Match-3 games come in various forms these days, arriving on the market more frequently than ever before; especially since the boom experienced by the genre courtesy of the Candy Crush phenomenon. Metropolis: Lux Obscura is that latest game attempting to innovate the matching fun by introducing a film noir atmosphere and a non-linear plot. Is it an addictive and enthralling puzzler, or is it as rotten as the city of Metropolis?
One thingβs for sure: this certainly isnβt a family friendly offering like the aforementioned Candy Crush!
Jon Lockhart has spent many years imprisoned for the murder of an old friend and now heβs walking out of prison as a free man. Returning to the crime-ridden, scumbag filled city of Metropolis β it makes Gotham look like paradise β his aim appears to be to try and figure out who framed him for the murder and to make them pay in the bloodiest way possible. Itβs time to flush out the rats and let the fists do the talking.
An overview of the city works as the main hub and from here you can decide which locations to traverse to, in order to progress. Sometimes there is more than one option to choose from and this can slightly alter the path you follow; whether thatβs a visit to a strip club, the docks or to meet with the local mob boss, Falcone. The map is very easy to navigate and itβs intriguing as to the alternate outcomes you can achieve with alternate decisions. Along the way youβll encounter the likes of naked women, small time crooks and jacked up door men, some of which will lead to a scuffle. Thatβs where the gameplay kicks in.
For every tussle, itβll resort to a match-3 playfield for you to beat the hell out of anyone foolish enough to try and fight. There are multiple tokens in play and the requirement is to match three or more by moving one per turn, either horizontally or vertically within the row and column itβs positioned; with the greater the size of the match reaping the bigger effects. After the stated amount of turns, the opponent will do damage to you and whoever runs out of health first, loses. Fist tokens do the bare minimum damage, but there are also brass knuckles, boots, poison and electric shocks to bring the pain. To enhance the damage done further, matching rage tokens will increase the damage multiplier. First aid kit tokens can grant extra health if matched, whilst police tokens cause self harm and are to be avoided.
That setup in itself, as a concept, doesnβt break any boundaries, however the addition of upgradeable mental disorders and bad habits is, strangely, a welcome one. Effectively these are psychotic traits which can increase your rage meter max level, help rid the battle board of police, up the damage caused by specific actions and garner extra health points, to name just a handful of the benefits. The choices on offer after each fight are random, but selecting the right ones each to suit your matching style can really help in successes as the battles can be tough.
Dying is absolutely possible, needing a reload to the last auto-save point. Albeit slightly luck based, overcoming the odds and taking down enemies far stronger than yourself is hugely addictive and really good fun. Unfortunately, by the time youβve improved Mr. Lockhartβs skills to an acceptable level, youβre at the end of the game. As a result, Iβve played through it a few times now, just to try different upgrades and unleash my fury on the scumbags in Metropolis. The developers left me wanting more matching goodness, additional baddies and more depth.
Story-wise, and thereβs a bare bones structure here that, if expanded upon, could tell a really interesting story of seedy characters and the redemption of Lockhart. Sadly, with the entire experience only lasting around an hour and a half, every conversation seems crammed in and lines of dialogue sometimes make little sense in relation to those that have come before it. The general backgrounds of the characters are skimmed over and the lack of time to develop a connection with anyone β even the protagonist β really hinders the playerβs investment in the narrative. And thatβs a real shame because any one of the four different endings couldβve been wonderfully dark climaxes with the right build up.
The visuals are decent though as the whole narrative is conveyed in a motion comic, with an art style similar in many ways to Sin City. Anything actually shown in colour really stands out amongst the darkness. In the sound department, the voiceovers lend themselves well to the visual representation of the characters and the general atmosphere created in tandem with the artwork suits the grim nature of the tale.
Metropolis: Lux Obscura kicks ass with its match-3 puzzling exploits and I never felt the boredom creep in once. Sure, itβs not as advanced as something like Ironcast, but itβs still addictive nonetheless. The whole game is oozing with style, thereβs no doubt about that. Disappointingly, it tries to mask the lack of substance to the story and characters with breasts, an abundance of swear words β some that really are not needed β and adult scenes. In total, you can be done with Metropolis in 90 minutes and left without a care about whatβs gone in.
I canβt be too critical of Metropolis: Lux Obscura as the price point is only just over a fiver, but Iβd rather pay more and get a better developed story, more of the enjoyable gameplay and an extended experience. Give it a go if you like match-3, not if youβre only interested in the story.
TXH Score
3.5/5
Pros:
- Addictive match-3 gameplay
- Multiple endings add replayability
- Stylish comic book presentation
Cons:
- Too short
- Story lacks depth and often lacks sense
- Poor character development
Info:
- Massive thanks to β Sometimes You
- Formats - Xbox One (Review), PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Release date β April 2018
- Price - Β£6.39