Lunark

Last updated

Lunark
Lunark cover.jpg
Developer(s) Canari Games
Publisher(s) WayForward
Director(s) Johan Vinet
Producer(s) David Fratto
Programmer(s) Topher Anselmo
Oscar Gonzalez
Xitilon
Composer(s) Johan Vinet
Engine GameMaker
Platform(s) Windows
macOS
Nintendo Switch
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
ReleaseWindows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, Nintendo Switch
March 30, 2023
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
April 6, 2023
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single player

Lunark is a 2023 platform game developed by Canari Games and published by WayForward. The game was originally released for Windows, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch on March 30, 2023, with ports for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 released on April 6, 2023. [1] The game follows Leo who has unique abilities, the player attempts to uncover the origin about humanity. [2]

Contents

The game was mostly developed by the creator Johan Vinet. The Kickstarter funding for the game had raising over 81,655 Canadian dollars and the campaign ended in 2019. [3]

Gameplay

Lunark is a retro-style cinematic platformer. In the game, the player plays as Leo, a young boy with unique physical characteristics who has some unique abilities including his weapon to shoot and can overcoming traps and solving puzzles. The game has 12 levels for the player to explore.[ citation needed ]

Plot

Centuries ago, Earth became increasingly unsustainable and the most optimistic forecasts predicted that humans could survive for another 10 years. Moon was transformed into a giant spaceship for humanity's survival by an artificial intelligence called Noah which was created by group of scientists. In order to transport millions of humans, the operation Lunark was undertaken as the last ditch effort to save humanity.

Centuries later, humans are about to celebrate the 300th anniversary of their arrival on their new home planet Albaryne. Leo returned to Albaryne to talk to some guard and builders about a rumor that there hasn't been single human casualty and Gideon. He later fly to the level Hitting a Wall.

He was being sent on a mission for an artifact but he realizes that someone was either framing him. As Leo uncovers new truths about why he being framed, puzzles hinder progression. [4]

Development

Lunark was inspired by many video games from the 1980s and 1990s such as Prince of Persia , Flashback and Another World. Johan Vinet begin working on the game creation in 2016 when he making demakes just for fun. during his thinking about the game creation, he details his love of old platform then he thought that he could made it a real game. [5] [6]

Vinet started his own company Canari Games and the Kickstarter campaign for the game was launched in 2019. Jordan Mechner, the creator of Prince of Persia noted that the game look like something Eric Chahi could made. Vinet originally intended to release the game on Microsoft Windows and macOS, [7] but was able to develop for more platforms after WayForward contacted him for a publishing deal. Vinet was influenced by science fiction films, television series and books for the setting and plot of the game and drew inspiration from adventure films such as Indiana Jones and Back to the Future . [6] The game's plot is based on the story of Noah's Ark from the Book of Genesis. [6]

Vinet was set out to create a game that inspired by Prince of Persia and Flashback, while also create some elements, innovations, updated controls and unique features. [8] Vinet want the game to be attracted by the colorful and dynamic theme instead of dystopian theme. [9] Vinet also composed the game and the inspiration for the music were Blade Runner , Vangelis and more. [10] Vinet used extensive rotoscoping for the game's cinematics; due to the production's small scope he would personally film all of the rotoscope footage. [11] [8]

Release

The game released on digital storefronts on March 30, 2023. [12] [13] Limited Run Games later released a physical version and collector editions for the Nintendo Switch. [13] The game was released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on April 6, 2023. [1] In May 2023, a quality-of-life update was released in the game which featured additional checkpoints, level select after beating the game and bug fixes. [14] [15]

Reception

Luke Plunkett of Kotaku enjoyed the game because of the rotoscoping. [22] Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade considered the game one of the all-timers of cinematic platforming. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platformer</span> Video game genre

A platformer is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels with uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, gliding through the air, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines.

<i>Blackthorne</i> 1994 video game

Blackthorne is a cinematic platform game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released for the Super NES and MS-DOS in 1994. The cover art for the SNES version was drawn by Jim Lee. The following year, Blackthorne was released for the Sega 32X with additional content. In 2013, Blizzard released the game for free on their Battle.net PC client. In celebration of the company's 30th anniversary, Blackthorne was re-released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One as part of the Blizzard Arcade Collection in February 2021.

<i>Flashback</i> (1992 video game) 1992 video game

Flashback, released as Flashback: The Quest for Identity in the United States, is a 1992 science fiction cinematic platform game developed by Delphine Software of France and published by U.S. Gold in the United States and Europe, and Sunsoft in Japan.

<i>20XX</i> 2017 video game

20XX is an indie action platform video game developed by American indie studio Batterystaple Games. The early access version was released for Microsoft Windows on Steam on October 12, 2016, and in full on August 16, 2017. PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One versions were released in July 2018. A sequel, 30XX, was released on Steam Early Access on February 17, 2021, and in full on August 9, 2023.

WayForward Technologies, Inc. is an American independent video game developer and publisher based in Valencia, California. Founded in March 1990 by technology entrepreneur Voldi Way, WayForward started by developing games for consoles such as the Super NES and Sega Genesis, as well as TV games and PC educational software. In 1997, they relaunched their video games arm, placing the company as a contractor for publishers and working on a variety of licensed assets.

<i>Shantae</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Shantae is a platform video game developed by WayForward and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Color in 2002. It is the first title in the Shantae series. The game follows the adventures of the eponymous half-genie Shantae, who must travel across Sequin Land, the setting of the series, to foil the domination plans of the evil lady pirate Risky Boots. During her quest, she learns various dances and acquires items which make her progressively stronger as well as unlocking new abilities and locations, leading her to ultimately face off against Risky in her hideout.

<i>Shantae: Riskys Revenge</i> 2010 video game

Shantae: Risky's Revenge is a platform video game developed by WayForward Technologies for the Nintendo DSi. The second installment in the Shantae series, Risky's Revenge is the sequel to the 2002 Game Boy Color video game Shantae, and follows series protagonist Shantae as she sets out to stop the ambitions of the nefarious pirate Risky Boots.

<i>Karateka</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Karateka is a 1984 martial arts action game for the Apple II by Jordan Mechner. It is his first published game and was created while he was attending Yale University. The game was published in North America by Broderbund and in Europe by Ariolasoft. Along with Karate Champ and Yie-Ar Kung Fu, Karateka is one of the earliest martial arts fighting games. It was inspired by Japanese culture and by early Disney animated films and silent pictures. An influential game of its era, it was one of the first to use cinematic storytelling and sound design, and rotoscoped animation.

<i>The Pinball Arcade</i> 2012 video game

The Pinball Arcade is a pinball video game developed by FarSight Studios. The game is a simulated collection of 100 real pinball tables licensed by Gottlieb, Alvin G. and Company, and Stern Pinball, a company which also owns the rights of machines from Data East and Sega Pinball. Williams and Bally games are no longer available since June 30, 2018, as FarSight had lost the license to WMS properties, which has since passed to Zen Studios.

<i>Shantae: Half-Genie Hero</i> 2016 video game

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, stylized as Shantae: ½ Genie Hero, is a platform video game developed and published by WayForward Technologies. It is the fourth game in the Shantae series, following Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (2014), and the first to be specifically developed for high definition game platforms. The game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, and Xbox One in December 2016, for Nintendo Switch in June 2017, for Amazon Luna in October 2020, for Stadia in February 2021, and for PlayStation 5 in November 2021. Versions for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were initially announced, but cancelled during development.

<i>Yooka-Laylee</i> 2017 video game

Yooka-Laylee is a 2017 platform game developed by Playtonic Games and published by Team17. It was released for Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in April 2017, Nintendo Switch in December 2017 and Amazon Luna in October 2020. Developed by a group of former key personnel from Rare, Yooka-Laylee is a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie series. After years of planning to develop a new game, Playtonic Games initiated a Kickstarter campaign that attracted significant media coverage and raised a record-breaking sum of over £2 million. The game follows chameleon Yooka and bat Laylee on their quest to retrieve a magical book from an evil corporation.

<i>Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night</i> 2019 video game

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Japanese indie studio ArtPlay and published by 505 Games. The game's development was led by former Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi and is considered a spiritual successor to the series. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, in June 2019, for Amazon Luna in October 2020, for Android and iOS in December 2020, and for Stadia in July 2021.

<i>Adventures of Pip</i> 2015 platform video game

Adventures of Pip is a platform game developed and published by Tic Toc Games. The game launched in June 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Wii U and in July 2015 for iOS. Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions were released in August 2015, and the Nintendo Switch version in September 2020.

<i>Shantae</i> Video game series

Shantae is a series of platform video games developed by WayForward. The eponymous heroine of the series, a half-genie, was created by Erin Bozon, while the games for this character were created by her husband Matt Bozon. The series consists of five games: Shantae (2002), Shantae: Risky's Revenge (2010), Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (2014), Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (2016) and Shantae and the Seven Sirens (2019). A sixth title, Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution, is in development and scheduled for release in 2025.

<i>Road Redemption</i> 2017 video game

Road Redemption is a vehicular combat racing video game developed by EQ-Games and Pixel Dash Studios. The game is a spiritual successor to the Road Rash series and was released for Windows PC on October 4, 2017. Console versions of Road Redemption were released on November 6, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

<i>Lego Brawls</i> 2019 video game

Lego Brawls is a fighting game developed and published by Lego Games in partnership with American studio Red Games Co., and is being distributed in physical format for consoles by Bandai Namco Entertainment. LEGO Brawls was released for Apple Arcade on September 19, 2019, for iOS mobile devices. LEGO Brawls was the first LEGO game for Apple Arcade. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on September 2, 2022.

<i>Little Orpheus</i> 2020 adventure-platform game

Little Orpheus is a 2020 adventure-platform game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Sumo Digital. The game was released on Apple Arcade on 12 June 2020 for iOS, macOS, and tvOS. Ports for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S were released by subsidiary label Secret Mode on 13 September 2022.

<i>Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising</i> 2022 video game

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a 2022 action role-playing game developed by Natsume Atari and published by 505 Games. Rising is the first game to be released in the Eiyuden Chronicle series, considered to be a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series.

References

  1. 1 2 @WayForward (March 30, 2023). "Join the revolution in LUNARK, the pixel-art sci-fi cinematic platformer! Run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot your way to freedom in this epic 2D adventure, now available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam! (Coming soon to PS4/PS5.)" (Tweet). Retrieved June 7, 2023– via Twitter.
  2. ↑ Lunark - Official Launch Trailer. April 6, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023– via IGN.
  3. ↑ "Track LUNARK's Kickstarter campaign on BackerTracker". BackerKit. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ Lopez, Azario (April 18, 2023). "Lunark Review – A Memorable Sci-Fi Adventure". Noisy Pixel. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  5. ↑ Hagues, Alana (March 7, 2023). "Lunark Brings Gorgeous Flashback-Inspired Cinematic Platforming To Switch This Month". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 LUNARK - Origins & Influences (Featurette #1). WayForward. March 3, 2023 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ Manthorp, Ross (July 25, 2019). "Kickstarter veterans on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  8. 1 2 LUNARK - Rotoscoping & Game Design (Featurette #2). WayForward. March 16, 2023 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ McCumbers, Alex (March 23, 2023). "LUNARK Q&A with Johan Vinet of Canari Games". Forever Classic Games. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ Noselt, Jake (March 4, 2023). EXCLUSIVE: Lunark's Solo Dev on the Challenges of Making a New Cinematic Platformer (Interview). GameXplain. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023 – via YouTube.
  11. ↑ Vinet, Johan (March 15, 2023). "Lunark: Getting retro with rotoscoping". PlayStation.Blog. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  12. ↑ Hoffman, Chris (March 3, 2023). "LUNARK Release Date Revealed". WayForward. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Romano, Sal (March 3, 2023). "LUNARK launches March 30". Gematsu. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ rawmeatcowboy (May 19, 2023). "LUNARK 'Quality of Life' update now available". GoNintendo. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ Brian (May 19, 2023). "Lunark update out now (version 1.1.0), patch notes". Nintendo Everything. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Lunark for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Lunark for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ "LUNARK Reviews". OpenCritic. April 28, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  19. ↑ James, Cunningham (March 31, 2023). "Review: Lunark". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  20. ↑ Cannon, Trent (April 1, 2023). "Review: Lunark - The Love Letter The Cinematic Platforming Genre Deserves". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  21. 1 2 Musgrave, Shaun (April 10, 2023). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring 'Rakuen' and 'LUNARK', Plus the Latest Releases and Sales – TouchArcade". TouchArcade. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  22. ↑ Plunkett, Luke (May 8, 2023). "I Could Watch These Rotoscoped Graphics All Day Long". Kotaku . Retrieved June 7, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.