Lorn's Lure
" Atmospheric first-person platformer with novel climbing mechanics but frustrating difficulty spikes "
Lorn's Lure Review
Lorn's Lure is a unique first-person platformer that emphasizes exploration within massive, intricately designed megastructures. Players appreciate the game's sense of scale and the freedom to find non-linear paths, often feeling like they are breaking the rules to reach unreachable places. The climbing mechanics are praised for their fluidity and forgiving nature, with a satisfying trial-and-error learning curve. The atmosphere, built through retro-style graphics and a melancholic soundtrack, deeply immerses players in a desolate, mysterious world. However, the game is not without its challenges; some players find the difficulty spikes, especially in the final levels, to be frustrating and sometimes poorly balanced. The story is minimalist and open to interpretation, with a surprising and thought-provoking ending that resonates with many. Despite some jank in physics and occasional unclear level design, the game offers a rewarding experience for fans of climbing and exploration games willing to embrace its quirks and difficulty.
Highlights
Players highly praise the massive and beautifully designed megastructure environments that evoke feelings of awe and desolation. The climbing and platforming mechanics are considered fluid and satisfying, allowing creative traversal and rewarding perseverance. The atmosphere and sound design create a melancholic and immersive mood, enhanced by retro-style visuals. Many enjoy the game's non-linear exploration and minimalistic storytelling, which encourages player interpretation. The final level's intense chase and thematic conclusion receive particular acclaim for their emotional impact and challenge.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the steep difficulty spikes in later chapters, especially the final level, which some find frustrating and poorly designed. The lack of a quicksave or better checkpoint system leads to progress loss and repeated retries. Some players report janky physics and inconsistent collision detection causing unexpected deaths. The dark and sometimes visually unclear level design hampers navigation, particularly on smaller screens. Additionally, the minimal story and lore leave some players wanting more depth or clearer narrative engagement. Lastly, the absence of ambient sound effects reduces immersion for some users.
Pros
- • Massive, awe-inspiring megastructure environments enhance exploration and immersion.
- • Fluid and satisfying climbing mechanics encourage creative platforming and skill growth.
- • Melancholic soundtrack and retro visuals create a unique, atmospheric mood.
- • Non-linear level design allows players to discover their own paths and secrets.
- • Minimalistic storytelling invites player interpretation and philosophical reflection.
- • Checkpoints are generally well-placed, reducing frustration during retries.
- • The final level offers an intense, adrenaline-pumping chase sequence.
Cons
- • Difficulty spikes late in the game cause frustration and break pacing.
- • Lack of quicksaving leads to loss of progress and repeated restarts.
- • Physics and collision detection inconsistencies cause unfair deaths.
- • Dark, unclear visuals make navigation and platforming unnecessarily hard.
- • Minimal story and lore leave some players wanting more depth.
- • Some level design blocks optional paths, limiting exploration freedom.
- • Repetitive audio loops reduce immersion in large, empty levels.
Rating Criteria
An android is led through a vast structure by a glitch in his visual system. Lorn's Lure is an atmospheric narrative first-person platformer with novel climb-anything mechanics and modernized retro 3D graphics.