‘Another hundred days before the resurrection ceremony!’
Played during the Backloggd’s Game of the Week (Mar. 14 – Mar. 20, 2023).
In the early 1990s, the majority of Korean video game production ignored the platformer genre. Titles such as Sin'geom-ui Jeonseol (1987) or Pungnyu Hyeopgaek (1989) were representative of an RPG genre inspired by the Ultima series. Some titles followed the Japanese shoot'em up tradition, while others were elimination games where the player had to kill all the enemies on a screen. Lychnis holds a special significance, as it is generally accepted that it was the first Korean title to use smooth scrolling. This new technology allowed the game to explore the platformer format more thoroughly and offer a full adventure. Perhaps due to its ambitious marketing, which relied heavily on this feature, the title is remembered by Korean gamers as one of the pioneers of the second generation of Korean video games. Softmax is better known for its The War of Genesis series (1995-2000), but there are elements of Lychnis in it. Similarly, producer and programmer Kim Hak-kyun later founded Gravity, whose games also borrow ideas from Lychnis, as can be seen in Lars the Wanderer (1995).
Lychnis' difficulty is a wolf in sheep's clothing
The player assumes the role of Lychnis or Iris, young adults who decide to embark on an adventure to defeat Sakiski, whose desire is to use the weapons of Hartinium to resurrect an ancient dragon and conquer the continent of Laurasia. The story is presented in a short cutscene, with an electric and solemn music accompanied by long dramatic arpeggios, before focusing on the two heroes and shifting to an optimistic and light melody, as well as shimmering colours, heralding the spirit of K-fantasy that would flourish on the Internet in the late 1990s. The relatively short adventure takes place in five different worlds, leading up to a showdown with Sakiski: at the start, the player can choose their character, each with a different moveset. While Lychnis attacks in close combat and can perform wall jumps, Iris fights from a distance with her magic and can double-jump; for this reason, she is generally the easiest character to control, making some of the platforming sequences less challenging.
Lychnis opens with levels reminiscent of Super Mario World (1990), but with more faded colours. As the first world is set in a forest, the early enemies are rather cute, if not particularly detailed, and give the adventure a childlike quality. The difficulty is fairly low, which seems to make Lychnis a relaxing title. Soon enough, the player will notice fundamental differences with the controls of the Mario games. For example, Lychnis does not allow the player to adjust the trajectory of a jump once the character is in the air: this design choice does not seem dramatic, as the first two stages offer plenty of space to avoid enemies. However, the game's philosophy shifts radically in Stage 1-3, where it is obvious that the developers wanted to display the technological achievement of their scrolling. This level is excessively long due to the exceptionally slow auto-scrolling: it also insists on platforming sequences that are moderately difficult – although the lack of visibility doesn't help – but prove less straightforward than expected due to the inertia of the jumps. It is particularly easy to fall into the void after a few minutes, forcing the player to start from the beginning of the level, as there are no checkpoints.
A title that does not communicate its gameplay intentions
The protracted nature of Stage 1-3 makes it a particularly unexpected difficulty surge, in contrast to the tranquillity of the early levels. Lychnis is actually quite a challenging game. Later levels show little reluctance in multiplying enemies to overwhelm the player, and the platforming becomes increasingly unforgiving. In Stage 2-2, the player has to cross the level on moving platforms, similar to the lifts of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988). The very poor visibility and the inability to control the jump in mid-air – at most, Iris can use her second jump to try to reposition herself – make this sequence an unpleasant obstacle to navigate. Occasional collision problems further complicate the progression. Such problems persist throughout the adventure, to the extent that the title has gained a reputation for being impossible to beat, not because of the aggressiveness of the enemies, but because of its unergonomic platforming. In World 4, the mountains form labyrinths that are somewhat navigable, but the player is not guided by any visual cues to find their way out: they must wander until they reach a new section, sometimes discovering secret passages as they go. Platforms are often positioned off-screen, forcing the player to make a blind jump and hope that there are no enemies on the other side to push them over the edge.
Lychnis suffers from poor communication, as it never manages to make clear what is expected of the player. In particular, it slyly hides its RPG mechanic. Throughout the five worlds, the player progresses through a traditional action platformer, but the situation changes with the showdown with Sakiski. It is literally a slot machine where the player must try to line up identical symbols as best they can to attack the boss. Because of the random nature of the battle, the only way to ensure victory is to have collected and purchased enough items with the money earned in the levels. Unfortunately, this requirement is never mentioned in the title, except in the manual, and it is entirely possible to fail against Sakiski due to insufficient equipment. Some of the items are prohibitively expensive, suggesting a need to explore the various levels in search of gold coins. It is quite difficult to understand the exact intention of the title, whose grammar oscillates between opposite poles.
Lychnis is a rather frustrating title that is not easily mastered, as its difficulty seems so disconnected from the atmosphere it exudes. However, the game does offer a real variety, with levels that renew their gimmicks one after the other. Some are more focused on action and combat, while others offer rigorous platforming. There is an undeniable charm to this game, which ushered in a new era for Korean video games. Nevertheless, the modern player should not be fooled by the colourful sprites and upbeat music: Lychnis requires more effort than one might think. Amusingly enough, the final world seems to sum up the title's philosophy much more accurately, with endless waves of enemies and a soundtrack that bears an uncanny resemblance to ZUN's work.
Played during the Backloggd’s Game of the Week (Mar. 14 – Mar. 20, 2023).
In the early 1990s, the majority of Korean video game production ignored the platformer genre. Titles such as Sin'geom-ui Jeonseol (1987) or Pungnyu Hyeopgaek (1989) were representative of an RPG genre inspired by the Ultima series. Some titles followed the Japanese shoot'em up tradition, while others were elimination games where the player had to kill all the enemies on a screen. Lychnis holds a special significance, as it is generally accepted that it was the first Korean title to use smooth scrolling. This new technology allowed the game to explore the platformer format more thoroughly and offer a full adventure. Perhaps due to its ambitious marketing, which relied heavily on this feature, the title is remembered by Korean gamers as one of the pioneers of the second generation of Korean video games. Softmax is better known for its The War of Genesis series (1995-2000), but there are elements of Lychnis in it. Similarly, producer and programmer Kim Hak-kyun later founded Gravity, whose games also borrow ideas from Lychnis, as can be seen in Lars the Wanderer (1995).
Lychnis' difficulty is a wolf in sheep's clothing
The player assumes the role of Lychnis or Iris, young adults who decide to embark on an adventure to defeat Sakiski, whose desire is to use the weapons of Hartinium to resurrect an ancient dragon and conquer the continent of Laurasia. The story is presented in a short cutscene, with an electric and solemn music accompanied by long dramatic arpeggios, before focusing on the two heroes and shifting to an optimistic and light melody, as well as shimmering colours, heralding the spirit of K-fantasy that would flourish on the Internet in the late 1990s. The relatively short adventure takes place in five different worlds, leading up to a showdown with Sakiski: at the start, the player can choose their character, each with a different moveset. While Lychnis attacks in close combat and can perform wall jumps, Iris fights from a distance with her magic and can double-jump; for this reason, she is generally the easiest character to control, making some of the platforming sequences less challenging.
Lychnis opens with levels reminiscent of Super Mario World (1990), but with more faded colours. As the first world is set in a forest, the early enemies are rather cute, if not particularly detailed, and give the adventure a childlike quality. The difficulty is fairly low, which seems to make Lychnis a relaxing title. Soon enough, the player will notice fundamental differences with the controls of the Mario games. For example, Lychnis does not allow the player to adjust the trajectory of a jump once the character is in the air: this design choice does not seem dramatic, as the first two stages offer plenty of space to avoid enemies. However, the game's philosophy shifts radically in Stage 1-3, where it is obvious that the developers wanted to display the technological achievement of their scrolling. This level is excessively long due to the exceptionally slow auto-scrolling: it also insists on platforming sequences that are moderately difficult – although the lack of visibility doesn't help – but prove less straightforward than expected due to the inertia of the jumps. It is particularly easy to fall into the void after a few minutes, forcing the player to start from the beginning of the level, as there are no checkpoints.
A title that does not communicate its gameplay intentions
The protracted nature of Stage 1-3 makes it a particularly unexpected difficulty surge, in contrast to the tranquillity of the early levels. Lychnis is actually quite a challenging game. Later levels show little reluctance in multiplying enemies to overwhelm the player, and the platforming becomes increasingly unforgiving. In Stage 2-2, the player has to cross the level on moving platforms, similar to the lifts of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988). The very poor visibility and the inability to control the jump in mid-air – at most, Iris can use her second jump to try to reposition herself – make this sequence an unpleasant obstacle to navigate. Occasional collision problems further complicate the progression. Such problems persist throughout the adventure, to the extent that the title has gained a reputation for being impossible to beat, not because of the aggressiveness of the enemies, but because of its unergonomic platforming. In World 4, the mountains form labyrinths that are somewhat navigable, but the player is not guided by any visual cues to find their way out: they must wander until they reach a new section, sometimes discovering secret passages as they go. Platforms are often positioned off-screen, forcing the player to make a blind jump and hope that there are no enemies on the other side to push them over the edge.
Lychnis suffers from poor communication, as it never manages to make clear what is expected of the player. In particular, it slyly hides its RPG mechanic. Throughout the five worlds, the player progresses through a traditional action platformer, but the situation changes with the showdown with Sakiski. It is literally a slot machine where the player must try to line up identical symbols as best they can to attack the boss. Because of the random nature of the battle, the only way to ensure victory is to have collected and purchased enough items with the money earned in the levels. Unfortunately, this requirement is never mentioned in the title, except in the manual, and it is entirely possible to fail against Sakiski due to insufficient equipment. Some of the items are prohibitively expensive, suggesting a need to explore the various levels in search of gold coins. It is quite difficult to understand the exact intention of the title, whose grammar oscillates between opposite poles.
Lychnis is a rather frustrating title that is not easily mastered, as its difficulty seems so disconnected from the atmosphere it exudes. However, the game does offer a real variety, with levels that renew their gimmicks one after the other. Some are more focused on action and combat, while others offer rigorous platforming. There is an undeniable charm to this game, which ushered in a new era for Korean video games. Nevertheless, the modern player should not be fooled by the colourful sprites and upbeat music: Lychnis requires more effort than one might think. Amusingly enough, the final world seems to sum up the title's philosophy much more accurately, with endless waves of enemies and a soundtrack that bears an uncanny resemblance to ZUN's work.