Hi! I'm Bart Bonte, a Belgian independent game designer and bontegames.com is where I blog about new interesting browser and mobile games. My own games are all in the left column (or at the bottom of this page on mobile). More info about me and my games on bartbonte.com.
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October 23, 2023
the legend of lumina [browser]
Explore an ancient forest, push blocks to solve puzzles, and search for a way to end the curse on your land: The Legend of Lumina by Wizbane.
Wow, this one really is a special one. It's not just pretty, but also explores the mechanics of rolling and pushing blocks and the interaction between the two and different surfaces more deeply than I've seen before. The way the new abilities open up new areas also is very well elegantly designed, feeling completely natural.
Add to that a general rare level of polish with all the animations and the on-screen touch controls and things like that.
I'm still struggling to get to the last animal, but it's been great so far, and I'm going to dive back in.
Ok I seem to be hard blocked. I got all except the top dark blue guy. I was expecting to just swim there. I am stuck in the swimming reward area. There is a ball breakable above my top left ladder. There are waterfalls all over. There is another ladder to the right a bit, but has a hole/turn. Help. what am I missing?
That was a really fun one! Special background music for each animal was a nice touch. One of my favorites of the year so far. It's like half-Sokoban, half-Metroidvania. Very intuitive and satisfying way of introducing new mechanics and building on previous ones.
The difficulty ramps up a lot in the final path to the owl. Those last few rooms had me stumped the longest but makes you feel clever when you finally get it.
1. Try to get to the isle from the upper left. 2. Get a way to the brown block on the right side of the isle. 3. Get a way around the isle to the white blocks. 4. use the right one from the white block and the brown one to create a way to the right side of the screen.
Regarding map 1,2 or x=1,y=2 bottom, left area. step on the barrels so you can push the 3 cubes upper left connect. finish by pushing 2 cubes down to create a route for a rolling smash.
Regarding map x=1,y=6 top left, if that was your intended area. The end move is a rolling smash, so stop it from the hole. This can be achieved by moving wooden barrels in & out of the water.
So, I got the otter (or whatever the blue thing is in the bottom left corner.) Now, how do I get back to the rest of the map? I think I'm trapped down there, and I do not see a way back up.
I finally finished too. It's one of those games where you "give up", but it keeps nagging at you, and you just have to return. Those little breaks to clear your head definitely help....
Definitely the best game on your site that I played this year. I agree with the comment that it feels like a real sense of accomplishment when you solve a screen that at first seems impossible.
One of the best games you've presented this year - good design; the puzzles were challenging but not crazy. I particularly liked how you could get "trapped" in an area to let you know this is the next puzzle you should be working on. Just great.
Absolument autant magique que prise de tête. Si tu en quelques uns sous le coude du même acabit, je suis preneuse. Merci pour tes conseils de jeu. Continue.
I didn't get to this until it's been out for a couple of weeks, but what a remarkable game! Excellent learning curve, fun evolution, and some extremely clever puzzles
I will only repeat what the others already said, but I must comment, because I enjoyed this game so much! I was trapped sometimes, but I knew that it surely means there must be a solution, becasue there are no other way. :) And it forced me to keep thinking. I left it hopelessly a few times, and the next day I solved the puzzle in a minute, with a great feeling of satisfaction. :) Perfect game! Lovely design, cute animals, perfect difficulty, one more vote for best browser game of the year! :-)
Nice one. Small tip: When you feel soft-locked (no going back), it really means that the puzzle ahead is now solvable.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm dumb again. I can wander around and push blocks. But I can't seem actually to do anything.
ReplyDeleteWow, this one really is a special one. It's not just pretty, but also explores the mechanics of rolling and pushing blocks and the interaction between the two and different surfaces more deeply than I've seen before. The way the new abilities open up new areas also is very well elegantly designed, feeling completely natural.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that a general rare level of polish with all the animations and the on-screen touch controls and things like that.
I'm still struggling to get to the last animal, but it's been great so far, and I'm going to dive back in.
Is there a soft block, when you can select restart the level from the menu?
ReplyDeleteI was restarting by leaving the area, until I met floating logs.
Ok I seem to be hard blocked.
ReplyDeleteI got all except the top dark blue guy.
I was expecting to just swim there.
I am stuck in the swimming reward area.
There is a ball breakable above my top left ladder.
There are waterfalls all over.
There is another ladder to the right a bit, but has a hole/turn.
Help. what am I missing?
I was stuck in the same swimming area for a long time, then came back with a fresh mind. Solution: you can roll logs onto land, but not push sideways.
ReplyDeleteYou might sometimes have to hit undo until you get into state where you can go out and into the screen again to reset the level.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo you know how to access to the secret room?
ReplyDeleteI finished the game and didn't find it...
Thx.
Secrets aren't always at the end, sometimes they're near the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThat was a really fun one! Special background music for each animal was a nice touch. One of my favorites of the year so far. It's like half-Sokoban, half-Metroidvania. Very intuitive and satisfying way of introducing new mechanics and building on previous ones.
ReplyDeleteThe difficulty ramps up a lot in the final path to the owl. Those last few rooms had me stumped the longest but makes you feel clever when you finally get it.
That was fantastic! Maybe I missed some hints, but it would've been less frustrating to know which animal to hunt next.
ReplyDeleteIt sure helps when your not rushed for time.
ReplyDeleteTook me a bit to learn how to reuse barrels.
I highly recommend fullscreen as you can spam that undo button.
ReplyDeleteGreat great game!
ReplyDeleteReally Great Game !
ReplyDelete@TheAdmiralM
ReplyDeleteCan you give me more help on the secret room please?
Thx.
I used the map & the undo feature a lot.
ReplyDeleteI found all the animals together below the map.
Below the map? ~:o/
ReplyDeleteCan't find them :'(
Great game
ReplyDeleteTook forever to get the second to last room
I'm stuck too at founding the secret area...
ReplyDeleteWhere is it?
Thanks a lot for helping!
I'm missing something on the second to last room. Feels like I've tried everything, but I can't get anywhere. Could I get a hint, please?
ReplyDeleteAnyone know how to solve this level?
ReplyDeletehttps://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMTM1NTgyNS84NDQyNDQ3LnBuZw==/original/bjPfJe.png
@Meblin:
ReplyDelete1. Try to get to the isle from the upper left.
2. Get a way to the brown block on the right side of the isle.
3. Get a way around the isle to the white blocks.
4. use the right one from the white block and the brown one to create a way to the right side of the screen.
I need help for the map:
ReplyDelete1.column, 2. row
Somebody here to show me the way?
Regarding map 1,2 or x=1,y=2 bottom, left area.
ReplyDeletestep on the barrels so you can push the 3 cubes upper left connect.
finish by pushing 2 cubes down to create a route for a rolling smash.
Regarding map x=1,y=6 top left, if that was your intended area.
The end move is a rolling smash, so stop it from the hole.
This can be achieved by moving wooden barrels in & out of the water.
After getting the flying ability you can go off map down south.
ReplyDeleteHowever you still can't fly over waterfalls.
So, I got the otter (or whatever the blue thing is in the bottom left corner.) Now, how do I get back to the rest of the map? I think I'm trapped down there, and I do not see a way back up.
ReplyDeleteThe otter lets you swim if that helps.
ReplyDelete3 part walkthrough
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY6u5SQFbuo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcwBQcNrhSM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOdH1-Pjcs
This can be achieved by moving wooden barrels in & out of the water.
ReplyDeleteFinally finished the game. Had to leave it several times when no solution was apparent- beautiful and clever, super calming even when softlocked.
ReplyDeleteMy candidate for best game of the year (so far).
ReplyDeleteI finally finished too. It's one of those games where you "give up", but it keeps nagging at you, and you just have to return.
ReplyDeleteThose little breaks to clear your head definitely help....
Beautiful, beautiful game... As a reward at the end, I flew through all the rooms :) Love it!
ReplyDeleteThis has got to be one of the best browser games I've played in a long while! Not many manage to make me keep coming back until I've completed it.
ReplyDeleteYou guys must have all watched walkthroughs in order to progress, because I can't even get the rabbit!
ReplyDeleteAnon: Go for the orange fox first, north-westerly from the unicorn. Then the yellow rabbit. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteBart have you tried "Bubble people"?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the best game on your site that I played this year. I agree with the comment that it feels like a real sense of accomplishment when you solve a screen that at first seems impossible.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best games you've presented this year - good design; the puzzles were challenging but not crazy. I particularly liked how you could get "trapped" in an area to let you know this is the next puzzle you should be working on. Just great.
ReplyDeleteAbsolument autant magique que prise de tête.
ReplyDeleteSi tu en quelques uns sous le coude du même acabit, je suis preneuse.
Merci pour tes conseils de jeu.
Continue.
I didn't get to this until it's been out for a couple of weeks, but what a remarkable game! Excellent learning curve, fun evolution, and some extremely clever puzzles
ReplyDeleteI will only repeat what the others already said, but I must comment, because I enjoyed this game so much! I was trapped sometimes, but I knew that it surely means there must be a solution, becasue there are no other way. :) And it forced me to keep thinking. I left it hopelessly a few times, and the next day I solved the puzzle in a minute, with a great feeling of satisfaction. :) Perfect game! Lovely design, cute animals, perfect difficulty, one more vote for best browser game of the year! :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat game!!
ReplyDelete