Lunark

Lunark is a 2023 platform game developed by Canari Games and published by WayForward. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S and Nintendo Switch. The game will also be released soon for the PlayStation 4 and 5.[1] The game follows Leo who has unique abilities, the player attempts to uncover the origin about humanity.[2]

Lunark
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
EngineGameMaker
Platform(s)Windows
macOS
Nintendo Switch
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, Nintendo Switch
March 30, 2023
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
TBD
Genre(s)Platform, adventure
Mode(s)Single player

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 with rotoscoping and stunning animation. 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.

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 lauched in 2019. Jordan Mechner, the creator of Prince of Persia found the game and said that the game look like something Eric Chahi could made. Vinet was originally shooting for Microsoft Windows and Mac release for the game.[7] WayForward found the game and reach out Vinet to publish the game. 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 plot summary was 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]

Filming

Vinet use a technique known as Rotoscoping for the game. before he begin using his technique, he create storyboard for the cutscenes to determines the overall look and feel of the cutscene then he would dress up as a character and film hiself performing action and movements.[8][11] After storyboarding, he began planning what locations he could film and most of them were in his home. After planning, he began filming which only equipped with a tripod and his smartphone and preferably wearing clothes that matched the main character Leo.[11]

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] In May 2023, an update called Quality of Life 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]

References
  1. @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 - IGN, 2023-04-06, retrieved 2023-06-18
  3. "Track LUNARK's Kickstarter campaign on BackerTracker". BackerKit. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  4. Lopez, Azario (2023-04-18). "Lunark Review - Noisy Pixel". Noisy Pixel. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  5. Hagues, Alana (2023-03-07). "Lunark Brings Gorgeous Flashback-Inspired Cinematic Platforming To Switch This Month". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  6. LUNARK - Origins & Influences (Featurette #1). WayForward. March 3, 2023.
  7. Manthorp, Ross (2019-07-25). "Kickstarter veterans on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  8. LUNARK - Rotoscoping & Game Design (Featurette #2). March 16, 2023.
  9. McCumbers, Alex (March 23, 2023). "LUNARK Q&A with Johan Vinet of Canari Games". Forever Classic Games. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  10. Noselt, Jake (March 4, 2023). EXCLUSIVE: Lunark's Solo Dev on the Challenges of Making a New Cinematic Platformer (Interview). GameXplain.
  11. "Lunark: Getting retro with rotoscoping". PlayStation.Blog. 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  12. Hoffman, Chris (2023-03-03). "LUNARK Release Date Revealed". WayForward. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  13. Romano, Sal (2023-03-03). "LUNARK launches March 30". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  14. rawmeatcowboy (2023-05-19). "LUNARK 'Quality of Life' update now available". GoNintendo. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  15. Brian (2023-05-19). "Lunark update out now (version 1.1.0), patch notes". Nintendo Everything. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  16. "Lunark for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  17. "Lunark for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  18. "LUNARK Reviews". OpenCritic. 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  19. James, Cunningham (2023-03-31). "Review: Lunark - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  20. Cannon, Trent (2023-04-01). "Review: Lunark - The Love Letter The Cinematic Platforming Genre Deserves". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  21. Musgrave, Shaun (2023-04-10). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring 'Rakuen' and 'LUNARK', Plus the Latest Releases and Sales – TouchArcade". Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  22. Plunkett, Luke (2023-05-08). "I Could Watch These Rotoscoped Graphics All Day Long". Kotaku. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
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