Northern Lights

Checkpoints are in an odd spot. And I can't get out of the first area as the terminal that unlocks the door is guarded by two grabbers. Too bad because I liked the looks of this game. But this game is too much trial and error for my taste. Even more so then Limbo/Inside.

I ordered a refund

Want an atmospheric sidescroller with a dystopian theme? Then I would advice to buy limbo or inside. This games tries as well but becomes frustrating in control on level one. Up to the devs if / when they want to fix this.

Its hard to give this game any kind of rating because its depends on the player. For me I love the artwork and style but i found it a little hard and very short. I only paid 50 cents so i really cant complain. The ending is confusing. It made me think the game was just getting started but it just brought me back to the menu. Im going to give this a thumbs down because it needs more, much more.

This would have made more sense as a demo

Honestly loved the universe,as i found it visually pleasant.. But there is not a "variety of puzzles" as advertized, its just 20 minutes of pressing A and D. Then comes the huge disappoinment, when you finally start to get into it just to realize its all what there is..

I'm not going to give this a negative review although it was hard for me to give it a positive one, this game isn't bad, just very short and there's no much to it; it looks amazing and I really enjoyed the art style, but it should take you less than 30 mins, so I can't really justify paying full price for this game and it feels like once you finish there should be more the game, if you like this style of (I do a lot) then it's probably worth buying on sale and knocking it over in one shot.

Eh, strange feelings about this game. Its not that bad by the gameplay but its very very short - only 30 min. And because of this I don't really know what to say. I mean shortness doesnt mean bad but in this 30 min nothing really happens except 2 timing puzzles, 5 fast pressing keys puzzles and 3 dialogues. And, as you may guess, they reveal nearly nothing about the story and the world.

I don't really want to rate it anyhow but Steam requires so... it will be negative. Yes, you may say it's only 2$ and it's an indie game and etc, but, you know, if some drunk bum comes to you at the street and offers to show how they dance for 2$, would you reject it because its pointless or accept because it's only for 2$?

So, yeah, if this game somehow recieves update and continuation of the story for at least 1-2 hours, than I might reconsider the review, As for now, there is just no point in buying and playing it,

Not a bad little robot jaunt for 69¢. Very simple game-play with minor puzzles, but an enjoyable experience nonetheless, with pleasant graphics, environments and sound. A continuation of the story would be interesting, upon seeing the end scene.

Pros:
Atmosphere, graphic style, sound and music.

Cons:
The gameplay: die-a-lot stealth and QTEs.

So, the rating is deserved, the game is not great, it's just an interesting short experience marred by tedious game mechanics.

VERY short game...

Like the game "INSIDE" but with REALLY annoying puzzles (for me it is). Up, Down, Up, Up, Left, Right, Up with a gauge that goes up when you got it right and goes all the way down to the bottom when you got it wrong. For that part, I was GLAD that the game wasn't long.

It feels like that the developer was trying to see what it's capabilities were. Because of the shortness of the game.

Got a feeling there might be a second part of this game, don't know, don't wanna know, like I truly hated that kind of "puzzles"...
Search on Twitch for this clip as an example of one: AggressiveArtisticPuddingUncleNox

The sneaky puzzles were good. But still, the game is too short. Yet, I recommend it, it wasn't bad at all. Just... Too short... Be warned... TOO SHORT!!!

Enjoy!

Luckily this game only costs $2 because it is not worth anymore than that. I really don't know if it is worth $2. Clearly the game was made using the same engine Inside used, but this game lacks 180% of the thrill inside has. This game is soooo slow and boring. The main character moves sooooooo slow. The gameplay is sooooo slow. The "puzzles" (if you can even call them that) are so easy, a 5 year old could do them. I'm talking about puzzles that require you to move left, then right, then left, then right.... solved! Its as if the developers took ONE SIMPLE ASPECT of Inside, and made their entire game into that.

What I see is clear narcissism in the development of this game. The developers must have thought they designed something SO beautiful, SO immaculate, that they could make the gameplay slower that molasses, and the player would be enthralled at the sheer magnificence of the design. But to be honest, its not really even designed all that well. Its sub par.

I would give this game a 5/10, and that is ONLY because of the graphics. The gameplay is a 1/10... seriously.

Do not waste your $2 on this, unless you want to sit there with one hand on the controller, pressing left and right while you stare at the screen move so slow you will spend 30 minutes moving 10 feet. Ridiculous.

I got this game for 59c which is about around what I'd value it at. $2 isn't an insane price to pay for this game, but it's a bit on the high side considering how short it is at ~40 mins max.

I like the art and aesthetics of this game, its very portal 2-esque in places. The abandoned but not ruined world taken over by robots is a style that's underutilized and I'm glad this game incorporated that.

The gameplay here is crap. You move in a straight line back or forwards, avoiding time based instakill items. Once you complete that, you play a wonky version of Dance Dance Revolution to send a signal laser to a tower that can always be seen in the background of the game. It's really that simple, there's nothing more to the game than this.
It's actually pretty difficult to get the timing right because your little ball robot is very slow to both turn and move, and is very unresponsive. I spent a majority of this game getting killed and restarting from checkpoint. I did not enjoy this aspect of the game.

I can't believe I'm saying this but this game would almost be better as more of a walking simulator. There's a lot of character in this world and it's wasted on gameplay that just plain isn't fun or rewarding. I do want a sequel to this game because I feel the developers have a good chance to improve the game and make it into something really great, but the limited mechanics of this game really hold it back more than anything else.

I can't recommend this game on that basis, if you are willing to power through the irritation, you'll find some cool artwork and scenery but that's really the best thing I can say about this game.

You hold right for 20-30min, more or less. Avoid some lights, press the directions that appear on the consoles that you interact with, read a few posters and then you have all 5 achievements and are done the game.

nice concept but way too short i finished this game in around 20 minutes and developers are really limited with a ball as a main character. scenery was good and looked like there was a lot more that can be done to improve this game

Finished within 35 Minutes, so a very short title.
The game has some lovely designs, and the puzzles are really well implemented to be fair.
The story is very intriguing, however you only get a few snippets, for a tiny indie game it does its job. If the game could be expanded with a deeper story, more puzzles and areas it could be so much more, there's definitely potential. Is that R2:D2 I hear?
Bought on sale for £0.80p I would suggest anyone else looking at buying it to do the same.
Hoping that the game gets updated in the future, but I'm guessing this is a throw-away game which if true is a shame.
My recommend is based on lovely music, good puzzles and design, and a quick play game, I am disappointed with the length and lack of story though.

Northern Lights centers around a tiny, floating droid reminiscent of BB-8 or Wall-E which invokes enough of a cuteness factor to want to see the little guy get to the end of this very short game. At $1.99, one needs to decide if 20-30 minutes of gameplay is worth it, which is a fair question.

First off, by the time you finish Northern Lights, you're absolutely going to feel like the game is just getting started (punctuated by the name of the final Achievement you receive) and that it's almost a shame that it ends without more of a resolution or understanding of what you actually accomplished. Just as I felt as though I was getting a hand on navigating the various obstacles and solving the terminal puzzles, the game just... ends. I can't imagine that this is all the developers at DimleTeam have in store for us. As NL ends, we're treated to a scene that begins to reveal more of the world only hinted at briefly earlier in the game. I'm personally interested in finding out where things go from there.

Mood is also a big selling point in this game, and I think that they did a pretty great job with the little presented so far. The nameless droid seems to bob and meander as it sways around, taking in the world around it as the player does. The smokey background hints at a catastrophic event that left only mechanical characters to go about their lives. Somehow, the game evokes a sense of grandeur despite the limitations in movement and explorability. Considering that the majority of the player's interaction is simply pressing left or right, I didn't feel as though much more was needed. If DimleTeam does take this narrative further, it would be cool to see how the begin to play around with the environment and continue building on what's been established while still keeping to the basic controls.

Lastly, we should discuss whether or not the price is worth it. $1.99 isn't a huge drain on the wallet for most folks, but once you finish the playthrough, there really isn't much here to keep you coming back, apart from perhaps introducing a friend to the experience. Personally, I'm more than happy to throw a few bucks toward a blossoming project if it holds potential, but I can't fault anyone for passing this one up until more content arrives down the line; if that is, indeed, the ultimate plan.

I'd say check it out if you're curious (I certainly enjoyed it), but don't expect too much out of it either. It's a good distraction in between much longer games.

I absolutely DESPISE the computer puzzles. Maybe I'm just a little too slow for them, but they ruined my experience either way. I gave up at the one where you have to push left when it points up and right when it points down. I tried, and failed miserably, so bad that the game broke on me. Seriously, the buttons weren't registering, and the protagonist would just slowly rotate, and I was unable to move him, so I had to go back to a previous checkpoint, and do the previous puzzle to open the door again. NOPE! I'm done.

At least BLIK, another game these guys made, had a more sensible and interesting puzzle mechanic. I actually had fun playing the demo of that game, so maybe I should just get to playing that sometime.

What the heck?????? Honestly, I am so SO disappointed with this game!! It's bloody GORGEOUS and it draws you in with this mystery story about the King of Diamonds and then it just stops after 20 minutes, without explaining ANYTHING to you??? What about the dog that all those posters were telling you about?? What was the point in those if they weren't going amount to ANYTHING IMPORTANT AT ALL????? If there was just a LITTLE bit of closure or explanation, I would rate this 5 stars, but as it is, I feel like... This game left a very bad taste in my mouth because it seemed like it was preparing you for something epic and extraordinary, and then it just stops after like... 2 puzzles.

I came here ready to drop a 'do not recommend' but lo and behold they already patched the game to fix my largest grievance. The terminal puzzle, which is a large part of the game, was horrifically frustrating and difficult. With that fixed, I believe the game is definitely worth the price.

Pre Day 1 Patch playthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBHz3ePYZLk

Northern Lights is a cute, short adventure game set far in the future when humanity has disappeared, leaving behind only robots. You play as a tiny little fella who must restore some laser beams. And beware the King of Diamonds! The graphics are good and the character design is fun. You'll feel shades of Limbo and Inside at points, but it does manage to be it's own thing.

I quite enjoyed the 50 minutes it took me to complete Northern Lights. Some are saying it can be done in 25 minutes so I am obviously a terrible player. It takes a page from INSIDE and showcases potential. I really hope that this isn't the end and there are more episodes or a fuller game on the way. In all honesty, I love everything about this game minus the little niggles we will get into in the CONS section but I find it really hard to recommend this game based on the price and the content. If you want to support the devs like I did in buying this then go right ahead. I would love to see what comes next but if this is 'it' then I am going to be gravely disappointed.

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PROS

+ Visually pretty. The graphics are quite nice to take in and they got the larger backdrops nailed.
+ Ambient soundtrack and effects. The music and subtle sound effects are well suited for this type of game.
+ Smooth. Everything moves like butter over bread.
+ An easy 100% for cheevo hunters.
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CONS

- Sure it's only 2 bucks. But there are a ton of games that offer better value for those 2 dollars. I like this game but I think it should be cheaper. Maybe the dev is thinking of adding levels later to flesh out the story and if so then great. But this is a finished product and not early access.
- The story. I am sorry but the story that is laid out on the Store Page is not the same as telling the story in-game. There is so much information on the Store Page about the ozone layer being depleted and robots fixing that and an alien transmission....none of this is in the game. So it is pretty much useless. And the story alluded to in the game such as the missing dog and the King of Diamonds is never explained at all. Nor why other robots are hostile or why any of this is happening. I am all down for mysteries but this just lazy storytelling.
- I wasn't a fan of the terminal puzzles. You basically have to activate terminals through a mini-game of correct button pressing. In the beginning this was fine but it quickly became tedious and gets hard to the point where the buttons get flipped around. For me it was teeth-grindingly annoying at points.

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Okay, so in case it isn't clear, I like this game even with all the CONS. I am expecting more from the devs but if this is all there is then I will be an unhappy chappie. However, even though I like it, I could not sleep well at night by recommending this to a friend. Purchase to support our indie bros and press the right arrow key for 50 minutes. Otherwise avoid.

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Short, very short, but sweet puzzle adventure game where you play a lonely robot waking up after a global calamity. Who are you? What happened? Who is this mysterious King of Diamonds.

The puzzles mainly come in two types, avoid the obstacles and follow a pattern guitar hero style on a screen to open doors to further you adventure. There are also a few enemies that need to be trapped or avoided. These follow the pattern sections are best played with the keyboard, it was too slow with a controller.

The graphics are fantastic and reminiscent in style to Human fall flat. The OST and sounds effects are equally good.

There were a few minor quibbles, the main menu was a little hard to use, selecting was a little haphazard and one of the checkpoints really should have been after solving the door pattern puzzle, not before. Just minor inconsequential stuff.

Don't expect more than 20-25mins out of this but at the price, it's a high quality enjoyable game with room clearly for more episodes. Can't wait.