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Today, we’ll take a look at a game that came from humble beginnings. This is LunarLux, a hybrid turn-based action-adventure RPG set on the moon. LunarLux is the brainchild of developer CosmicNobab, brought from the void to reality through a partnership with publisher Freedom Games. Join the protagonist, Bella, on this stellar journey of determination, longing and development as she fights through numerous adversaries, striving to save her world. What kind of journey will she undergo? What secrets will she uncover? Will she fail, or will she prevail? Let’s find out in this review.
Brief History
Before we dive deep into the game, let’s take a step back to learn more about the developer and the events that led to the creation of LunarLux.
LunarLux began as a concept, a series of doodles derived from CosmicNobab’s childhood thoughts of a colorful cast of anime-like characters on the moon. Aside from the ROM hacks he made growing up, LunarLux was the first-real attempt at making a game, and that’s what kickstarted his passion. That desire was what made him pursue the Game development career and in turn, start the gears that will ultimately lead to the creation of ‘LunarLux’.
Freedom Games also played a crucial role in the creation of LunarLux. Without their support, LunarLux wouldn’t have pulled through and made the production process. You could call them the other half of the LunarLux moon. Now that we know the origins of LunarLux, we can finally move on to the game proper.
Overview
LunarLux is a turn-based action adventure JRPG set on the moon. It’s a JRPG that blends science and fantasy into one package. The game is what you would call an inspiration, and it’s one that’s made well. An amalgamation of features and styles from various sources that came before it. But, unlike the others who flopped for trying too hard and only ended up being imitations, LunarLux still finds that sweet spot between ‘nostalgic’ and ‘new.’ I don’t know how, but it does. It could be the style, perhaps its details. It just is. Actually, why don’t you help me? Let’s go over its core components one by one to see why.
Visuals
To say ‘influenced’ would be an understatement. LunarLux is a fusion of various styles and doesn’t hide the fact that other media heavily inspire it. On the contrary, according to an interview with developer CosmicNobab “The game takes inspiration from sources such as Gureen Lagann, Undertale and Megaman Battle Network”. It’s hard to miss, especially when the style you’re taking notes from comes from these iconic names.
You’ll see the resemblance right away. Once you start the game, you’ll be greeted with a title screen that looks like “What if Gurren Lagann had a video game spin-off?” The overall style is something straight out of Studio Trigger but, instead of feeling like it’s a rip-off, it feels more like an adaptation. It pays homage to its originals without sacrificing what makes it unique.
Color scheme
While the game is heavily inspired, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its own qualities that make it stand out. The game being set in space, or rather, the moon, means it uses predominantly black colors along with neon to contrast, resulting in a color scheme that truly pops. The visual design is eye-catching, and the game maximizes the borrowed style by adapting it based on the occasion and location.
When you’re exploring the moon’s surface, you see a palette of blue-greens and greys for the environment, creating a ‘muted’ yet not dull appearance. This offsets the vibrancy of structures, NPCs, and other screen elements. The mix of primary and secondary colors enhances focus, resulting in a pleasing and complementary visual experience. This sentiment holds true for other locations such as the ‘Phantom realm’.
The Phantom realm is a different dimension. An isolated space from where the Murks come from. Not much is known about it, and not much can be found either. It’s a desolate land filled only with portals and tombstones. It’s an eerie place and its colors portray it well. Navy and dark pink on the upper layers. Teal and dark green for the boss stage. While the colors don’t make it out to be as grim and gloomy, it does fit the theme of ‘no man’s land’ in space.
The Characters
The roster for characters is quite limited, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in heart. Every character you meet is well designed, and although some minor characters and NPCs aren’t as flashy as the others, when it comes to their design LunarLux did not skimp. For the main cast, the Trigger-esque style gives them a quirky yet serious feel.
When it comes to the NPCs, especially the Lunar warriors, although they look like they were just recolored, I’d like to think that it’s because of ‘uniformity.’ They are, at their core, soldiers and thus require being standardized as part of their character. The professors look ‘sciencey’ with their lab coats and equipment.
I guess the main takeaway here is that the main characters wear individual colors. It gives off Super Sentai vibes, and I, for one, like Zara’s design more than Bella’s. Both are good, but I find Zara’s design more appealing. The teal on navy with bits of red just drives it home for me. When you play the game, maybe you’ll find a favorite character, too—going back to how it gives a Super Sentai vibe. I can’t help but think this was an intended set-up. Bella wears red. Melody wears blue. Raine wears yellow. Zara wears teal(green if you squint). I hope it’s not me trying to force a resemblance, but it really just looks that way to me. In the end, it makes them look like your unlikely band of comrades who fight the big bad that threatens peace.
story
For a game that looks simple, the story is full of twists. Throughout the game, you will play as the protagonist, Bella. Bella is a Lunex Force warrior following after her mom’s legacy, the former Lunex Force General. She and her mother share the ideal that there must be another way of dealing with the Murks, and that is the crux of her character. She is passionate yet unsure. Dedicated but conflicted. She is hesitant in eradicating the Murks, but has no choice because of her responsibility as a Lunar warrior. This doubt becomes stronger as the story progresses. In her quest for the truth, she will fight not only the Murks, but soon her fellow warriors. The story will face a sudden rise as she finds out more about the anti-matter legion, its victims and ultimately the mastermind.
Features and Mechanics
combat
I’m just gonna say it now. This aspect of the game also suffers from the ‘heavily inspired’ syndrome, but that may or may not be a bad thing. Because these mechanics aren’t new, that means you’ll feel at home playing the game; assuming you’ve played the games before where these mechanics were taken from. If you’re new, then you’re in for a treat. You’ll be surprised by how rich the combat is.
hybrid turn-based action
The combat in LunarLux is rooted in turn-based combat. It’s you, then the enemy, and that’s when variety kicks in. During the player phase, you will choose an active skill to attack an enemy with, whether it’s a melee slash attack, a ranged attack that inflicts a debuff, or you put up a shield.
After choosing your active skill, you would then get a follow-up, a support system where you could get bonus effects like plus damage, regenerate SP, or take no damage for 1 turn. For some skills, you will have to play rock-paper-scissors and other quick-time events. Think of it as an ‘effectiveness check’ and a bit of damage boost. This mostly applies to skills that inflict a status debuff or when you’re charging. When your turn ends and the murk attacks, this is when the hybrid action aspect comes in.
Variety
Once the enemy attacks, there are many ways this could go: Soul seek, where you have to dodge projectiles in a set zone as a heart, Timing where you have to time your shield when the murk attacks or dodging, where you have to quickly switch to another tile to avoid getting damaged. There are also instances of quick time events and mashing when two attacks clash. Soon enough, there will be encounters when you have to fight two different kinds of Murks at the same time, and they won’t have the same attack pattern. One could have you defend by timing your shield and the other by soul-seeking.
It’s an exhilarating experience. You memorize their attack patterns and get used to timings. This adds another layer of difficulty to the game, especially because not only do you have to fight the Murks, but you have to manage your SP during the fight as well.
SP management
Every skill in LunarLux costs SP. Without SP, you cannot cast skills and would need to give a turn to use items or charge. You can opt to use consumables, but realistically, charging would restore your SP more than items would. You only really use items when you’re low on both HP and SP.
Boss fights
It’s not an RPG if you don’t have boss fights and LunarLux is no different. You get to fight your first boss early on in the phantom realm. This is when you actually feel the difficulty. Unlike your usual skirmish, Bosses will make you think 2 actions ahead. What makes Bosses difficult is that they will have other gimmicks aside from the ones listed above in variety.
On a side note, while the first boss you fight is a murk doesn’t mean all the bosses will be. Some bosses are your fellow Lunex Force warriors, and they get progressively harder the more you progress in the story. I won’t spoil you any more than I have. The rest is for you to experience yourself.
Lux combo
While the fight goes on, there’s a small bar on the lower left just above your player stats. The more you use your skills, the more the bar will charge. Once your Lux gauge is full you’re then able to use what’s called a LUX combo. It’s basically a special skill where you combine three active skills and deal massive amounts of damage to the enemy. I mainly use it as a finisher since it takes a while to fill, especially in boss fights. Speaking of boss fights.
Progression and Exploration
LunarLux works the same as any RPG. Progression comes hand-in-hand with exploration. The map hides secrets for you to find, and you gain EXP after every fight. That’s how you grow stronger. You find skills, boosters, and other items that increase your stats. Some are lying there just waiting to be picked up, while others, not so much. But if you can’t pick it up then how will you get it? You’re in space, silly, just use your jetpack. *neuron activation.
Zero gravity
There are areas in Luna where you can interact with the launch pad to use your jet suit. This nifty little flight feature adds another dimension to the game: Verticality. It opens room for more exploration, sidequests, and all that good stuff. After a certain point in the story, you will be able to use your jet suit, and with the jet suit available, you can now reach for items you couldn’t prior to this upgrade. You will also find enemies floating around so be careful. Take flight and see what you can do where you can go with the jetpack.
hackerspace
If another dimension and zero gravity are not enough, then let me introduce you to the network link or “hackerspace.” The network link is the digital world, and you only gain access to it when you play as Tetra. Think of it like the internet. It’s a mini-game where you enable or disable traps, locked areas, etc. The enemies inside the hackerspace are called ‘viruses’, and you could kill them or avoid them. It’s an obstacle course, and you have to pick up upgrades for Tetra’s buster so she can destroy the blockade. It’s just another fun little game inside a game that LunarLux integrates.
Verdict
It’s new, but it’s not unique. It’s a fresh take on something already present and innovative. The game takes the parts we love and turns them into something more. I could say it was made better, but the fact is that it remains a mish-mash that turned out really well, so I can’t. That’s not to say the game is bad; it’s well-made. It’s fun because there’s lots to do. There’s a lot to fight, even more for those you need to find. I enjoyed burning my time, making sure I found everything on the map, and since there are a lot of ways to go about it, it didn’t feel constricting or a hassle. I also enjoyed mixing and matching skills to get the maximum amount of damage for the Lux combo.
Overall, I had a fun time, and I’m pretty sure you will, too. The game is a worthwhile pick if you’re into Sci-fi and JRPGs. It gets even better if you want to see how mechanics you may or may not have played before get innovated. Although the game was founded on a mountain of inspiration, LunarLux succeeds in giving you a satisfying gaming experience worthy of its originals.
