LifeisXbox’s Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles review | Stepping into Lumote I had no idea what to expect. It’s not something I would initially be drawn to when playing a game but what I see here is a huge undertaking and clearly a labor of love. Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles tells the story of Lumote. A lively, spongey green character who must seize control of the Mastermote by completing puzzles and using the creatures of the sea and environment to turn the bad areas of the sea blue. Created by Luminawesome Games Ltd and Published by Wired Productions, Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles is a relaxing, mind-bending at times game that will have you engrossed at almost every turn.
Most Memorable Moment
Seeing the level open up for the first time was truly something else. The entire game exists in one level which crawls downwards, opening up after you complete each section. It’s a vivid red everywhere until you start turning the map blue to show your progress. Looking up at your accomplishments and just how far you have come is a sight to behold!
ℹ️ Reviewed on Nintendo Switch | Review code provided by PR/publisher, this review is the personal opinion of the writer.
What we Liked!
- The Graphics | Straight off the bat you will be in love with the art direction in this game. Lumote is set in an underwater world where you must complete puzzles and seize control of the Mastermote. The game uses a two-tone red and blue emissive colour palette that really draws your attention. Lumote (you) is green and this really helps stick out when you are playing since there is a lot happening on-screen at once. Looking down you can see for what seems to be miles, and it’s all accessible without loading. In fact, the only time the game does load is when you die, or start the game for the first time. I’ve rarely been this impressed with a graphical direction in a game, but Lumote certainly wins this one. The colours actually play an important part in the overall mechanics as well. Blue allows you to control the creatures and other areas of the sea, whilst red repels those actions. This also coincides with how the puzzles work as well.
- The Audio | The audio in Lumote is subtle, but in a good way. Most of the audio simulates what you might hear underwater (which isn’t a lot). There are whale-like noises that hum gently in the background, the jumping sound effects of Lumote, and audio cues that play when you solve a puzzle and open the next area. The rest of the audio is music-based which again, doesn’t distract you from the game, but offers a nice relaxing soundtrack that accompanies it well and fits the theme.
- The Puzzles | The puzzles are what makes Lumote interesting and frustrating at the same time. Now some of you might be wondering why it isn’t in the somewhere in between section. That’s because I love a good challenge, and the game’s core mechanics are these puzzles. Without the puzzles, what you have is essentially an empty platformer. That, and the fact that everyone’s skill set on puzzles is different so it’s mostly subjective. Say what you want about the puzzles, but it does a really good job at easing you into the game’s puzzle system, slowly introducing you to different ways of solving each one. It’s a good pace, and until world 2, Lumote doesn’t really kick off the difficulty. There are many ways to solve puzzles too. You can use physics, control the sea creatures and also use platforming to your advantage. The puzzles will definitely leave you scratching your head a few times, but it’s satisfying when you do see that you’ve done it.
- Built-in Extras | One thing I am starting to see more and more in Nintendo Switch games is the built-in achievements. We all have our fondness for unlocking achievements on Xbox or Playstation, but Nintendo still has yet to implement their own. Lumote tackles this by offering built-in achievements which can be unlocked by finding special items within the worlds you explore. These are well hidden in most of the locations, and as such will require multiple playthroughs. It’s a good way of adding replayability to the game and also offering something for the player to strive towards.
Mixed Feelings
- Confusing UI | Lumote for all of its strengths does suffer somewhat from a confusing UI. Some of the text can get in the way of the gameplay, and there is a lack of certain options I would have expected to see in a game this size such as a world selection for people who want to go back and try again. Lining yourself up perfectly with certain aspects of the game is also a little frustrating at times. Certain puzzles or objects in the world wouldn’t work unless I was on them perfectly. This resulted in many moments of having to nudge the control stick in the right direction until the game deemed it okay to progress.
- Photo Mode | Unlike most photo modes, Lumote lacks a lot of the effects or versatility you might see in something like Super Mario Odyssey’s photo mode. That being said, it’s a neat addition for you to be able to mess around with and take pictures of your progress and share them online.
What we Disliked
- Can get repetitive easily | With a world this large it is no doubt surprising that you will come across puzzles that feel like you have done this before. Some people may not find this too disliking, but for me, the originality comes in many forms. There could be areas that solely focused on platforming to give you a break from the puzzle elements whilst still engaging you enough and sticking to its length. Sadly though this doesn’t happen and puzzles can get very drawn out resulting in a bit of a downer from the rest of the game.
How long to beat the story | Around 6 hours
How long to achieve 1000G | There are built-in achievements for Lumote which should take you 16 hours
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Gaming is in my blood. Be it handheld games, Xbox, PC, Switch or Playstation, I am all over it.
I make my own games as part of my profession and love playing co op games with friends in my spare time. Avid dog lover and camper van enthusiast.