The combination of puzzles and platforming in video games so often leads to an entertaining experience. This genre mashup is the peanut butter and chocolate of our great hobby, with both sides complimenting each other perfectly to create many a banger. Because I’m a dusty old relic of the past, the first game that comes to mind when thinking about puzzle platformers for me is always Braid, but nowadays you can find a handful of thoughtful jumpy games releasing every week from various indie developers. Lumo 2 manages to stand out from the crowd though due to one simple reason: an isometric perspective that gives it a whole extra dimension.
In Lumo 2 you play as a stereotypical little wizard fella, who begins the game in a room that features a dead humanoid fried egg on the floor. From here you wander over to some portals, which lead to different puzzle filled rooms that are full of different collectibles. I’ll admit I didn’t really understand my motivation in this situation, but I’m always happy to jump around a bit so figured I’d get started.
Every individual room of Lumo 2 presents a unique challenge to you, whether it’s platforms that crumble when you stand on them or a tile puzzle that needs solving to open a door. Individually these puzzles aren’t necessarily ground-breaking, but the variety is pretty damn impressive. One minute you’ll be guiding a little hoover to a switch so you can open up a new route, the next you’ll be floating through laser grids.
These little self contained mini challenges are entertaining, but what really made my gamer brain perk up were all the collectibles. Each portal world you enter has a different little doodad to pick up, and the game lets you know when you’ve collected all of them in a single room. As well as this, there are also cassettes to collect which make you rush to gather little icons within a time limit, and hidden rubber ducks. Lovers of shiny shit will be very happy playing Lumo 2, that’s for sure.
All I really need from a game are platforming and collectibles, but Lumo 2 is much more than that. Alongside all the puzzles and doodads there are a selection of retro minigames spread through the adventure, and coupled with the old school theme and feel of the game they’re a fun throwback. With side-scrolling shooting and a 3D Space Harrier style section, it’s a blast from the past that gaming boomers will likely get a kick out of.
Alongside all this fun variety you’ll find throughout Lumo 2, there’s also a bit of extra depth. This comes from the power ups you’ll find in each world, that help you access new areas and even more collectibles. It’s almost a light sprinkle of Metroidvania fun the game provides, with everything from a double jump to a staff that reveals hidden platforms that’ll open up entirely new rooms to investigate.
What Lumo 2 has to offer should make me a very happy gamer, but it has one crucial issue that affects absolutely everything. The platforming just doesn’t feel good, making every bit of precision jumping rather a chore. This is in part due to the slightly awkward isometric camera angle, and in part due to your little wizard character just being slow and clunky to move around. I don’t think there’s a single other issue that could more negatively affect a platformer, and it’s a real shame.
Alongside this particularly crucial issue, there are also a few too many parts of the game that aren’t particularly fun to play. The retro minigames for example, while nice in theory, just haven’t been fleshed out enough to be enjoyable. Instead you just have to push your way through a vaguely functional shmup section, and when there are some many wonderful retro style games you could play instead it’s hard to get excited for a sad imitation.
Lumo 2 has plenty of great ideas and fun puzzle elements, but its platforming really lets it down. Fans of gathering hordes of collectibles will get a kick out of exploring its varied rooms and picking up shiny goodies, it’s just a shame controlling your wizard character never feels great. This coupled with some dodgy sections makes it tough to recommend, but the retro vibes might carry some to a good time.
