Ah, the Lucius series, "The Omen" of video games. The first game in the franchise came out in 2012, and it has been highly regarded by the horror gaming community as one of the best, and more original (although ripped off from a movie) titles of the genre. A thick cloud of anticipation surrounded the release of Lucius II in 2015, but alas the follow-up flopped due to massive performance issues that included poor frame rates and a severe crashing problem. As such, Shiver Games have led us to Lucius Demake, a devolved rendition of the original Lucius game.
I will get into the nuts and bolts of the actual game a little later. This paragraph is for those of you who have played the original Lucius title, and are interested in how different or similar the Demake may be. Well, I can confirm that this release is a 100% accurate recreation of the first game, done in an awe-inspiring Commodore 64/Nintendo retro vibrancy that somehow causes the horror elements to be much more eerie and sinister. This is perhaps not ode so much to the graphics, but the outstanding chip tune compositions that are still looping in my head; to get a feel for the audio, think of the Splatterhouse soundtrack. However, it does also help that the portraits of Lucius and Lucifer, as well as the highly detailed pixel-art kill scenes, have a pronounced creepiness to them that will send a chill up your spine.
You will enjoy reliving every aspect of the first Lucius game in a disturbingly downgraded glory, tick for tack. Every piece of dialogue, every kill, every room, every chore, every skill, even the map... everything here is completely the same, aside from the graphics and audio. Do not come in to the Demake expecting anything more than a graphically different experience, otherwise you will be very disappointed. It's truly amazing how Shiver Games have been able to faithfully recreate their original game so perfectly and spot on, but yet it doesn't feel stale or repeated. In fact, it's much more fun to see the demise of each character in a 16-bit, 2D world.
For those who are unfamiliar with the this series, you play as a six year old boy named Lucius who is actually the son of Lucifer. The game begins in 1972, during his sixth birthday party, where you'll first get a feel for the game by making Lucius kill the family maid via locking her in a walk-in freezer and then blasting the old bag with sub-zero temperatures. This is just one of over ten deaths that you will be responsible for throughout the game, and all the while a detective is investigating the mysterious deaths that keep occurring in the manor that Lucius resides in. The story is very straightforward, and if you've watched The Omen (either the original or the remake), you will pretty well know what to expect.
While you're slaughtering people in the manor of your family, Lucifer will give you new skills every few levels. These skills will be instrumental in avoiding getting caught by your mom and dad while attempting to sabotage a victim, and for also aiding in the death of victims. There are crosses placed throughout the large manor which will drain your power bar once you get close to them, making it impossible for you to use your demonic powers; that is, unless you flip the crosses upside down, to which your power will then replenish. You can keep track of your progress through any mission via an in-game journal, and once you have completed two chores (brush your teeth, put away your toys, put away the laundry, etc), a ouija board will appear in Lucius' room; the board, if interacted with, will provide hints as to how you can accomplish your deadly task.
With all of that being said, Lucius Demake is like opening up a really old, yellowed book and taking a nice big whiff; the nostalgia, in every auditory and visual sense, is pleasurably overwhelming. While I greatly enjoyed the first installment in the series, clocking in at just under 44 hours, I'm enjoying the Demake even more thanks to its retro appeal that somehow makes the game a million times more eerie, especially thanks to the unforgettable chip tunes. If you missed out on the first Lucius game don't worry, I actually recommend the Demake over it, but it's still a great horror title to check out at some point. Either way, whether you have or haven't played the original, Lucius Demake is an unforgettable and unmissable experience.
Join my Steam review group:http://steamcommunity.com/groups/bhhreviews