Okay, strap in. This is an odd one. As a quick bit of background, Lichtspeer was found at the Polish Games Booth, developed by Crunching Koalas Studios and the Lichthund Team. It’s a game that’s the very definition of eclectic, with a bizarre blend of 70’s and 80’s theming, a mishmash of mythologies, and oversaturated neon coloring that’s sure to challenge even the most resilient of retina.
The Lichtspeer is a weapon of “divine power”, which you’re tasked with using in order to defeat the hordes of evil enemies. Your deaths are honorable because you’re dying for your gods in search of glory—very Klingon-esque, or maybe more Mad Max: Fury Road. Take your pick of honor cultures, insert here.
Anyway, the Nintendo Switch version has apparently been fully optimized for the console, and the co-op version of the game actually worked okay, but it felt a little clunky and the controls were not explained well. Part of the issue might have been a language barrier with the folks running the booth, so it wouldn’t be fair to hold that against them—it’s possible that with a better explanation of how the game functions, it would be easier to manage.
When playing as a single character, you’re a human. As the second character in co-op, you’re a small dog named “Das Lichthund” and you can have special abilities and weapons of your own—including a cannon to use against enemies.
Is it perfect? Not really. Is it entertaining? Certainly. Played with the right partner—as you will have to strategize quite a bit to survive the waves of enemies—it’s worth a look, especially if you enjoy quirky theming and a bit of the bizarre in your gaming experience.
