Developer: Vovoid Media Technologies AB
Publisher: Kiss ltd.
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Luna Sky – Review
High-momentum speed. A fast character that spins around the screen to gather glowing orbs. It all reminds us of a blue hedgehog that spins through worlds to collect a number of rings. Luna Sky looks like like a Sonic the Hedgehog-style platform game with new appealing visuals and relaxing music. Unlike Sonic though, this game offers an entirely different experience that lacks a dose of originality.
Story
I woke up confused.
Why did they bring me here?
Why did they put a crystal necklace on me?
These are the questions Luna, a young woman, asks herself when she wakes up in a strange environment. She has no clue where she is or how she got there in the first place. As she discovers this new world, she meets matrix-like A.I. machines. They tell her that she, as the son of man, has to protect the crystal around her neck. Desperate to find answers, she sets out to look for a way out of the Crystalline Expanse.
Through the cutscenes it’s uncertain what the goal of this game is. In-game you soon realize you need to collect the shining orbs to progress further in the game. The machines tell you these orbs have a purpose, but for what is unknown. At the start screen, the player will get the choice to pick story mode or not, which means the game is playable without knowing the plot.
Graphics
The developers made use of VSXu (a modular programming environment where you can visualize music and create graphic effects). Sad to say, the few screenshots look better than the actual outcome. The cutscenes are poorly executed and the main character looks stiff and visually not too appealing. It makes you think you’re playing a game brought out in the nineties.
Luckily, this doesn’t apply to the in-game experience. The backgrounds give off a post-apocalyptic vibe with use of stunning colors that reflect of the crystals and orbs. When the character runs and collects the orbs she needs, they transform into some sort of fairy dust that is absorbed in the necklace. Visually, this is well done.
There is definitely influence from the Sonic the Hedgehog games. As the character jumps, you can see the famous hedgehog spin. The orbs made up of light resemble the rings Sonic needs to collect. There is no Eggman in sight or other enemies for that matter yet it’s still clear where the developers got their inspiration.
Sound
The music of Luna Sky is relaxing and gives off a New Age vibe that make you sit back in your chair. It doesn’t match the fast jumps and spinning motions, but this is actually not bothersome . It goes well with the game’s visual lay-out. There is no time limit to collect orbs, so you can set your own pace to gather them.
The few dialogues during the cutscenes lack a professional touch and the voice-acting is bad and woody. Even the main character doesn’t hesitate to immediately answer her own questions as if talking to herself instead of the machines, who sound like cheap GLaDOS imitations.
Gameplay
As mentioned above, Luna Sky is a 2D platformer game that gets its inspiration from the old-school platform Sonic the Hedgehog. Like Sonic, it doesn’t take long to figure out you have to collect the shining orbs to progress further in the game. You can use bouncing pads to gain momentum and increase the height of your jump. With each new checkpoint you can even gain new skills, like jumping higher, going faster or jumping twice. As the game progresses the challenges become trickier. Touching pink crystals will electrocute your character. Touching green crystal makes your character bounce. You need to time jumps and concentrate to get out of these situations. It’s sad that your skills and the use of the bouncing pads don’t increase the momentum when running up slopes. You can gain speed, but you run out quickly when you need to sprint up a slope. A feature that can quickly result into frustration because momentum is an important feature in this type of game.
Whether you pick story mode or not, the game starts off with the character in a dark room. At the menu screen there have been no indications on which keys to use. The ‘options’ offer a few choices to modify graphics, but there is no further explanation on controls. As you find out for yourself, only left and right arrows seem to work. The Ctrl key is also vital, since you need this one to jump up and down the slopes and ledges. After figuring out which controls to use, you will reach a room where the first cutscene begins and then your journey can begin. However, the loading screens take a long time and you are often rewarded with a black screen for another few seconds before the in-game screen appears.
Despite the many checkpoints, the game doesn’t have any loading files. If you take a break, you cannot quit the game and pick up on a later point. This means you will have to start from scratch every time you begin the game. You cannot pick between levels either, which would make it a more fulfilling experience.
Conclusion
Luna Sky has some great potential, but it feels unfinished. There have been a number of patches to improve the game, although it still scores below average. The game looks like a Sonic rip-off with some new visual effects to cover it up. With a number of glitches and odd controls, it doesn’t take long for a player to lose interest. Hopefully the developers will polish these rough edges; otherwise Luna might have to finish this journey on her own.
Luna Sky - Review,
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