Lunar Knights review

Running with the Knight

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

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    Two unique playable characters

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    Spiffy full-motion video cut scenes

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    Genuinely original play mechanics

Cons

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    Plodding pace

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    Lengthy conversations

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    Mushy controls

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Don't let the title's lack of "B-words" fool you; Lunar Knights is basically a next-gen version of Boktai, the isometric vampire-stabbing adventure that used real sunlight to power your weaponry - but without the cartridge-based light sensor and all of the frustratingly limited game play issues that go along with it.

In place of said light sensor, Kojima Productions takes a more creative tack in Lunar Knights. While the playable characters still rely on sunlight (and now, moonlight) to power various weapons throughout the game, everything's based on the weather being shown on the DS' top screen. If the moon is shining and the clouds are light, you can draw power from it on the bottoms screen.

And in a really nice design twist, having any of the three GBA Boktai games in your DS' GBA cartridge slot allows you to use their sunlight sensor to use real-world light to augment Lunar Knights even more.

Gameplay is fairly straight forward - Lunar Knights' mechanics are almost identical to the previous Boktai games. Wander around each level looking for treasure, fighting bad guys, and searching for the next boss. Combat and movement are a tad sluggish, which is the game's biggest downfall. It becomes annoying to plod through each level.

More info

GenreAdventure
DescriptionLunar Knights is a worthwhile DS endeavor, especially if you're jonesing for something in the vein of Zelda.
Platform"DS"
US censor rating"Everyone 10+"
UK censor rating"Rating Pending"
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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