Loopmancer

Loopmancer is an action platform game, with roguelike elements. It was developed by an indie eBrain Studio.

Plot

Loopmancer takes us on a journey to cyberpunk universe. The game is set in 2064, where neurocomputer interfaces, nanobiotechnology and bionic prostheses are the norm. However, instead of evening out the differences between social classes, the sudden leap in civilization has only deepened them, and the gap between rich and poor is bigger than ever.

The main character of the game is Xiang Zixu - a private detective who was killed while investigating the mysterious disappearance of a famous journalist. Shortly after his death, the protagonist woke up in his apartment, and a moment later a voice on the phone belonging to his colleague from the agency informed him about... mysterious disappearance of the famous journalist. The protagonist is stuck in a kind of a loop and now has to do everything to get out of it. If he loses his way, he will wake up in his apartment again and the whole cycle will start from the beginning.

Game mechanics

Loopmancer is a side-scroller. The adventure takes us through seven different locations, most notably the Dragon City, a showpiece of the cyberpunk Far East. Xiang also visits such places as the gloomy village of Shuigou, the headquarters of a leading biotech company, and a marine training base for bionic beings. While exploring these locations, Xiang jumps across platforms and avoids traps and various obstacles while showing off his dexterity and reflexes. Xiang's mobility is increased by the ability to bounce off walls and a rope with a hook, which allows him to quickly get to high places.

But that's not all, as the detective often has to face enemies. More than 30 kinds of enemies stand in his way, among which we find both gangsters and mercenaries, as well as mutated people driven to madness by hacked neurocomputer interfaces. The protagonist eliminates them using more than a hundred different weapons (Xiang has an excellent command of cold weapons) and a variety of skills provided by his bionic prosthesis. As you progress, you develop your protagonist by unlocking new abilities and acquiring more and more equipment.

After each death Xiang is reborn in his apartment, gaining a chance to obtain new equipment and unlock previously unavailable skills, as well as make other decisions that will change the course of events. Some areas are procedurally generated, so we can never be sure what attractions or challenges await us just around the corner.

Technical aspects

Loopmancer runs on Unreal Engine 4 technology and makes excellent use of it. The locations, illuminated by the glow of colorful neon lights, are varied and detailed, and the character animations are fast and smooth.