Lorn’s Lure (opens in new tab), an upcoming indie from solo developer Rubeki, immediately hooked me with its free demo on Steam. This primary individual plstformer has you taking part in an android exploring the huge, industrial ruins of a misplaced civilization, pursuing some method of biblically correct angel-come-glitch in actuality via the impossibly historical rusted hulk.
Taking part in Lorn’s Lure jogged my memory of final yr’s incredible Scorn (opens in new tab) in a bizarre means—it is a vastly totally different gameplay expertise and issues are definitely extra low-fi and fewer icky than with Scorn, however these unnerving apocalyptic vistas are nonetheless acquainted—the Lorn’s Lure demo stage made me really feel like I used to be crawling via the innards of some colossal beast in the identical means Scorn did. It is nice stuff, bolstered by an eerie ambient soundtrack.
The central pillar of Lorn’s Lure’s first individual platforming is a pair of climbing axes, they usually allow a stamina-limited climbing system harking back to Breath of the Wild or Shadow of the Colossus. Lorn’s Lure presents this huge, vertical stage with out a clear path ahead, and it is as much as you to select your means throughout climbable and non-climbable surfaces, discovering your individual strategy to the exit.
That sense of puzzle fixing and pathfinding is essential to Lorn’s Lure’s core loop, however I actually admire that Rubeki included opt-in waypoint hints. Should you’re ever misplaced, you possibly can activate a compass level main you in the precise course for a quick period. It is intentionally restricted although, simply nudging you from one set piece to the subsequent, however that is a part of the attraction to me: it is an ideal midpoint between an always-on Skyrim GPS consistently holding your hand and a few extra unfriendly retro experiences just like the older Jedi Knight video games, the place it might really feel like I used to be by no means not misplaced.
This free demo additionally accommodates a hidden stage unlocked by discovering all the hidden collectibles within the base map, and the total sport guarantees to be a wealthy, engrossing, and atmospheric platforming expertise. Lorn’s Lure presently has no set launch date, however you possibly can take a look at the demo your self and wishlist it on Steam (opens in new tab), whereas creator Rubeki is lively on Twitter (opens in new tab) and Patreon (opens in new tab).