Creating a challenging platform game has to come with balance and unique elements in order to keep players interested in playing your title. As the platformer genre continues to become more creative and growing, a game comes to light when talking about new platform games. Light Fall by Bishop Games is the game that I am talking about.
Adding the aspect of creating a small platform of your own, which has a limit of how many consecutively that correlates with a few other abilities you have, all while being one of the fastest paced platformers I have played. Light Fall definitely put up a challenge that is hard to face.
Story
Starting off in the forgotten world of Numbra with no memory of your past or who you are, you set off to uncover your mysterious past and save the land from an imminent threat. With only your skills and the Shadow Core to rely on, you must survive that challenges as you traverse through the land of eternal night.
Gameplay
There is a focus on speed. Even when you aren't holding shift to run faster, you are running pretty quickly. This is helpful when you are crossing big gaps, but can also be what kills you when you have small areas that you need to go back and forth in. You also get the skill to hang onto a wall for a short period of time and jump off of it. It helps for climbing and provides a slightly higher jump than your regular one.
The Shadow Core is definitely the most interesting aspect of the game. You have to unlock each of the abilities it has through the first Act of the game, but eventually you will get four total functions for the Shadow Core.
The main function unlocked is the down arrow key which puts a box below you. This is a platform that won't go away and you can put it under you at any time. This is going to be your most used tool and it is pretty obvious why; you can stop yourself from falling to your death. It was helpful that the box doesn't just get placed stationary in the air. If you are jumping forward, you can throw the box below you and it will move with you until you slow down - just don't over shoot it!
There will also be the option to press the right arrow key and put the box in front of you. Whichever way you are facing, the Shadow Core is put in front of you so that you can use the side wall as a wall to jump off of. This one does spawn stationary, so your timing of its use will need to be on point.
Now for your attack function. When pressing the left arrow key, you will be able to throw the Shadow Core forward and use it as an attack against the few enemies or to break a frozen asset to the level. It is mainly used on ice walls that block your path, but will have use in many other sections of the game as well.
The last function the Shadow Core provides is with the up arrow key. By pressing that, the Shadow Core can be guided to highlight unseen walls and floors, as well as turn gears that bare its symbol. This is the ability I use the least, but it has been handy in a few moments.
Graphics and Sounds
Using simplistic graphics with a mix of different dark shades to make up most of the game, the graphics are nothing too appealing. There are some interesting aspects in the night sky behind you, such as shooting stars, but otherwise it is mainly all outlines with a few brightened sections to accent focus sections.
The music is calm throughout the game and has a few pick ups when the game gets to its more challenging sections. The sound effects were basically footsteps and the magical sound the Shadow Core makes when you spawn it. It is obvious they took the simple route for this games music and sounds, but given the simplicity of the graphics, it matches rather well.
Replayability
There are a ton of hidden sections of the game and they are pretty well hidden. If you are interested in perfecting this game, then there is plenty of reason to go back through because chances are you won't find them all on your first playthrough.
What Could Be Better
The game only contains the Story mode to play through and it has a interesting set up as a platformer. There should be some side missions, an endless mode, or another way to play through the game, facing the challenges it has to offer with no way of knowing what is coming up next.
Final Verdict
Light Fall is incredibly challenging and a ton of fun to play! The focus of the game was obviously in the gameplay and with the mix of speed, small platforms, and long distanced sections, this is hands down one of the harder platformers I have played. It made me want to always go as fast as possible then places plenty of sections where you need to slow down in order to complete.
