LunarLux
- September 25, 2023
- CosmicNobab Games
- 19h median play time
Get on Steam"LunarLux is a single-player Role Playing game with an interesting plot and compelling gameplay, set on a moon called Luna, where humanity moved after a planetary catastrophe. Now, a thousand years later, humanity's existence is threatened again by an oncoming antimatter comet. Play as Lunar Warrior Bella, fighting your way across the Moon to find a way to destroy it, in this anime-inspired action-adventure RPG with excellent graphics and splendid music."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The combat system is engaging and reminiscent of Mega Man Battle Network and Undertale, featuring mini-games and resource management that keep battles interesting.
- The charming graphical style and vibrant pixel art create an immersive and visually appealing experience.
- The story, while simple, is enjoyable and filled with likable characters, making players invested in their journey.
- The game can feel easy and lacks challenge, with some skills overshadowing others, leading to repetitive combat strategies.
- There are technical issues, such as the inability to rebind controls and a lack of resolution options on PC, which can detract from the experience.
- The writing can be clichéd and predictable, with some dialogue feeling clumsy and lacking depth.
- story280 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as simple and predictable, yet enjoyable, with many players finding themselves emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys. While some elements feel cliché and the narrative may not be groundbreaking, the engaging character interactions and charming aesthetics contribute to a feel-good experience. Overall, the story is seen as a fun, if not particularly complex, adventure that resonates well with fans of classic RPGs and anime-inspired narratives.
“While some story beats were a little predictable, it did not detract from me getting emotionally invested into the narrative.”
“The story, while simple, is very intriguing and has charming characters.”
“I was always eager to find out what would happen next, and I found myself actively rooting for these characters to succeed in their mission.”
“The story is unremarkable and doesn't feel complete.”
“As many other reviews already pointed out, the story is pretty damn weak.”
“The easiest way I can describe the story and characters is 'extremely, painfully cliche'.”
- gameplay177 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a creative blend of turn-based mechanics reminiscent of titles like Mega Man Battle Network, Undertale, and Mario RPGs, offering engaging combat and exploration with a variety of mechanics. While the game is generally fun and intuitive, some players noted issues with difficulty balance and tutorial accessibility, leading to a somewhat easy experience overall. Despite these drawbacks, the vibrant world, dynamic storytelling, and enjoyable combat mechanics make it a recommended choice for fans of indie RPGs.
“The gameplay is very intuitive and punchy for a turn-based game.”
“The gameplay was very fun in my opinion, and there was a fair amount of diversity with the enemy attacks.”
“Overall, lunarlux is a delightful RPG adventure that effortlessly combines captivating characters, engaging gameplay, and a charming lunar setting.”
“Having downtime by having to get shields and charging your SP is unfun, and when you get enough of both via upgrades it just trivializes these mechanics anyway.”
“Maybe if the encounters were harder we could see the mechanics shine better, but even the EX enemies just double the stats across the board of the enemy instead of adding anything that would challenge your understanding of the mechanics.”
“The pacing feels excessively swift when side-quests or exploration are bypassed, leading to a slightly rushed gameplay experience.”
- music129 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and diverse soundtrack that blends electronic, synthwave, techno, and rock elements. Players describe the original compositions as not only catchy and immersive but also integral to the game's atmosphere, enhancing both gameplay and narrative experiences. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, with many expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game.
“The soundtrack rocks, very in-tune with the mood of story moments and world regions.”
“By far the best part of this game is the soundtrack, lots of great songs, clearly a lot of love went into it.”
“From the moment I booted up the game, I was greeted by a burst of energetic music that instantly set the tone for the thrilling journey that awaited me.”
“One small nitpick - songs can play at pretty uneven volumes, so laid back songs are really quiet and high octane boss themes feel really loud.”
“Anyway my conclusion is that Lunarlux is a fun game with an engaging battle system, good pixel art, and excellent soundtrack, but it's held back by its poor ability explanation and balancing, poor lux generation early on, and some other stuff.”
“I lack the knowledge about music to better describe them, but each and every one of them seriously is a vibe!”
- graphics66 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style and retro anime sci-fi aesthetic, reminiscent of classic titles like Mega Man and Undertale. Players appreciate the vibrant character designs and animations, although some note that character portraits can feel out of place. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, creating a nostalgic yet fresh experience that enhances the gameplay and storytelling.
“It nails the aesthetic of retro anime sci-fi, giving off vibes of Mega Man, Sailor Moon, Power Rangers, and a few other similar works.”
“The animations are pretty spot on, the music is great, and I am digging the art style.”
“The art style is appealing and successfully blends the best of anime and western cartoons.”
“- Character portraits feel out of place and do not fit the art style of the game at all.”
“They remind me of the character screens found in e.g. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon or Undertale; however, as more of the body is shown, I feel that it's more difficult to take a glimpse of the character's emotions (as mostly expressed by their mimics) when reading the dialogue.”
“On a final note regarding the visuals, the 8-bit aesthetic is fine and works in the context it's used.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find that the game requires minimal grinding to complete, with the main story taking around eight to ten hours and an additional ten hours for 100% completion. However, some users express a desire for more grinding spots and random battles, as the current combat system can feel tedious and sparse. While the game is generally considered easy, the grind for achievements can become repetitive, particularly when seeking out all collectibles.
“Finding enemies in the overworld is kind of tedious, makes me wish this game had random battles.”
“My only big gripe is the game is a bit too easy; I only died once, and it was because I was being incredibly careless, and that for 100% completion is too grindy.”
“Completing the story at a decently slow pace will probably take eight to ten hours, and finding all the little things you missed and grinding out all the achievements will probably take another ten if you don't look for solutions on the internet.”
- character development14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the main characters, Bella and Tetra, are engaging and their interactions are well-written, the third main character receives disproportionate focus, leaving others feeling generic and underdeveloped. The narrative is intriguing and the character designs are appealing, but the predictable and cliché elements detract from a more profound character exploration. Overall, the balance between gameplay and dialogue impacts the natural progression of character development.
“The narrative is intriguing and the character development is done meticulously, allowing players to feel the weight the main character, Bella, faces throughout her journey.”
“If you like any anime by Studio Trigger, the character designs will definitely resonate, but the story is solid, the music is catchy, and the character interactions are often hilarious and well-written.”
“The main two (Bella and Tetra) are really fun, the third main character receives most of the game's character development but is a bit hit-or-miss. The Raine squad is alright and I would have appreciated more screen time, and everyone else is generic and/or unremarkable.”
“This affects the natural progression of character development and disrupts the balance between gameplay and dialogue.”
“It feels like he got the majority of character development in this game compared to everyone else.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by its engaging music, vibrant sprite animations, and detailed HD art, which collectively create an immersive experience. Players appreciate the charming easter eggs that enhance the atmosphere without overshadowing the narrative, fostering a strong emotional connection to the characters and plot. While comparisons to Mega Man Star Force are common, Lunar Lux is noted for its unique identity and heartfelt presentation.
“To me, that goes a lot further for enjoying the atmosphere that is being presented, caring about the characters, and feeling personally involved in the plot.”
“Lunar Lux will be compared to Mega Man Star Force due to its atmosphere and cheeky space references, but do not be mistaken for this as Lunar Lux easily has its own heart and soul.”
“Lunar Lux will be compared to Mega Man Star Force due to its atmosphere and cheeky space references, but do not be mistaken; Lunar Lux easily has its own heart and soul.”
“Loads of easter eggs to other media that are charming while not detracting from the game's atmosphere.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional investment in the game's narrative, despite some predictable story elements. The heartfelt moments resonate deeply, even evoking feelings in long-time gamers who typically remain detached. Additionally, the developers' wholesome engagement with the community enhances the overall emotional experience.
“While some story beats were a little predictable, it did not detract from me getting emotionally invested into the narrative.”
“Also, some really heart-warming stuff that even made my very soul feel a thing for the first time in 9 years after thousands of hours of Counter-Strike.”
“E is for emotional, just listen to our songs!”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of occasional wit and shallow jokes that enhance the cute character vibe rather than provoke laughter. While some character interactions are genuinely hilarious and well-crafted, the overall comedic tone leans towards light-hearted adventure game humor, enriched by unique NPC interactions and playful references that appeal to fans of various sources. The combination of pixel graphics and engaging storytelling further complements the game's whimsical atmosphere.
“If you like any anime by Studio Trigger, the character designs will definitely resonate, but the story is solid, the music is bopping, and the character interactions are actually hilarious and well-written a lot of the time.”
“This is a really fun little RPG with adventure game humor, random text, and Saturday morning cartoon overtones.”
“Each NPC brings unique value, rewards, a funny reference or joke, lore, side quests, etc. You want to interact with everything possible since it gives you bonuses such as store discounts and a deeper world-building guide.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the game's replayability largely stems from its customizable difficulty settings, allowing for varied experiences on subsequent playthroughs. However, the absence of a new game plus mode is noted as a missed opportunity that could further enhance replay value.
“I'd go even as far as to say that most of the replay value for this game comes from how much you can customize the difficulty curve!”
“While I'm unsure if the game features a new game plus mode, such an addition would certainly enhance its replay value.”
“I'd go even as far as to say that most of the replay value for this game just comes from how much you can customize the difficulty curve of the game!”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its exceptional optimization, featuring polished mechanics, a captivating soundtrack, and engaging dialogue. Players report a seamless experience with no technical issues, complemented by rewarding exploration and a vibrant world filled with easter eggs. Overall, it has received top marks for its performance and design.
“It's really a true gaming experience with an awesome soundtrack and dialogue. The cool battle mechanics are all so optimized and polished. I never ran into a bad thing; exploration is nice and rewarding. The world is pretty lively with all those little easter eggs and variety. Overall, a 10/10! I'm so glad this game came up in my queue.”
