Developer: Lunariumstudio
Publisher: Lunariumstudio, Imperfect Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Lunarium – Review
We’re always happy to review games when it’s an indie dev dropping their first-ever title, since those are often real passion projects. Lunarium is exactly that. It’s an action RPG with some soulslike qualities, set in a gorgeously presented world, with a focus on combat. If you’re the type of person who loves fighting enemies that are at least twice your size, this adventure is exactly the one you want to embark on.
Story
Lunarium starts you out with the main character, Ave, a knight. As is befitting of the title, Ave faces monsters of all shapes and sizes who threaten the commoners. But during a fight, the creature Ave is fighting seems to get possessed by a dark energy that doubles its power, and Ave loses. She wakes up later in the home of a young woman named Lune. Not only did Lune use her mysterious powers to nurse Ave back to health, but she also seems to know more about the evil power that has slipped through the cracks of the world. The pair decides to venture forth together.
It’s a pretty typical setup for an adventure game, though it’s clear the writing of Lunarium has heart. While it might not be the most original plot, the focus is on the friendship between Lune and Ave, and this develops naturally throughout the game with many scenes of casual conversation and quiet moments the women spend together, in a way that made us invested in how their journey would end.
Graphics
We personally loved the painterly, hand-drawn art style of this game. Clearly Lunarium gets its inspiration from classic anime and JRPGs, both in terms of character designs and its overall aesthetic. There seems to be no line art, with all the gorgeous colors blending into each other to make the environments. The game also has a very minimalistic UI, compared to the more cluttered interfaces we’re used to from some other RPGs that constantly remind the player of the controls. It greatly enhanced the immersive vibes that the devs were obviously going for.
Sound
Again, in line with other JRPGs, Lunarium has a very ethereal and pleasant soundtrack. Special attention was devoted to the combat music, with plenty of different tracks and unique boss music for those epic battles that form the highlights of the game. It’s not a soundtrack we will play over and over again, but it’s good music all the same, and it fits the general fantasy setting more than fine. The game does not have any voice acting, aside from a few exclamations that the characters make during combat.
Gameplay
Lunarium is an action RPG with a focus on combat. All the expected moves are present: light attacks, heavy attacks, a defensive stance to catch blows, and dodging to evade an enemy attack. The game also uses the classic parry mechanic, where if you click the defend button with the right timing, an enemy’s attack isn’t only blocked but it also temporarily stuns them. Ave is the offensive team member and the character you play, but that doesn’t mean Lune doesn’t carry her weight. Like a typical support class, her magic charges up over time and can help you during combat, like healing you at the right moment.
Another thing that can aid you is the right equipment. Aside from the typical skill tree you can expect to find in most RPGs, where defeating monsters can unlock new abilities for you, there is also the cloak system. You can imagine your cloak is your armor, and there are various options that change the mechanics of combat just slightly, allowing you to pick one that fits your playstyle. In addition to that, the embroidery system allows you to equip passive bonuses to your cape. There are a handful of combinations, and we personally liked it, though it’s not the super elaborate customizations we’re used to from other RPGs.
Overall, Lunarium has an enjoyable gameplay loop, and the combat rewards patience and skill over mashing buttons. The combat segments are fun, and the world isn’t entirely linear, so you can go off exploring and find items within one larger area before getting back on track for the plot, which will unlock a new part of the map. The game is thus semi-linear.
Conclusion
Lunarium is a pretty good action RPG. We can’t say the game has anything outstanding we’ve never seen before, but if you’re looking for good combat mechanics, beautiful graphics, and a heartwarming story about friendship and hope, this is sure to keep you satisfied for a while.
