Following numerous adventures in the city and uninhabited regions of planet Albaryne in sci-fi cinematic platformer LUNARK, the protagonist, Leo, finds himself caught up in a situation far beyond his control. This results in a quick and unceremonious trip to the place used to deal with anyone deemed undesirable by LUNARK's totalitarian rulers: the flying penitentiary. Hovering high up in the sky, bathed in amber light and surrounded by purple clouds, this high-security prison provides great views but not-so-great accommodations.
Relieved of his weapon but not his wits, Leo ends up incarcerated alongside another prisoner of interest, and it doesn't take long for the two of them to formulate a plan to escape. After getting creative with the, ahem, facilities, the duo is able to lure a guard into their cell, then knock him senseless and make a break for freedom. After that, however, comes the tricky part: stealthily navigating the penitentiary's labyrinthine corridors and multiple levels of security. While your ally sneaks through the ventilation system en route to the prison control room, it's up to you to overcome the guards and get the color-coded keys that will enable you both to move forward.
It won't be an easy journey. The penitentiary is a circuitous maze of desolate metal hallways, wide chasms, and deep elevator shafts, all given life only by the pulsing glow of lights and electronic defense systems. Aside from the guards, the area is also protected by laser traps that, if they detect any movement, summon Aerostalker droids that pursue any escapees and explode once within range. On the plus side, the guards are careless and not very bright; as long as you stay out of sight and sneak up on them from behind, you can subdue them with your bare hands, and with a little luck, they'll even drop the keys that let you advance from one sector of the facility to the next.
After clobbering a few guards, dodging some lasers, repositioning a few elevators, and, of course, unlocking all the doors, you'll reach your cohort in the control room, but things only get more challenging after that! Following a certain event, the prison goes on high alert, and LUNARK's toughest, most advanced droids are brought forth in response, requiring some skillful evasion to survive unscathed. And if you make it past that, you'll have to carefully maneuver around the exterior of the penitentiary, where there's practically nothing between you and a multi-thousand-foot fall to the planet's surface below. We hope you aren't afraid of heights!
If all goes according to plan, Leo just might make it out of the penitentiary alive, but with the whole of LUNARK - and its ruling AI, NOAH - out to stop him, where can he go? We hope you've enjoyed checking out this unique level of LUNARK! You can also take a sneak peek at the city and underground stages of the game, and you'll be able to experience them for yourself when LUNARK hits Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC via Steam on March 30, 2023.
Chris Hoffman - WayForward