i'm not much of a platformer guy, but even i can recognize that lunistice is a win for the genre. if i wanted to be reductive, i'd describe it as "sonic the hedgehog, if it was fun", as lunistice's primary gameplay mechanic is going fast & feeling good while doing it.

the game has more going for it, of course, but its influences are clear. the distinct sfx, high-energy music, cute art direction, & a peculiar shift in tone all harken back to the original kirby games, while ( as just mentioned ) the speed-focused gameplay & stylish furry protags harken to sonic. i applaud lunistice for striking the delicate balance in proudly wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, while also maintaining its own discrete identity & feel; it's not an easy task, but AGF's dev team did a great job making this world feel delightfully unique & a pleasure to run around in.

let me dig a bit more into gameplay, though, rather than just compare it to previous titles. while lunistice is undoubtedly a speed game -- with its in-game timers & sprawling level designs, which all but beg you to go as fast as you can -- it's also a platformer, and within that framework, a collectathon. there is a conscious balance in level-design in lunistice that not only allows the co-existence of these genres, but also allows them to flourish. i love the cohesion of the levels & how platforming is used almost as a breath of fresh air for the rest of the stage's high-speed progression, which feel more like refreshments rather than hindrances ( as they very easily could have been ).

and regarding its collectathon aspect: the scope of the game is quite honed, so don't expect to be exhausted by scouring for unending hidden trinkets; in fact, i feel that lunistice has gone in a direction that most modern-retro-3D-platformers have not, which is to say: its idyllic. it says, "remember the joys of finding secrets & exploring the old games of childhood yore? what if ... those weren't a nightmare to finish? what if those were actually kind of fun to play?" such feelings are subjective, of course, but i personally found the level of secret-finding in lunistice to be both inviting & manageable, striking a good balance between the tedium of old game design, with the streamlined comfort of new.

and i think that's ultimately how i feel about lunistice, when i boil my opinion down: it's a game that banks on nostalgia, but isn't afraid to do its own thing; it remembers all the good from platforming's heyday, and does away with all the bad; it's a well-rounded experience with a high skill cap, inviting to new & old players alike to enjoy.