Metropolis: Lux Obscura

Release Date: October 11, 2017

Puzzle, noir, gangster, 2D, visual novel, combine three elements, singleplayer

4.7

OpenCritic

79%

Steam

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Combining the visual novel adventure with a "combine three elements" logic game. The hero of the game is Jon Lockhart, who immediately after leaving prison starts looking for people responsible for framing him into murder and arrest. The production draws inspiration from comics and noir crime films.

Plot
Mechanics
Technical aspects

Metropolis: Lux Obscura on PC, PSV, etc. is a mix of adventure and classic logic game, whose action is set in a gloomy reality, reminiscent of noir films and comics. The game was developed by an independent studio called Ktulhu Solutions. Metropolis: Lux Obscura is in line with the trend of combining adventure games, RPG elements and "match-3 elements", popularized by games such as Puzzle Quest or HuniePop.

Plot

The main character of Metropolis: Lux Obscura is Jon Lockhart, who was wrongly accused of murdering his close friend. After serving his sentence, he sets out in search of those responsible for putting him behind bars - the real perpetrators of the crime. After just a few hours after getting released, he unexpectedly gets entangled in serious problems which may make it difficult for him to complete his mission.

Depending on the decisions made, we can unlock one of the four endings. The whole campaign can be completed in about three hours.

Mechanics

In Metropolis: Lux Obscura, we play through the following chapters, presented in the form of animated comic panels with fully dubbed dialogue lines. They are interrupted from time to time by logical segments in the form of "match-3 elements" puzzles. They represent the hero's fights with various types of opponents, such as gangsters, corrupt policemen or bandits. Both the protagonist and the opponents have a limited number of life points. We damage enemies by matching three of the same blocks on the board. In addition to the standard puzzles, there are also special items - if we match them, we will deal bonus damage or heal ourselves. After winning a fight, we choose one new power-up from the list of twelve mental illnesses and bad habits presented to us.

Technical aspects

The two-dimensional visuals in Metropolis: Lux Obscura have a distinctive style inspired by Frank Miller's comics such as Sin City. All graphics were made by Oleg Okunev, a Ukrainian artist working with Ktulhu Solutions on Perky Little Things.

Last updated on May 22, 2019

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4.7

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 4% of Critics. There are 21 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Nintendo Insider: 5 / 10 by Darren Palma

At L7.19, Metropolis: Lux Obscura is affordable enough to land a quick fix should you desperately need one, although in comparison to the average mobile match-three puzzler it stands highly overpriced.

Full Review

ThisGenGaming: 70 / 100 by Robby Bisschop

Metropolis is a fine game for its low asking price. I found myself enjoying it more than I expected to, replaying it each time with a completely different set of abilities and genuinely curious about the ending I'd be getting. The battles themselves were quick and entertaining and the comic-book style is lovely to look at. Despite its small flaws, it's definitely worth checking out.

Full Review

Destructoid: 6 / 10 by Chris Moyse

Metropolis: Lux Obscura is another entry in the crowded Match 3 market, albeit one with a decadent coating of sleaze and brutality. Fans of the genre will have a fun time while it lasts, but anyone disinterested in such games will find nothing new here. Though it certainly isn't without its merits, namely in its great art, branching pathways and low price, Metropolis suffers due to its unoriginality and short lifespan, which may be enough for some to give this otherwise interesting release the hard goodbye.

Full Review

79%