I literally just finished this one, so I'm reviewing it now while my thoughts are still hot out the oven, as it were.
This game is a weird one. It's a visual novel with a few unusual gameplay elements to mix things up. Like many visual novels, it has the different endings, the affection meter, and it has different pathways. Overall, Lux Pain is an intriguing, yet very repetitive visual novel/adventure game that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but is worth giving a shot despite negative reviews if you want an intriguing psychological mystery with plenty of friendship building.
(SYNOPSIS: SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
The main gameplay element of this game is the ability to read minds that the main character, Saijo, has. Instead of gathering physical clues from the places you visit, you are directly diving into peoples minds to try to piece things together. This ability is called "Sigma" and he uses it to extract (almost exorcise) peoples "Shinen", basically little thought worms of negative emotions, that are spread via these monsters called "Silent". Did I lose you yet? Well, be prepared to be equally confused playing this, because it does have a confusing as hell plot, that kind of teases you with its resolution until the end. Well that's the main setup, the game is about this town called Kisaragi, it's strange history, and it's problems. This game gets DARK sometimes, be prepared to lose a few characters, but despite it's darkness, it retains an optimistic and cheerful tone throughout, because of the friendships you build with your classmates and the people of the town.
(SPOILER END)
If I had to compare it to a game, it would be the title "Time Hollow", also for the DS, where the main character also has a supernatural ability and uses it to solve the mystery of a small town, in a visual novel kind of format. Indeed, it shares a hell of a lot of similarities with that game, so if you enjoyed this, play Time Hollow, or vice versa, if you enjoyed Time Hollow you might enjoy this.
The main problem is, the gameplay part of this game got repetitive about halfway into the game. Without saying too much, I will say it doesn't mix things up as often as I would like (in the enemy design, especially). Days play out the same at times, heck some chapters practically play the same, with you going through your daily routine. It's very routine-ized in gameplay, at some point it might feel like you are playing on autopilot. I will say this: if you don't like the story, don't bother. It's carried mostly by its story and the intrigue it has, and it's not the kind of game that has exactly "fun" or riveting gameplay, it's fun in the way that a mystery novel is fun, the unexpected plot points and seeing the mystery unfold. I also felt a sort of sentimental attachment to the characters, which kept me playing. I hate to make comparisons to a game that doesn't share much gameplay wise, but tonally it reminds me of Persona 4, dark, but with ahem the power of friendship to lighten things up in the end (not to mention you are diving into the dark recesses of your friends mind like Persona 4)
TLDR: Lux-Pain is simultaneously riveting and repetitive. I would recommend it to visual novel fans who like that aspect of different pathways and affection meters. I would also urge fans of "Time Hollow" to try this one out. You might be surprised by it.
This game is a weird one. It's a visual novel with a few unusual gameplay elements to mix things up. Like many visual novels, it has the different endings, the affection meter, and it has different pathways. Overall, Lux Pain is an intriguing, yet very repetitive visual novel/adventure game that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but is worth giving a shot despite negative reviews if you want an intriguing psychological mystery with plenty of friendship building.
(SYNOPSIS: SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
The main gameplay element of this game is the ability to read minds that the main character, Saijo, has. Instead of gathering physical clues from the places you visit, you are directly diving into peoples minds to try to piece things together. This ability is called "Sigma" and he uses it to extract (almost exorcise) peoples "Shinen", basically little thought worms of negative emotions, that are spread via these monsters called "Silent". Did I lose you yet? Well, be prepared to be equally confused playing this, because it does have a confusing as hell plot, that kind of teases you with its resolution until the end. Well that's the main setup, the game is about this town called Kisaragi, it's strange history, and it's problems. This game gets DARK sometimes, be prepared to lose a few characters, but despite it's darkness, it retains an optimistic and cheerful tone throughout, because of the friendships you build with your classmates and the people of the town.
(SPOILER END)
If I had to compare it to a game, it would be the title "Time Hollow", also for the DS, where the main character also has a supernatural ability and uses it to solve the mystery of a small town, in a visual novel kind of format. Indeed, it shares a hell of a lot of similarities with that game, so if you enjoyed this, play Time Hollow, or vice versa, if you enjoyed Time Hollow you might enjoy this.
The main problem is, the gameplay part of this game got repetitive about halfway into the game. Without saying too much, I will say it doesn't mix things up as often as I would like (in the enemy design, especially). Days play out the same at times, heck some chapters practically play the same, with you going through your daily routine. It's very routine-ized in gameplay, at some point it might feel like you are playing on autopilot. I will say this: if you don't like the story, don't bother. It's carried mostly by its story and the intrigue it has, and it's not the kind of game that has exactly "fun" or riveting gameplay, it's fun in the way that a mystery novel is fun, the unexpected plot points and seeing the mystery unfold. I also felt a sort of sentimental attachment to the characters, which kept me playing. I hate to make comparisons to a game that doesn't share much gameplay wise, but tonally it reminds me of Persona 4, dark, but with ahem the power of friendship to lighten things up in the end (not to mention you are diving into the dark recesses of your friends mind like Persona 4)
TLDR: Lux-Pain is simultaneously riveting and repetitive. I would recommend it to visual novel fans who like that aspect of different pathways and affection meters. I would also urge fans of "Time Hollow" to try this one out. You might be surprised by it.