As I have mentioned in the past, first impressions can matter quite a bit when it comes to gaming. But of course, your first impressions won’t always match your opinion of the game later on. Case in point,Lucid,the upcoming action-platformer from Apogee and developers The Matte Black Studio. There was something about it that just wasn’t reeling me in at first, and shallow as it may seem, I think it might have been the sprite of our main protagonist, Oenn. There’s just something about his design – in pixel art form, anyway – that turned me off. But now, having seen more of the game and finally having gotten a chance to play it, I can confidently say that present me would like to chastize past me for doubting this game.
Fine Crystal
Set in a “crystal-punk” world,Lucidsees you controlling Oenn, a Sentinel whose job is to maintain the balance in the world of Aedyn. And indeed, he does look odd at first, with his more blank, square-ish head and a lone pair of eyes, but now it seems like this was all a way to make him stand out from the rest of the game’s world, which is gorgeous. Every area in the game so far is jam-packed with gorgeous details, from flickering spirits to lush greenery, and a fun cast of characters to visit in the occasional town. The emphasis on crystals also gives everything a nice, bright, vibrant glow and sheen, adding to a more mystic atmosphere.
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The crystals inLucidaren’t just for show, though. They’re used as weapons, obstacles to smash through, ways of getting around and more. The last part there has caused many people to compare the game toCeleste,and while that is one of the game’s many inspirations, it mainly just impacts aerial movement. Basically, it’s the same type of maneuvering where you perform a series of double jumps and air dashes with crystal to strike in order to refill those jumps and dashes, just without the constant death, but still keeping the same level of fun that comes with it. The rest of the gameplay is more of a metroidvania, where you hunt for secrets, revisit areas and find different ways to get around, and it combines these different styles of gameplay well.
Naturally, a metroidvania game such as this is also going to have a ton of new abilities for Oenn to learn, with Talismans to find and craft to provide bonus effects, allowing players to help craft a playstyle best suited for them. All of these abilities, attacks and modifiers have been a blast to experiment with so far, making for intense combat scenarios. Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot more I can say aboutLucidright now, as it simply just excels at being a great throwback to old-school platformers while still providing some unique twists and a modern polish.
It looks likeLucidcould easily become another platforming gem, and judging by its successful Kickstarter campaign last year, many others seem to agree. And if you want to check out more of the game, contribute, and get backer rewards as well,you may still do so at this link.It’s not known whenLucidwill arrive right now, but it’s a bit of crystal-clear action worth looking out for.
