Lumo

Lumo is an enjoyable puzzle platformer.

Lumo takes a simple premise and makes something that shines through the avalanche of similar games in its genre.

Honestly, if you are a new gamer on the scene and just want to play a puzzle game, you can find so many better ones just through a Google search. But if you are a gamer, looking for a short but wild trip down memory lane, sprinkled with British pop culture history and references to some absolute classics, this game is worth a purchase.

Lumo has a heart. It’s filled with a charming aesthetics, classic retro style gameplay, fun references to other franchises, and just offers a solid good time for platforming fans.

Lumo is an enchanting jewel lost in time, an inspired adventure about discovery and exploration. The first game of ex Ruffian Games Gareth Noyce proves that the isometric puzzle-platform genre is alive and definitely kicking.

Might not be perfect, but in resurrecting a very specific sort of puzzle adventure that the industry has seemingly forgotten, Gareth Noyce’s heartfelt love-letter to the past succeeds in weaving a yarn which manages to feel both fresh and compelling at the same time. This is the isometric platform puzzler you never knew you wanted.

Lumo packs many different challenges and puzzles into its oldschool isometric 3D platform adventure format. It can be tough at times, but it's nevertheless thoroughly enjoyable - riffing on many classic British games of the 80's that you mightn't know, but will enjoy discovering.

A loving tribute to isometric adventures of the Spectrum era, that does just enough to ensure new fans can enjoy it as well.

While the score below is very much based on my experience (duh), you can knock this grade up a half point if you love games that revel in challenge and restarts. Lots and lots of restarts. Regardless, this is a well-priced indie with a lengthy, ten-hour campaign. I also suspect that there are players out there who might end up loving the idea of Lumo more than the execution. That said, if the controls could be made less frustrating I would love to see a sequel.

A surprisingly fun throwback to a genre of puzzle adventures lost to the winds of time, and also a loving nod to the career of its creator. It's an enjoyable dungeon crawler with some fiendish puzzles and punishing death traps. This game's slight – those with even a passing skill at puzzle games can best it on the adventure difficulty in a couple of stretches – but there's plenty of collectibles to get and enough hidden Waster eggs to warrant multiple playthroughs.

Perhaps Lumo’s greatest asset is the surprisingly fun throwback to a genre of puzzle adventures that seem to be lost in time.

Lumo is a delightful if sometimes frustrating little puzzle platformer.

A love-letter to games gone past and to games in general, Lumo is a delightful if sometimes frustrating little puzzle platformer.

Quotation forthcoming.

Surely anyone with a taste for adventure will appreciate the ingenuity and character of such an intricate and secret-stuffed world. [Aug 2016, p.120]

Charming, creative and stubbornly old-school. [Issue#175, p.81]

Publisher Rising Star Games clearly saw something special with Lumo, and while it has its flaws, it’s probably as good as an isometric throwback can be. Gamers that grew up with the genre will enjoy Lumo for its nostalgic kick, but those that have never played an isometric adventure title like this may not be able to derive as much enjoyment from the game.

Although it brings back some of the elements that made isometric adventures so popular in the 80s, Lumo fails to deliver a solid experience due its bugs and an irregular pacing.

Lumo could have easily been another retro inspired title that did little other than revel in old-school visuals. If anything, the reverse is true here. While visually a little unappealing, the isometric adventure and platforming gameplay are great, with a smattering of hair-pulling moments not enough to irrevocably damage what is a lovely trip down memory lane.

It's not a must-have, but it's fun and engaging. It might feel a little bit outdated these days, but if you're looking for a dose of nostalgia, then it's a great choice.

An old school adventures that doesn't manage to adapt to modern times and make the same mistakes that this kind of games made 20 years ago.

A trip down memory lane that's more of a stumble. [Aug 2016, p.94]

It’s a gorgeous game in a simple yet enchanting package, but it’s just a shame that as you unwrap it and delve deeper into its core, you’re left with little but frustration and disdain.