced, with a focus on dream sequences that allow for personal interpretation, though some reviewers feel it lacks depth and a cohesive narrative. While the emotional and artistic elements are praised, others criticize the minimal storytelling, suggesting it may not satisfy players seeking a more traditional narrative experience. Overall, the story is seen as either a unique exploration of dreams or a collection of disjointed sequences, depending on the player's perspective.
- “Most notably, the story is both layered and very nuanced.”
- “The music is haunting and the emotional story will pull at your heartstrings.”
- “I think this is a very interesting and unique way to tell a story within the confines of a mostly walking simulator, providing an opportunity for the player to decide what it means to them individually.”
- “There is no story or narrative to this game at all; you make your way through a number of dream sequences, wake up, splosh a bit of paint on a canvas, and repeat.”
- “Story-wise, it's almost nothing.”
- “It's mostly just a collection of dreams; it has little to no story.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
29%
18%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their stunning visuals and artistic variety, effectively enhancing the narrative experience. However, some users noted inconsistencies in quality, with certain elements appearing mismatched or low-poly. Additionally, performance issues were reported, as some players struggled to maintain a smooth frame rate even on lower settings.
- “The visuals are also quite varied, with each dream conveying something unique, but also staying on track with the overarching story.”
- “First of all, the graphics look excellent and all limits of the Unreal Engine are tested without a doubt.”
- “Great indie game with wonderful dream levels; the visuals are sometimes breathtaking.”
- “The game's graphics are pretty, although I could not get it to run at 60 fps consistently even with all the graphics settings on their minimum levels (with a GTX 970), so get ready for a little choppiness.”
- “Perhaps when computer graphics first started looking decent, it was enough to shove random stuff together on a screen or move the camera around at random and call it surreal, but I think in the 2020s something more is required.”
- “LSD obviously did not have the graphical finesse or the ease in programming different mechanics that the Unreal Engine offers, but I think it did more with what it did have in a lot of ways.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game is a polarizing aspect, with some players praising its haunting quality and emotional resonance that enhances the narrative, while others find it bland or even subpar, leading them to prefer their own soundtracks during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for setting a strong tone, though its repetitiveness can detract from the experience over extended play sessions.
- “The music is haunting and the emotional story will pull at your heartstrings.”
- “His walking sims always seemed interesting in terms of graphics, narrative, and special mention goes to the soundtrack.”
- “The music sets the tone very well.”
- “The music is pretty much garbage, to the point that during some of the longer puzzles, I put on my own music instead of listening to it.”
- “The music becomes a bit bland after continuously playing for more than 2 hours.”
- “During the dream sequences, there are not many instances of in-universe sound effects, so you won't miss much by making your own soundtrack.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its stunning and multi-layered quality, evoking a blend of strange, peaceful, and unsettling feelings reminiscent of David Lynch's films. Players appreciate the emotional range it elicits, from joy to fear, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- “I loved the atmosphere; it’s strange, peaceful, and unsettling all at once.”
- “The atmosphere in Lucid Cycle is absolutely stunning.”
- “I loved all the atmospheres; I felt like I was in one of David Lynch's movies, where I experienced joy, relief, and even fear at times.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and at times frustrating, with some puzzles feeling overly simplistic or monotonous. However, there is a sense of satisfaction in the overall experience, as the grinding is balanced by moments of respite from constant dialogue.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “If that sounds extremely tedious, it is.”
- “I think if it was continuous, not only would it not really make as much sense, it would be a bit tedious to do.”
- “Don't get me wrong, some of these puzzles are extremely basic or insanely tedious (for example, the maze where it looks like you have cataracts the whole time, and the blurriness forms the basis of the 'challenge').”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features haunting music and a deeply emotional narrative that resonates strongly with players, making it a standout choice for fans of walking simulators and poignant storytelling. However, some gameplay mechanics, such as resetting levels for touching certain objects, may detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “The music is haunting and the emotional story will pull at your heartstrings.”
- “This is a must-play for fans of walking simulators, emotional stories, and dreams.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game features no in-game purchases, indicating a completely free-to-play experience without additional monetization strategies.
- “In-game purchases: none”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that there are no paywalls, allowing everyone to enjoy the game equally.”
- “The game is riddled with in-game purchases that feel necessary to progress.”
- “Monetization is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “I feel like I'm being pushed to spend real money just to keep up with other players.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is considered low, indicating that players may not find sufficient motivation to revisit it after completing it once.
- “Replayability is low.”
- “The game lacks incentives to play through again.”
- “Once you've completed it, there's little reason to return.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by clever jokes, including a notable one about shooters, and is further enhanced by whimsical "dream" sequences where players engage in witty conversations with inanimate objects, like a lamp, adding a unique and amusing layer to the gameplay experience.
- “There is also a joke about shooters in there that I thought was funny.”
- “There are these 'dream' sequences and these 'waking up in flat' moments, where you talk to a lamp with witty and funny commentary about those dreams, painting a part of the picture before going to sleep again.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance in certain scenes, particularly in flat environments, with reports of excessive mouse sensitivity even at the lowest settings and noticeable stuttering issues.
- “Performance is really bad in some scenes, especially in flat areas.”
- “The mouse is moving too fast even on the lowest in-game sensitivity, and there's some weird stuttering present in this game.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues with Lucid Cycle, citing it as both buggy and visually unappealing, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Worst of all is that the lucid cycle is not only boring, but it's buggy and ugly.”