Gaming is at its best when genres are pushed to their limits or find ways to define gaming experiences. This is where LUCID, by Matte Black Studios and Apogee Entertainment, finds its niche. Combining Metroidvania-style exploration with Celeste-style movement, LUCID plans to push both through a fusion dance. At PAX East 2024, we got to have an extended playtest of the current build of LUCID. If it continues on its current trajectory, it could be a highly memorable game.
What stood out right away is just how great the platforming feels. Platforming and movement are crucial to any experience, especially when they account for over half of what you’ll do. So far, LUCID has nailed it in every aspect, especially with its teaching methods. You can skip tutorials if you think you got this. Even then, it gives you the bare minimum of how to perform moves like a dash, jump, and slash.
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Partway through the demo, you’ll learn the slash. It’s a simple attack that opens up so much of the world because, like many other moves, it has many purposes beyond its initial introduction. You’ll soon learn by talking to NPCs that the slash resets your jump and dash. These tips weren’t given out blatantly, either. So you have the pieces for the puzzle, but it’s up to you to place them all together. When everything clicks into place, LUCID‘s platforming feels stellar. While they’re falling into place, it’s just a fun time jumping around experimenting with combinations of moves and finding out what exactly works.
Then there are the secrets and collectibles. Exploration is such a key aspect of Metroidvania, and it just feels so good here. Any wall that seems off could lead to a hidden room. Taking a left instead of a right can feel like the golden path but leads to a tricky puzzle to find extra upgrade materials. Exploration is fun in its way here that doesn’t feel laborious.
Then, there is the combat. While its little sampling was simple, the potential for its evolution was prevalent. Playing a pre-alpha build, the combat was still enjoyable. Particularly in later portions of the build, it felt exhilarating when combat combined with platforming to reach hard-to-reach enemies. Mistakes are clearly defined as you, the player, messing up first and foremost and missing an enemy attack. Well, it’s choreographed, or you didn’t stun them in time. Fight’s taking a long while? Go after the guys that keep rejuvenating everyone’s shields, you dummy. At this point in the game’s development, it’s clear that it doesn’t want to hold your hand, leading you through this vibrant world. But it also doesn’t want to keep you standing around thinking, scratching your head, for too long. And that balance is struck perfectly. Hopefully, it will stay that way as LUCID approaches its eventual release.
Even after only being able to play LUCID for a short time, I can’t stop thinking about it. Its current ability to mix Metroidvania exploration with fantastic platforming and combat makes a winning combination. Even in its current state, exploration feels more natural than most other Metroidvanias and is encouraged most of the time while trying to find your way around. It’s full of mystery, wondering if you can get through an obstacle with your current set or maybe wait a little longer to unlock something new. Putting it differently, LUCID was my game of the show of PAX East 2024, and it should be yours, too.
LUCID will soon be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
