LUNARK Reviews

LUNARK is ranked in the 63rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
3 / 10.0
May 10, 2023

Lunark was a game that intrigued me at first, given the style and the teams behind its development. Unfortunately, at every turn, it did nothing but let me down with its overly forced story, and nothing to keep any interest in it in terms of presentation and gameplay. The longer I spent in this world, the less invested I was in its story. These beats were few and far between, with nothing like notes or diaries left around to fill out the story and world. There was nothing in the gameplay to keep me invested as well. All in all, it was unfortunately just a bland game that thought it was more interesting than what it actually ended up being.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Apr 8, 2023

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.

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60 / 100
Mar 30, 2023

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.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
6 / 10
Apr 11, 2023

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.

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6.5 / 10.0
May 18, 2023

A dystopian sci-fi platformer from a fan of nineties games bears a striking resemblance to the iconic Flashback. Maybe that's why you'll enjoy it.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Apr 25, 2023

Still, with how beautifully this game runs on Switch (hardly a hitch or dip to be seen during my 3.5 hours of play), I’m very pleased to have experienced this tribute, as Lunark is definitely one done with a lot of love and attention to the genre, even with all the genre-bound frustrations.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2023

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.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2023

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.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 4, 2023

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.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 24, 2023

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.

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7.6 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2023

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.

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Apr 19, 2023

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.

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Apr 5, 2023

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.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 12, 2023

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

4 / 5.0
Apr 7, 2023

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.

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4 / 5.0
Mar 31, 2023

Lunark is a strong cinematic platformer, more than good enough to hang with the classics of its genre.

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8 / 10
Apr 1, 2023

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.

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8.3 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2023

This pretty cool throwback to the age of classic cinematic adventures like Out of This World (and others) is a retro treat

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2023

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.

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4.3 / 5.0
Apr 1, 2023

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.

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