TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE DEVELOPER:

(Q)uestion: Is Lust From Beyond: M Edition a completely new game?
(A)nswer: It is a new version of Lust from Beyond. It’s a game with the same story and gameplay, but with less focus on the explicit content.

Q: Why did you make this version of the game?
A: We’ve put a lot of heart into our game and we wanted to enable more gamers to play it. By default, Adult Only games are unavailable in some markets, like Germany and China. They are also hidden on Steam to everyone unless you manually enable Adult Only titles in your settings.
Besides, Lust from Beyond isn’t gratuitous. Its elements serve to tell the story and invoke certain feelings or thoughts in the players. At heart, it’s a Lovecraftian horror touching upon themes like curiosity, physicality or lust. It’s an immersive story-driven survival horror first, with explicit parts being a cherry on top. It can easily stand on its own without the most extreme elements, so we decided to make it more accessible for the players who look for a more subtle experience.
However, you’ll still find plenty of horror visuals in it!

Q: What is the difference between Lust From Beyond and the M Edition?
A: There are a couple of differences.
Nudity and explicit sexual content have been reduced. Example: private parts are tastefully covered by a piece of clothing (that’s still very much cultish and aligned with the themes of the game).
Some scenes have been rearranged to keep their meaning but reduce the explicit factor. Example: an orgy became a ritual cult meeting.
Some animations, scene framing and models have been changed to meet the Mature rating requirements instead of Adult Only.

Q: What does M stand for?
A: M means the M (Mature) rating, but there’s more to it! At first, we wanted to call it Masked Edition, since we tastefully covered some of the elements of the game. Also, Amanda’s mask is one of the most visually distinct elements of our world. But we went for M, because it’s such an appropriate letter. It stands for Mask, Mystery, Mature... It sounded just right.

Q: Which version of Lust from Beyond should I play?
A: They are the same game, just presented slightly differently. If you like horror for the mystery, narrative and atmosphere, but don’t care that much for extremely shocking images, then the M Edition is the right choice. It’s what you’d expect from a strong horror game. If you like your horror as hardcore as possible, then you can try the unrated version of the game.
We hope this shines more light on what’s to come. Lust from Beyond: M Edition is a dark horror that will take you beyond reality. See you in Lusst’ghaa!

M Edition

Let's start with the topic most people are interested in a year after the original version got released. This new edition excludes all genitalia and keeps the nudity to a bare minimum. This means that during orgy scenes all participants have their underwear on. There is one particular scene with defecation - this has completely been removed along with the corresponding achievement that requires us to watch the event play out for several minutes. The gore, violence all remain there essentially not changing the 18+ rating of the game. The world of Lusst'ghaa has the same design where phallic ornaments and symbols are present. For me this means the atmosphere remains the same - no key element has been removed and the game is enjoyable without the excessive content. I can't tell you why a new game had to be released instead of including two versions under one title - please head for the discussion thread if you're interested in talking about this.

Between 2 rivaling factions

We play as Victor, an antiquarian who sets out to visit a doctor due to some nightmares and visions he has. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem but Victor happens to hit his girlfriend after one such nightmare when waking up. Eventually, we find ourselves between two cults that oppose one another: the Cult of Ecstasy and the Scarlet Lodge. I reviewed Lust for Darkness almost 3 years ago which is the predecessor for this game. You don't have to play that to understand what's going on here but I recommend that you play both Prologue and Scarlet as they are completely free and they both present us the aforementioned groups.

The story of Victor, the Seeing One, is told in 15 chapters. This is pretty long as it means your first walkthrough can take up to 10 hours. Initially, we walk a lot and search for items to solve puzzles but later on we get to use a knife and a pistol and, where necessary, we have to do some sneaking to avoid enemies. I was surprised to see boss fights, too, and there are key areas where we can make a decision - this ultimately gives us two very different endings.

Sex + H.R. Giger

What makes Victor's journey interesting is his regular entry to a world known as Lusst'ghaa or Land of Ecstasy. This is what the two sects are interested in as they firmly believe mankind's salvation lies in this new extra-dimensional plane. It is a dark world filled with a unique art design very similar to what H.R. Giger did for the Alien movie. Phallic formations and levers are common and you never know when a tentacle will hit you if you are not careful when walking through a barely lit corridor.

Essentially, this world is all about sexual pleasure and this is the reason why sex scenes are present in the Lust for... franchise but, as already stated above, the M edition reveals barely anything. With the release of games such as Agony or Succubus I wonder how much this really is a novelty here in this sequel (meaning the original version that does not hide anything). That is why I didn't mind purchasing this toned down version as I found the story intriguing just the same.

It is recommended to interact with everybody and collect everything you can. Additional texts will become available explaining what exactly is happening in the world - there are a lot of names for the places, inhuman creatures and even the energy inhabiting this unique place. RPG elements are minimalistic and unnecessary but nowadays every game has to have a protagonist with upgradable abilities or stats.

A tad bit too long

There was a reason why we had to wait 2 years for the release of this sequel, still, I felt the story was simply dragging on for too long. They should have ended it around chapter 12-13 but additional episodes were created and while these include more action I felt Victor's adventure was taking too long. At least 2 walkthroughs are required to get all achievements and I'm happy to confirm that the many cutscenes can be skipped. And in case you find everything because you're a person that investigates every nook and cranny you'll be awarded with the 3D models of all characters in the main menu. Something I found great in the Doom series but these indie games could also use this as an extra feature.

Summarium

Lust from Beyond takes one step further after Darkness and presents us with a more interesting, more action-packed, more terrifying and longer story. If you liked both free games you'll be happy to welcome some familiar locations and if you don't mind missing the porn-like nudity feel free to purchase the sequel.

Censored version of the game. Honestly it loses the "beauty" a bit. I also played Lust for Darkness and I can confidently say that they are both excellent Horror games with Erotic content. 6/10 for the censored version. 8/10 for the original one.

Do yourself a favor, and watch a 'lets play' of the first 20 minutes of the game before buying it. Personally, this is NOT for me, but I'm giving it a good review because it certainly delivers what the title describes. It just delivers a bit more than my innocent brain can handle.

I give it a "NOT FOR ME" out of 10.

A great Valentine's Day game!

You go to a hotel, there's romance, then she lets you know her better and you end up in hell.

Just like my last Valentine's.

I own the original version of Lust From Beyond and loved it. I loved the erotic aspect of the game it was unlike any game I own. Having played the original I found the M Edition to be lacking. It just felt like something was missing. Some of the transitions into Lusst'ghaa felt like you just teleported there rather than tranistioning to the land of ecstasy through some sort of sexual pleasure. This version is great if you are unable to obtain the original version in your country/region and you still get to explore this world the devs created. If you are on the fence about the erotic nature of the game and don't want the nudity and sex right in your face i would recommend playing the original version with the censored mode on. That way you are not missing out on everything the game has to offer. You can choose to turn the censored mode on and off as you like.

Please follow United Critics for quality reviews


So, I already reviewed the original Lust from Beyond before. Here’s the link to that review! I highly recommend reading that review first before coming here. Do not worry, this review will be short as there isn’t a lot of difference between these two games.

So, why did they release the same game twice? Basically, in some countries, like Germany & China, Adult games are hidden by default. Movie Games Lunarium wanted everyone to get an opportunity to experience their games. Hence, they made a low gore & nudity version of the game just for the players residing in these countries. More information regarding the M Edition can be found here.


I am sure we don’t need this section. Everything you need to know about the game is in my review of the original game. Let me state what’s different here:

1. Nudity and explicit sexual content have been reduced. Example: private parts are now covered by a piece of clothing.
   
2. Some scenes have been rearranged to keep their meaning but reduce the explicit factor. Example: an orgy became a ritual cult meeting.
   
3. Some animations, scene framing and models have been changed to meet the Mature rating requirements instead of Adult Only.

Source: Lust from Beyond: M Edition FAQ

If you want the original & full experience and you’re not from those regions where they ban NSFW games, then you should grab the original game.

• An interesting plot line.
  
• More varied gameplay when compared to its prequel.
  
• The game has good graphics although most of the things you see are disgusting.
  
• The design & details of the environment are pretty phenomenal.

• Too many puzzles & they get pretty repetitive.
  
• Some character models are pretty low poly.
  
• Minor bugs like when the prompts from interactions do not work.
  
• This is the low violence & nudity edition. Don’t expect a lot of action which can be seen in the original version.

Yeah, nothing much to say apart from this edition existing for countries that have NSFW games banned. People who live outside these countries don’t really have a reason to buy this game unless they don’t like to embrace their horny-self Lol. So, do not buy this version if you’re from a country that doesn’t ban such games!

Rating: 8/10
Boobs are proof that men can pay attention to two things at once.

This game has range.
Horrors, just like actors, need range.
You can's just jump-scare me for 10th straight because it gets old fast.
No, you need to mix it up.
Remember how Silent Hill was really calm for a long time, hen it was about things jumping out of the fog, then it was heavy metal different reality, then you were observed and followed?
You need range and this game has it. It Uses all the tricks in the book. Shadowy stuff. Gore. Threats. Otherworld stuff. Jump scares too, rather sparesly.
I cann appreciate a good horror game. This is one.

I already have all other editions, and now i bought M edition as part for Ukraina support bundle on HumbleBundle, so i can compare.
This is not bad game, but, if i compare with full edition, it is like kissing through glass, or like cult of ecstasy without ecstasy. I fully understand authors to be able to provide game for wider audience, but if you are not purist, you definitely should buy uncensored version instead. And if you have purists in government, i definitively recoomend to first vote for less prudent ones and then buy full edition, or use VPN etc. if you dont want to wait :-).

Nice thing is saves seems compatible between full and M, so if you have both, you can direclty compare scenes (of course you need them copy between directories, search save.ts in your user profile).

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2749127162

Here's The Thing:
You are Victor Holloway; antiquarian, devoted boytoy and repressed wet dreamer. The contents filled with panting, a seductive voice and provoking imagery. What’s it all mean besides the dirty and obvious? The answers lie in Bleakmoor and that’s where his sexual escapades unfurl~


This is the sequel to 2018’s Lust for Darkness, but worry not! If you missed out, I found it is just as easy to follow without prior knowledge. Besides, there will also be discoverable collectibles that provide a refresher on past main events.


To be clear- M does stand for “mature” but could be misinterpreted as having even more naughty parts. And that would be misguided, for it’s more accurate to treat “M” as moderate, mild or for minors. All graphic scenes, nudity (dongs, funbags, what have you) from the 2021 adult original have been covered up or replaced with trimmed, tasteful softcore iterations~



The gameplay is… sensuous, particularly for a horror title. For it deals the trifecta; sex, death and violence even if toned down. Exploration, though for the most part optional is optimally-positioned with figurine collectibles that will please you should you grab them all. Forbidden knowledge of the universe, and your brethren under one roof are hidden in plain sight for you to get into the mood. This can be punishing, as seeing ghastliness will crumble your mental health evoking visual & auditory mirages!

Combat is- as the game spanked into you, an intimidating last resort but you’ll be happy to know it caters both to the penetrating kind and blowing holes type. If you do stick to the ♥♥♥♥-and-dagger approach; you may well find hidden stat upgrades, shortcuts and all that sort of stroking your ego fulfilment!

Relationship building via dialogue comes off latent, elective but they change whole fates! There are even a few side-piece romancing alternatives as a bonus for your continued reverence. 15 chapters amount to estimates of up to 12 hours for your first playthrough and 24+ for the completionist route. Two main endings and multiple post-game outcomes~

1) Quite a few unspoken “point of no returns”, so always be attentive!


The way it caresses and whittles you away to God knows where… Environments shift from bleeding a rapturous delight of pinkish purple and stellar secrets. To releasing the thick cunning, menacing and sleazy air that is Bleakmoor. And a series of dim, damp, Alien-exoskeleton tight corridors choke you to the brink of suffocation. Long before you eye the cosmic horror abominations! Or the burning of scarlet cloaks and other fluids into your vision.

Sound design is a breathy cacophony of “I shouldn’t be here, yet…” when you get caught with your pants down. Meandering around the spooky, silent town as a creep wanting to access people’s back doors. Every time I found myself inside Lusst’ghaa, I just couldn’t get enough of the acoustics. The cult chants surprisingly pacify, or have I just gone in too deep~


It’s basically Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Midsomnar (2019) and H.P. Lovecraft in an orgy-nized meeting! Part of an ongoing, well-established and unquestionably persuasive lore. A tad stale, but sexy and ambitious nevertheless. The seed was planted the moment you played the two prologues… Teasing eerily similar scenarios that breed substantial distrust, suspicion and disquiet.

Never was one faction NOT “shadier” than the other. I was fearful for my life, my members and the cultists. Speaking of, eccentricities of the characters ram up the intensity of “get out of there” to sixty-nine! And voice performances just took off, the best cast I’ve seen in ages whereas usually only one or two would shine~
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2749130557


I know I was quite naughty in the course of the review, but it’s time to bare it all! It throws caution to the wind, takes the taboo out of sex and shows a callous acceptance to it. Yes, it has the shallow snuff film facade (the OG even more so) but it sincerely gives itself and its message of love to you.

Ultimately, a dissection of love bonds, intimacy and affection… How the three don’t always go together. Sex disguises, helps it along and in that sense the most lethal of all. The scariest part? I would have joined this cult in a heartbeat as it unpacked matters of addiction, emotional disorders and suffering. Demonstrating the thin sheathe between pleasure and pain~



This was a problem with the OG and it still poses a threat now; the loading times. Turning off V-sync made a stark difference, sure. But with so much of the nasty, vulgar stuff cut out- what else is the excuse? It especially sickened during one chase sequence where a bad landing could end your life instantly. Then you have to wait 2-3 minutes each…

At least 1 hour must have accounted for all the loading periods. Brightness is another telling issue. Where instead of a flexible slider, there are preset values. What happens is dark areas with no light source become impossible to place and bright ones are sometime overly dazzling~


For the sake of research and out of idle curiosity, I compared the OG’s adult content with this premature edition side-by-side. And I have come… to two conclusions. First being good riddance, as it was way too pornographic, gross and disruptive. In that it was difficult to tell whether one should be turned on or off!

I get that’s the whole point; unrestrained animal sexuality but there should be a line. However, I thought this version stripped away one too many boobs to secure that M rating and tap the segment of “non-perverts”. Scenes that instead of being reimagined had been slapped on with a fade-to-black or white flash leaving a big, easily felt hole. Whereas I would have preferred cleverer camera positionings, a few more moans for good measure to stimulate that same arousal~


x Enemy AI constantly hiccups. Either getting caught in narrow walkways or on objects.
x QTE sequence always results in death
x In chapter 15, Victor fell into a fifth unintended dimension. Went under the map, spinning on his own axis.


~ Unavailability of “chapter select” / manual saves discourage multiple playthroughs.
~ Optional objectives always displayed except in chapter 14? It should say Save Mabel.
~ Choice to download the OG version as free DLC.


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2749134712

Last Words?
PG version to 2021’s raunchy cult censors also its massive appeal but only a fraction! The rest is just as enthralling, disgusting and delectable. May not put out- but it puts on a heck of a show~

If you liked the floppy, bosomy original that is Lust From Beyond, this may put you off losing all the gratuitous marketing ploys. HOWEVER, if for some reason you avoided that and want to opt for a more accessible edition. One just as infiltratory, with no major losses in the ability to perform. Making out the graphic nature to be more sensual than straight up “hot”.~