LUNARK Reviews
LUNARK was a game I had never heard of a day before this review, and I loved my time with it. A beautifully realized throwback look is mixed with fun gameplay and an incredible soundtrack. For $20 if the premise sounds interesting to you then you should do yourself a favor and give this one a go.
LUNARK is a tribute to classics like Prince of Persia and Flashback that will delight fans of these games and the cinematic platform subgenre. But he is not satisfied with just paying homage to the heavyweights he refers to, but at the same time tries to differentiate himself with his own personality and approach, and he succeeds. It's fair to say that maybe LUNARK isn't a game for everyone due to its demands and sub-genre characteristics, but given the chance, we're going to love it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Lunark harks back to a time when 90s platformers were at their best, managing to offer a fresh approach thanks to a gorgeous art style.
Lunark won’t supplant Flashback any time soon. It’s held back by its derivative story and lame dialogue. However, the visuals and animation are truly an artistic achievement. It does manage to improve on the subgenre’s conventions in a minor way and the overall challenge is worthwhile for any fan of Flashback.
If you like a Flashback or Another World throwback title that kindles your nostalgia, go ahead and jump into Lunark. It'll keep you sated for a few hours with its lush pixel artwork and quirky puzzle-and-platforming gameplay. However, I cannot recommend this title to anyone else looking for a standard and modern 2D gaming experience, because Lunark is purposely designed for that specific 90s mindset.
Canari Games delivered a little gem of a video game. Its obvious LUNARK was crafted with love and respect for everything that's been done in the genre before. It's visually stunning, very easy to jump in and the platforming phases offer plenty of variety. While one could say it’s a little bit short, I prefer saying the game doesn’t get unnecessarily long. When I will think back on the year 2023, LUNARK will definitely be high on my list of games I've really enjoyed.
Review in French | Read full review
Lunark is a strong cinematic platformer, more than good enough to hang with the classics of its genre.
Lunark is a carefully crafted flashback to the narrative platformers of the early-90s. With beautiful rotoscoped animation and a plot straight out of a Philip K Dick novel, it's one trip to another world well worth taking.
Even our minor frustrations with Lunark can't overshadow the joy we felt as we played this unashamedly retro platformer. It is a competently put-together and lovingly crafted homage to an often-overlooked genre of gaming. Even the imprecise controls and Leo's sluggish movements feel like a feature and not a bug in the game's design. If you can wrap your head around them, there is a solid platformer to enjoy.
This pretty cool throwback to the age of classic cinematic adventures like Out of This World (and others) is a retro treat
Lunark does an excellent job mimicking cinematic platformers of the ‘90s to its benefit but also to its detriment, resulting in a solid sci-fi tale that can be a bit too frustrating at times.
Lunark wears its inspirations on its sleeve. It is littered with subtle and blatant nods to Flashback, in particular. In an under-populated genre, the heavy weight of those influences are conspicuous. Yet, at the same time, it’s just pleasing to encounter another cinematic platformer that understands the appeal of the genre, and doesn’t try to fix what ain’t broke. Sometimes, slowing down is precisely what you need.
Despite releasing in 2023, playing Lunark feels like opening a perfectly preserved time capsule. It’s unashamedly old-school in its approach and attempts to recreate an experience that we just don’t see enough of these days, and for that reason, I absolutely adore what Canari Games has created here. The art style may be a little too busy at times, which can actually be gameplay-impacting, but it’s easy to forgive when it looks this good, especially when given a chance to shine on the Switch OLED. Lunark is absolutely a game that won’t be for everyone, but it doesn’t need to be. Canari Games’ mission was clearly never to create something that appeals to a huge audience. The mission statement was obviously to deliver a passion project that speaks to fans of cinematic platformers, and Flashback more specifically. On that front, they can consider this a job very well done.
If you're a fan of Flashback and the sort, you really can't go wrong with Lunark, even if it's a tad forgiving and far too short. If you're less comfortable with the sub-genre, or want something meatier, consider waiting for a sale.
A loving homage to 16-bit classic Flashback but despite some fun visuals the clumsy controls and combat could have done with a bit more modernisation.
In the end, Lunark works as a great platformer and homage to various classics. Its gameplay may be hard to control at first but it's not an issue that hinders how fun it can be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Lunark is a brilliant throwback to a genre that has been lost to the ages. While tipping its hat to its inspirations it also manages to carve out an identity of its own.
Lunark is a brilliant homage to the cinematic platformer. Vinet's work in capturing the look and feel of the genre with the rotoscoped animation and methodical platforming style is pitch perfect, even if it sometimes adapts some pieces of the era that you'd rather leave behind and forgets to bring in some elements that feel crucial to the experience, like an exciting story. That said, Vinet's solo debut is a standout and one well worth embarking on. 2023 is the year of taking a breath and remembering where we came from as gamers, and Lunark is just another step in that direction.
Lunark was a blast from the past for sure, I enjoyed my time with the sci-fi adventure game. As I said Flashback was one of my favorites and playing Lunark I was smiling the whole time thinking back on the fond memories I had as a youth. The more I played the more I really liked Leo and enjoyed seeing his story unfold, while there are issues with checkpoints and controls to get used to at the end of the day Lunark tells a great sci-fi story that fans of the genre will surely enjoy.