Lunark

Description

Lunark is a single-player cinematic platformer, created primarily by Johan Vinet, who began developing the concept after experimenting with retro-styled demakes and subsequently raised funds through a 2019 Kickstarter campaign. Set in a distant future after Earth became uninhabitable, the story follows Leo, a courier with unusual physical characteristics and a mysterious past. Humanity now lives on Albaryne, a planet reached through an immense evacuation project involving an artificial intelligence named Noah and a moon converted into an interstellar vessel. After a routine assignment implicates Leo in a conspiracy, he becomes involved with a resistance opposing a totalitarian regime and begins uncovering the concealed history of humanity’s new home. The adventure moves through caves, factories, prisons, cities, wilderness, and other science-fiction environments, linked by animated narrative sequences and conversations with supporting characters.

The gameplay is deliberately grounded rather than immediately responsive in the manner of a conventional action platformer. You run, jump, roll, climb, hang from ledges, operate machinery, avoid traps, solve environmental puzzles, and use a firearm and stationary shield against guards and mechanical enemies. Jumps must be approached with consideration for Leo’s momentum and animation, recalling the methodical movement of Flashback and Prince of Persia. Levels are divided into interconnected screens with frequent checkpoints but no map, encouraging players to remember routes, search for necessary objects, and revisit locations after completing objectives. Optional upgrades and hidden collectibles provide some incentive for exploration beyond the main route.

Its presentation uses low-resolution pixel art, extensive character animation, and full-screen cinematic sequences to reproduce the visual language of early-1990s cinematic platformers without strictly conforming to their original technical limitations. The game has well detailed and animated backgrounds, atmospheric music, fluid motion, and brings a fidelity to the genre’s traditions. The deliberate controls can be rough when accustomed to more responsive platform games, while an inconvenient save structure and limited five-hour campaign reduces re-playability. The game was mostly distributed digitally with few physical releases. This Japanese Switch release was however an open-retail release by a publisher focused on low volume western indie titles.