Anyone who thinks pixel graphics is a dying art form hasn’t yet delved into the indie scene where it’s alive and well. Lunark is the perfect example. This game was developed by one-man studio Canari Games and brought to life thanks to the support of 2,824 people on Kickstarter. It’s a celebration of countless things. The highlight is that it shows how focusing on a simple story and basic mechanics can be solid elements to create such an experience. Lunark is an adventure that pays homage to its roots and inspirations in a beautiful and fun way. Unfortunately, it also has its weaknesses.
Lunark begins with a cinematic sequence and continues in the same vein. In a dystopian future with scenes of huge skyscrapers, flying cars and high-tech environments, we find our protagonist Leo, who has escaped under mysterious circumstances. Most of the story is fairly traditional, but the fact that the game is inspired by so many different elements makes it even more charming. In addition to the pixels, it also has mechanics that seem to pay homage to the past.
The flows and movements are very similar to those of a variety of titles from the 80’s and 90’s that the game introduces with great knowledge. Anyone who lived during this time will recognize Leo’s deeds. It’s not that the movements are limited, it’s that it is necessary to perform them with precision. For example, jumping is challenging because it has to be timed, so it involves a lot of trial and error. However, what causes the most frustration isn’t this dynamic, but the save point system, which is quite inconsistent. Sometimes you are forced to repeat long parts of the game and you end up getting bored. Even if you want to pause in the middle of a level to continue playing later, you often have to start over. It’s an odd design choice that penalizes the player and severely impacts the pace of the game (quite well, btw).
Many of Lunark’s levels are like puzzles, either because of the moves you have to perform or because you have to figure out how to go about it. Sometimes the path gets blocked by enemies, and although Leo is equipped with an unlimited ammo pistol, the weapon goes on cooldown after a certain number of shots. Luckily, you can take on your opponents one-on-one, although there are a few specific moments where the design falters a bit and you’ll have to sacrifice one of the three lives you start with in order to advance.
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As for the criticism of save points, it’s because some levels have too many obstacles to overcome. It makes sense that there are some challenges, but as a player I’d rather tackle them one at a time than have whole screen chaos erupt for no apparent reason. Especially if I die and I need something back.
Lunark’s pixelated graphics are full of charm. What I like the most is that they bring to life elements like an abandoned bar with neon signs or other environments where the details stand out much more. In general, the graphics work best in environments with futuristic aesthetics and very colorful. There are too many dark caves and other gloomy places where the pixels seem a bit flat, but I think it makes sense to introduce different scenarios for variety and different stimuli. There are also some engaging cutscenes which I loved and the animation in this game is top notch. Unfortunately, the biggest limitation of the graphics (besides the mentioned dark places) is the boring and anonymous protagonist.
I wish the soundtrack was more memorable and alive because it would have dramatically enhanced the experience. Unfortunately, the music in the game is not very impressive.
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I totally understand the love of making games the way they used to be, even if the frame bound jumps or general rigidity make it feel slow and boring. I wish it was smoother and had a less forced way of increasing the difficulty rather than this design that punishes the player just to look like an “old game”. Climbing and calculating the jump moment can be fun on many occasions, but most sequences end up being boring because they are so repetitive.
There are some surprises in terms of design, story, and challenges, but the overall gameplay is dragged down by boring environments and frustrating moments where falling to my death (or anything else) would force me to repeat the same sequence.
Lunark is a fun indie game with lots of great ideas. The pixel graphics is one of the many reasons why it has a charm that’s hard to resist, and it ends in a trip down memory lane that shows us how video games used to be. While I understand that the slightly sluggish controls are a conscious choice, that doesn’t mean they were frustrating on numerous occasions, which could have easily been avoided with better spaced save points. Personally, I would have enjoyed it more. I think you only have to watch Lunark’s footage to see if you like his vintage retro action style. Despite its shortcomings, there are many parts of the game that are quite successful.
