At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This Review of Lunacy: Saint Rhodes, developed by Stormling Studios, Published by Iceberg Interactive is written by the very talented IM Dave Angel, played on Xbox Series S.
Can you sum up this game in one paragraph for me?
“Lunacy: Saint Rhodes” is a first-person survival horror game that had a troubled development, originally announced in 2018 and facing multiple delays until its release in July 2023. This rocky birth is evident in the final product, which, despite its potential, suffers from a lack of polish.
Lunacy wears its influences on its sleeve proudly, seeing influences from the Resident Evil and Amnesia series of games throughout. It’s just a shame that the games it chooses to imitate are doing the same things with better results.
What’s the story and atmosphere like?
The game follows Rhodes, a man exploring his family’s dark history in the eerie town of St. Rhodes. The narrative is intriguing, with layers of mystery revealed through cinematics, phone calls, and notes scattered throughout the environment. The story is one of the game’s stronger points, offering a unique twist on typical ghost horror themes.
How does the game feel to play?
While the game has moments of genuine tension and creative ideas, it is marred by several issues. The AI, sound design, and lighting are inconsistent, leading to a frustrating experience at times. The voice acting and dialogue also leave much to be desired, with some lines feeling wooden and out of place.
It is worth mentioning that interaction with objects is done in a similar way to the Amnesia series: You control the characters right hand and have to use it to interact with certain objects and containers. But the strange button mappings, and the fact that the hand mechanism is not used more freely within the game, is another point where the game is starting to feel old by modern standards. It’s also tough to tell which items can and can’t be interacted with, as something immovable in one area could be interactive in another, which made finding required hidden items a little hit and miss.
It’s the time in development hell that has caused this game to suffer from so many problems. If it had been released in 2018 this score would have been higher.
Sound and graphics stack up well?
The game’s environments are well-crafted, creating a suitably creepy atmosphere. However, the overall presentation is let down by technical shortcomings. The sound effects can be jarring and are just one of a myriad of little bitty problems that prevent this game from reaching its full potential.
Conclusion
Lunacy: Saint Rhodes is a game with a lot of potential that unfortunately doesn’t fully deliver. It’s a tough recommendation due to its various issues, but hardcore horror fans might still find some enjoyment in its story and atmosphere.
(Play in a darkened room for best results).
Overall
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60%
Summary
PROS
- A story that leads you on a story of exploration with a constant feeling of dread for the unknown.
- Interesting interactions between certain objects using the “hand” mechanism.
CONS
- The mechanic for opening and interacting with certain objects is not implemented enough to make it a standout feature. It is ominous by its absence in many cases.
- The graphics have set in the kettle boiling for 5 years and as a result they are already starting to look a little dated.
- The game has a myriad of small technical issues and bad voice acting which really drag you out of the atmosphere they are trying so hard to create.