I played on the Itch release, made it all the way through the game, but, right before the climax, I got the bad end. It was... too much for me. I read the content warnings, I'd experienced the game leading up to that point, but I just wasn't ready.

Afterwards, I spent a lot of time trying to intellectualize that experience. I convinced myself that I could only have this sort of experience from a game failing. I kept coming back around to it in my mind, distorting what I'd actually gone through into the hyperreality of memory. Every once in a while, I'd see the game on my desktop, and I'd freeze up a little.

Fast forward a year, lots of hormones, lots of Dark Souls, and I found myself here again.

---

Without spoiling the mechanics too deeply, most people will face the same ending that I did on their first playthrough. Lucah is a hard game. Lucah is a game with builtin cheats for a reason. Even coming through on NG+ with my level maxed and having mastered the mechanics, I got another bad end.

Somehow, I kept going this time.

Once Lucah gets its hooks into you, the thorns and emotional rawness coalesce and bring you in even deeper. The imagery in Lucah is intense, violent, and extremely personal. Things get incredibly dark, but it never feels hyperbolic. There is a lot of misery in Lucah's world because there's just as much misery in our own.

It never gets easy. You can improve to a point, but, eventually, you just have to run yourself into the wall until it eventually breaks.

It will break, eventually.

It has to break.

We can only hope that it will break.

I hope it can break.

---

Almost definitely, yes.

For the incredible mechanics, the art, the unbelievable amount of certified Gender™ going on, almost everyone will find something to love... however...

Take the content warnings listed on the store page VERY seriously. Lucah is bloody, raw, and goes to incredibly dark places. Even if you feel comfortable enough going into the game, take care of yourself, and don't let yourself forget:

I believe in you. Everything will be okay in the end.

A beautiful, devastatingly heartbreaking story. A haunting wasteland to explore. Smooth, challenging, and epic bullet-hell boss battles. LUCAH is the sort of game that is so unique in style and tone that you can't really compare it to anything which came before; I doubt I'll play another game that makes me feel this way again for a long time...
What I'm trying to say is: just play LUCAH.
You won't regret it.

Lucah: Born of a Dream appears to be quite the bit of a "hidden gem" in the action RPG genre.

It's a game with an admittedly off-putting, but definitely unique aesthetic. While I personally think it adds to the charm of the game and story, it is at times inconsistent and at odds with other interface elements and typefaces presented. It led me to not be as fully immersed in the story as I would have liked to have been, given that the cryptic, abstracted narratives try their hardest to engross the player in its lore. And there's plenty of it.

The story and expanded narrative are really the focus of the game. The game is of course a top-down action RPG with the tropes you would expect like upgradable combat abilities and combos, swappable item pick-ups, and leveling; but I feel like it is really just a way to progress the story, more than the other way around. That's not to say that these things were not enjoyable; in fact, they are presented in a fairly unique way to provide not only a tie-in to the lore, but also an amazing level of character and gameplay customization.

Speaking of the combat; it is serviceable. I felt like there may be some issues with collisions in some areas where your attacks hit the sides of walls instead of the enemies. This issue is compounded by there not being enough visual clarity on attacks. You are sometimes left not really understanding why something missed or if it actually did hit the enemy in the end. This was somewhat uncommon, but it did put a damper on the great amount of customization you have over the combat by building your character and attacks in different ways.

The narrative is at this game’s core, which led me to scrutinize it deeper than I may have otherwise. I'll admit that I don't understand everything after the end and I kind of like that ambiguity and vagueness. I've only ran through once (getting what I believe to be a "bad" ending) and read the expanded "New Game +" story. I do have a few nitpicks with the writing itself. The Christian/religious themes seem to be a bit heavy handed and conferred with slanted perception. It’s also weird given that the game has no issue presenting other coded themes and concepts into the dialogue in much more subtle ways. The characters also seem to act in non-believable and non-convincing ways in several instances with a lot of them feeling one-note and samey as each other. The latter may or may not be an explainable phenomenon. It's a personal point of contention, that again, broke some of that immersion for me.

The exploration of this impressionistic and at many times, chaotic world feels great. It's a shame that the mapping system is not there to support this. The map feels disjointed with connecting pieces that don't actually connect and leads to much confusion, especially when exploring areas for the first time. It’s perhaps even intentional, but if that is the case, then I think there are much better ways to deliver this idea.

While my criticisms are many, I hope to emphasize that this is a great game, brought just a bit lower than what could be with a few tweaks here and there. These are nitpicks.

The game is really good and overall, a great experience!

Crim's Humble Opinion Curator

Just going to start out by saying that this is an excellent title and I can easily recommend it. I have yet to start my second playthrough which will develop the lore more; but I can say I am vastly curious about it. Take on the role of Lucah; fighting his inner demons seeking redemption from corruption. The story lasts a good 4-5 hours but can be replayed in new game + to find secrets, different paths and choices, and additional story and lore. It unlike most games doesn't cram the entirety of the story in one play; but sets up in a way where the player must play again if they want to develop it more.

A quick action hack and slash that relies on reflex and reaction. The combat takes a bit of getting used to but once you understand the mechanics to it; it is really fun. You have attacks called Mantras. You mix and match these attacks to form what's called a paradigm which is essentially your load out. These paradigms consist of a weak attack; a strong attack; and range or skill attack. The combat system is deep and can be adjusted to the players preference as well as adjust to the enemies you are fighting. As you fight there is also an ever growing corruption meter. This meter goes up as you die as well. The combat can be rather difficult, but to those wanting an easier experience it can all be tweaked to be less punishing.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1495487100
As deep and excellent as the combat system was I honestly didn't know what to expect with the story. It's not often an indie gem pulls the amazing skill to be able to create a memorable world, story, and characters coupled with great mechanics. Lucah: Born of a Dream certainly does this. Feeling much like a dream the jarring colors and disharmonious sound design really sets up the ideal of a corrupt and discordant world. Fragmented memories plague you as you progress through the story and the games story in no way holds punches.

At first I found this to be okay. The combat was fun and the story was interesting; but than I got sucked into it for an amazing session. Next thing I know I had lost 4 hours of my time but it was well worth it. One day I'll step back into this dream to build upon it. If you enjoy deep story with detailed combat mechanics and a gameplay experience that's generally not like the normal experience pick this one up.

It's very tough to write enough in this one box to sum up why this game is incredible...

Lucah: Born of a Dream is one of the best games I've played in terms of its incredibly intricate and creative representation of the dark side of human emotions and trauma. Pack this in with awesome, ambient soundtrack, unique art style, satisfying combat - this game is an absolute masterpiece. Colin Horgan is a legend.

This is about all I can write, as I'm not a creative writer myself. Just buy this game. Full price. Play it. It's a once in a lifetime experience.

Lucah: Born of a Dream was a fascinating game that probably has flown under the radar for many. This is an action RPG with some Soulsborne aspects to it, and its own unique twists to gameplay and design to boot. Straight away, I will simply say to buy this if you really enjoy the Indie scene and want to support legitimate developers. Anyway, let's get to the meat of the review.


The story in Lucah is one of religious guilt and more besides. It's actually very easy to spoil the story here, but I will say that this was an interesting take on the apocalypse of the mind, so to speak. I found the somber nature and yet seamless storytelling to be quite interesting and well done.


The gameplay in Lucah is interesting, in no small part due to how it has direct interaction with the art style. Because of the neon sketched and always moving nature of the art style, your combat style also has to reach a sort of fluidity in order to really capitalize on the spirit of the game.

The actual combat is very much in line with what you would expect from a Soulsborne game. Patience is rewarded as is figuring out how to best time your roll dodge. You have some decent attacks, and these are boosted by various abilities and familiars that can be found and unlocked throughout. You can have two combinations active at any given time, which will always be a variation of short, medium, and long range attacks, and power attacks are also an option. Finding combinations of familiars and abilities that best suit your style and the ability to account for your enemy's weaknesses are paramount.

However, you also gain experience as you adventure, and this can be applied to ability buffs and occasional unlocked abilities as well. Further, you will unlock in game cheats as you progress and spend your "souls" (much like in all legit Soulsborne games), which you can use to make your life much easier if you so choose. In fact, since there are multiple endings, it might be advantageous to use them after your first playthrough, although I personally enjoy the base game experience first time out. Speaking of your tombstone/cross, that is where you will find yourself if you are killed. Whichever was the most recent one you used.

The save system is pretty generous in my estimation.

There is a madness mechanic, which increases as you find yourself new areas, when you lose a fight, and so on. This will 100% impact the story, so keep an eye on it.

The map is reasonably vast with several different game areas, all connected via tombstones (or crosses rather, and these are your defacto bonfires) and a fairly ominous looking subway/train system.

I will note that the gameplay took a minute for me to really become invested in. It's a bit daunting at first IMO, but once you really start to understand the interplay between the gameplay and the art style, you will find yourself moving along nicely.


The approach taken with the art work and corresponding level design was fascinating. It's like neon scribble sketch art, constantly moving with a sense that chaos lies within. The artwork is also very somber and even sardonic at times, but always with a dark and oppressive mood. The ebb and flo in the chaos definitely has an impact on gameplay, which presents a fairly unique gameplay mechanic on its own, whether intentional or not. I can't think of another game that looks or feels because of said look, similar. The closest might be a game like Hyper Light Drifter or Songbringer, but those comparisons don't really do this game justice at all, honestly. Stunning work really, and quite unique.


The audio tracks likewise interweave seamlessly into the experience that Lucah provides, creating atmosphere and sustaining what is already an evocative experience. Everything here is done to perfection.


Lucah: Born of a Dream was a thoroughly engaging experience. It might take an hour to really get into it, but once you do, there's no turning back. this game deserves some attention and I hope it receives it.

Dear colin,

Thanks for showing me this world of yours. It's not perfect, sketched onto the screen as it is, but you can really feel the love you put into it.

I had a lot of fun overcoming all the challenges you laid out; from being lost and weak in the forest to conquering the highest towers with tools I had not dared to dream about. Sometimes breezing through obstacles while needing to bash my head against others for quite a while. Once I understood the rhythm laid out before me the combat dances became simultaneously thrilling and exhausting - just like they're supposed to be.

What surprised me was the poetry you weaved in between the fighting. As abstract as it could be at times there's a lot here that really struck a chord with me and that I'll carry with me.

I really hope you're doing well.
Love,

Earthbound

It's like Nier and a Bloodbourne-leaning Soulslike got together and decided to make a surrealist game that deals with religion as both a source of salvation but also a source of self-loathing and inner conflict.

It's like 4-5 hours long on the first run through, but has a pretty engaging post-game in the form of a New Game+ that turns everything in to a perfectionist/speed runner mode where you race against time but can always go back to previous levels to clear them faster/cleaner.

Despite its brevity, it has a surprising amount of depth to its combat system. Mixing and matching various attack styles and ranged firing modes that can counter different enemies' attack patterns is key, and it's fun to figure out what loadouts work best against which monster arenas.

It's also a game where you can hug your pets.

It's pretty rad.

"I felt like I was watching a dream I'd never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was all over."

-Spike Spiegal

Sifting through the uncertainty of his own subconscious Lucah, The Marked One is chosen to go face-to-face with the darkest depths of his own mind. Horrific machinations from his very dreams materialize in this distorted world of twisting corridors and secret pathways, and with the help of some colorful Familiar buddies Lucah must slice and dice his way through this nightmare realm.


While the presentation here carries an obscure and experimental touch to it the gameplay is anything but unconventional with the most proven top-down hack'n'slash action formula, feeling like some sort of hidden 90's import gem cranked up to turbo speed. Lucah: Born of a Dream features some of the rawest arcade-action combat since the Sega Saturn days of Treasure titles, and retro enthusiasts will feel right at home with the fluid combos and reflex testing rolls or parries.

Along with the flurry of weak slash combos and strong attack finishers comes the varying strengths and skills of your Familiars, who you meet and acquire along the way. These colorful beacons of hope will join you throughout the trip and bear different properties; different shot ranges, different power and rate of fires, and different elements.

A third attack button will trigger these powerful extra ranged attacks and can even be worked into your combos, taking a totally separate energy source than your own stamina. Different Familiars obviously take advantage of each enemy or boss's weaknesses better than others, so deciding which ones to use adds another level of tactics to the action packed mix.

For a game with combat as frenetic and brutal as Lucah: Born of a Dream the story here can be a powerhouse of emotional and dramatic psychological, dealing with sifting through the most painful memories to get a hold of one's self-consciousness again. Segments of Lucah's memory come back in the form of jarring flashbacks or cut-scenes and carry the pacing of this gratifyingly length-y action-RPG very well. When it's all done you can even carry over your upgraded stats and earned skills for a new game+, you might even learn a thing or two about yourself with all of that soul-searching.


The hazy and distorted prismatic sketchbook visual style give the entire game an unhinged and otherworldly look, it really does all feel like part of a dream. Or maybe more like a nightmare. Electric neon lights flicker, flash and dance with hypnotic power around the abstract and scratch-y forms of strange apparitions and level designs are loosely held together with immaterial constructs of constantly skittering animations sort of like some kind of old underground Japanese comic or early 90's MTV animated ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

The sound design is just as otherwordly and mesmerizing as the appearance of the game, with ominous soundscapes that pulse and whirl dissonantly along with the fragmented visuals. Each area has its own theme and it's really interesting how every song starts off with a simple beat as more layers of rhythm and melody are slowly layered onto the disharmonic noise with each significant development, all before exploding into a full track by the climax of its boss battle.


Lucah: Born of a Dream delivers a story that hits hard and action that strikes fast, with a wealth of progressive RPG features that keep you growing in speed and skill throughout the journey. The content value here is incredibly high with a 15+ hour epic story set to some phenomenal atmospherics by way of eerie, provocative sound design.

This review made possible through the consideration and contribution of IndiePromo and the developer/publisher.

Email contact@dnbmedia.co for requests & game promotions

The following contains spoilers for Lucah: Born of a Dream

Last summer The Last of Us: Part II (Naughty Dog, 2020) released to near-universal acclaim. The sequel to 2013’s morose ponderance on the fragile relationships of Bad Dads, Part II shifts the focus to Elle to reckon with the cycles of violence she‘s become trapped in as she seeks revenge for her surrogate Bad Dad’s murder. In the background of this release were alarming reports of the studio’s habitual labor abuse[www.eurogamer.net], which one ex-animator described as requiring "weeks of recovery afterwards." Running parallel to these reports was Naughty Dog’s ongoing denial of sexual harassment allegations[www.gamespot.com]. As Part II racked up awards for its supposedly “stunning, nuanced exploration of the strength and fragility of the human spirit” the victims of the studio’s cycles of violence have received no justice.

Video games are built on violence. Violence towards their creators at the hands of industry overlords. Violence towards their fans through the cultivation of toxic communities. Violence to the planet by the manufacturing of useless hardware and the ballooning footprint of server farms. Violence as the primary verb through which we understand our interactions in these digital worlds. The argument of whether games should be violent is over, violence has won.

For as entwined with violence as games have always been they are remarkably bad at understanding or discussing it. The Last of Us compartmentalizes violence as the actions of individuals, some human pathogen that will inevitably erupt should we lose the organization of the state. Bioshock: Infinite (Irrational Games, 2013) crudely equates black liberationists with their white abusers as if the only justifiable violence is that done by The Player. Bioshock (Irrational Games, 2007), infamously, tries to criticize our unquestioning involvement in digital violence but forgets it‘s a shooter with the philosophical sophistication of a high schooler. Hotline: Miami (Dennaton Games, 2013) is Fight Club (Fincher, 1999). Spec-Ops: The Line (Yager, 2012) is Heart of Darkness (Conrad, 1899). We can find better examples digging through small projects but looking at games that have been culturally impactful the best we can get are literary adaptations crammed into marketable genres (even Spec-Ops had online multiplayer).

Not every game needs to be a treatise on video game violence (the thought is nauseating). But what is revealing is how any admittance and interrogation of violence within a game’s text – no matter how shallow – is accepted uncritically as a profound commentary on the medium. Video games are so desperate for recognition as SERIOUS ART and are keenly aware of their juvenile tendencies. The most anyone is prepared to do, though, is wink at the camera and remind you that “actually, you like the violence” as they crunch their teams again.

///

Lucah: Born of a Dream (melessthanthree, 2018) opens with the imperative that “you must fight…it’s all you know.” The world comes into focus, all scratches and harsh colors. Almost immediately you are beset upon by monsters. Towering red sprites clipping in and out of existence, cutting off exits, demanding a confrontation. So you fight, dodging, slashing, summoning familiars, calling up unknown magiks to aid you. Every system is precision forged, building out further and further as you gain new attacks, new skills, a deeper appreciation for how each move compliments its neighbor. As you rest beneath a cross a level-up screen tempts you with a handful of possibilities, funds disappearing into one path as the others close. As if to remind you, despite all your might you are not in control.

Halfway into your journey through this hell, this purgatory, this void – whatever you call it the feeling’s the same – you come across an arcade. LCD screens cut small windows of light in the dim interior but it’s only the final game in the far corner that is playable. I Am Not A Machine. Ironic.

Inside the game is yourself, a little crushed, the darkness that much more invasive. Your skills are the same but the visibility is gone. You lash out recklessly at the endless waves of enemies, accomplishing nothing, always falling. You wake up on the ground of the arcade, groggy but unharmed. It’s just a game after all.

In this one scene, the often inscrutable Lucah comes into sharp focus. From the beginning, this world has been a collage of Catholic iconography, lingering trauma, and the inescapable presence of violence. It is a world built on pain, capable of inflicting only more pain, and which tries to craft that pain into something compelling. In this arcade, we are thrown out. We are reminded of our humanity and the necessity to move forward. This arcade can only amplify and regurgitate our pain. It does nothing to heal it.

Lucah is not a game to linger in. Its citizens are desperate to escape to the point of death and you’ve come carrying a blade. To get caught up at this arcade, to revel in this violence sans all-purpose, is to lose yourself to the architects of this damnation. The church commands blood, calls acolytes to self-flagellate as they wait for the messiah to strike them down. Only violence exists here because violence is the only goal. It can achieve no end.

Lucah is not unusual in having its primary mode of interaction be violence. Nor is it unusual for creating a world that is both horrific and compelling. But where it transcends its contemporaries is recognizing the source and limits of that violence, contextualizing it not as blunt mechanic but a terrible shackle to the player’s freedom. We speak to this world in violence but always with the hope a new sound will emerge.

Lucah arises out of trauma. In scattered scenes we see the pain inflicted by the church; by bigotry and authority. We watch characters transform from defiantly loving to agents of violent retribution. At some point, this past collides with the present, or perhaps it was always this dark. What is clear is that this violence did not come from nowhere. It was built and is now turning against its makers.

Due to Steam character limits the full essay cannot be posted here. You can read the full essay on Kritiqal[www.kritiqal.com].