In this modern era of video games, there’s a real push for games to be cinematic experiences. Massive set pieces and emotional stories are surefire ways to keep the attention of the masses, melding cinema and game to create magic moments. For the most part though these big budget blockbusters are aimed at older audiences, while younger gamers are given platformers full of colour but not necessarily spectacle. It’s odd really, because you’d think that less experienced players would benefit more from games with bombastic moments and less need for tricky inputs. Lifted is here to bridge this gap, with a video game that feels like an Indiana Jones rollercoaster you’d ride with your kids as they screamed and laughed accordingly.
In Lifted you play as Ari, a slacker student who is flunking out of school. For extra credit he’s assigned to meet up with Professor Raventhorpe, for what he assumes is some everyday school work. The Professor has other plans though, and instead gets you to join him in his magic lift and travel through time. It’s essentially a story like that of Back to the Future, but with a slightly less willing teen time traveller. It ensures lots of fun historical platforming levels though, and really that’s all that matters.
Lifted is at its core a 2D platformer, but with some visual tricks to make it seem more exciting. The world is actually 3D, but you can only run in two dimensions through it on set (but not necessarily flat) paths. It’s a clever way to make a 2D game feel more alive, especially as tombs explode around you and tribes chase you through jungles.
The actual platforming of Lifted is very simple, but effective enough. Ari can jump and double jump as is tradition, but in no time at all he also gets a grappling hook. As you’d expect this is incredibly useful for swinging over pits of spikes and dangerous coral reefs (which are basically seaside spikes) and climbing into castles and other ancient structures.
To lean further into the cinematic direction, Ari can also climb up certain surfaces for that Uncharted flair. There’s a cool timing system for this that allows you to scuttle up walls faster if you’re quick enough with your inputs too, which makes this all the more satisfying. Before you know it you’ll put all your skills together to wall climb and swing around like a budget Spider-Man, and be ready for anything the past throws at you.
Lifted is more than just getting around though, it’s also got some puzzle elements. Sometimes you’ll need to push boxes onto switches in the right order, other times you’ll need to move planks blocking the way forward. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but it helps manage the pacing and gives you something to think about.
Lifted wouldn’t be much of a cinematic platformer without some cinematic set pieces, and thankfully there’s plenty of them. The game even starts with you racing along in a sled while dodging trees and enemies, and from there you’ll end up riding mine carts and sliding down muddy cliffs all to find ancient treasure.
If treasure is what you care about then you’re in luck, because as well as story based treasure there are also optional collectibles littering the past. Collecting all of these in a chapter will unlock new outfits to show off, and they’re also just fun to search for in hidden nooks.
Lifted is a fun and bombastic platformer that’ll appeal to younger gamers especially, but for more seasoned jumpers it might be a bit simple. Sure it’s fun to swing and jump across the stages, but you’ll become pretty familiar with the loop of basic platforming, box puzzle, set piece rather quickly. The story is also nothing to write home about, with familiar tropes that those who’ve watched too many films or cartoons will have seen before countless times.
I love the concept of Lifted, and think there’s an audience that’ll love its fast paced platforming and flashy moments. For me though the actual gameplay isn’t quite gripping or even challenging enough, because frankly I’ve spent too long playing video games these past few decades. If you’re looking for a sprinkle of movie magic in your colourful platformer though, then Ari and the Professor are waiting to take you back to the past.