In the cinematic platformer LUNARK, players will find themselves immersed in a sci-fi adventure as they step into the shoes of a young man named Leo who gets caught up in a rebellion against a totalitarian regime. You’ll battle enemies, solve puzzles, converse with numerous characters, and explore a variety of glorious pixel-art environments. These include a futuristic city, an alien forest, a flying penitentiary, and, yes, deep underground into mysterious ruins and a sweltering, lava-filled cavern.

Shortly after the game begins, Leo ventures into the remote wilderness of planet Albaryne, where he discovers a hidden passage that leads to subterranean ancient ruins where dust hangs in the air, cobwebs adorn the ceiling, and fossils can be seen in the walls. Leo’s athletic abilities are put to the test, as he runs, jumps, and climbs to maneuver across numerous platforms, and rolls to get through narrow passages. Before long, Leo encounters the visage of an enormous stone statue, followed by a man-sized purple spider known as a Leaping Lurker – good thing he brought his blaster! And that’s not the only threat; vicious Shadowfang bats lurk in the shadows, their presence hinted at only by eyes glowing in the darkness. Dodge, duck, or blast them to avoid taking damage. And that’s to say nothing of the deadly pits – one misstep and you could be in for a fatally long fall.

A bit further in, you’ll find various colored, glowing crystals that can raise and lower large elevator-like platforms throughout the ruins. Often the crystals must be returned to their pedestals before they’ll function, but through thorough exploration, a little backtracking, and some careful thinking, you’ll be able to move the platforms into position and find a way forward.

Eventually, you’ll reach a large chamber where the crumbling bricks have given way, allowing it to become the home of a gigantic, house-sized spider – the Zirneklis Queen! If you take it out by blasting its weak points, you can go even deeper into the ruins, allowing you to reach a grand, if neglected, hall adorned with tapestries where an enigmatic object awaits.

Many twists, turns, and harrowing escapes later, Leo heads underground again – this time to a red-hued, lava-filled cavern. The dangerous Shadowfangs and Leaping Lurkers are back, even more aggressive than before, plus there are new threats, including steam vents lining the walls, floors, and ceilings, and bubbling, flesh-searing lava. Not only is the lava fatal if you fall in, but you must time your jumps carefully to avoid being scorched by bursting lava bubbles.

You’ll also have to master the art of “half turning,” which requires Leo to swing while hanging from a ledge, then turn in mid-fall, allowing him to safely drop down to a platform behind him. Some obstacles, though, will be impassable without a little assistance. If you come across a lava pool too vast to jump across, you may need to shoot at one of the large crystals hanging from the cavern’s ceiling. Blasting the crystal’s anchor point will cause it to fall into the lava pool below, allowing it to act as a makeshift platform. Unfortunately, navigating the cavern to break the crystal free is often easier said than done! If you make it past all the hazards, however, some of LUNARK’s most closely guarded secrets will be revealed.

The caves and ruins are but a couple of the locations you’ll explore in LUNARK, and things only get more challenging and complex from there. Please look forward to visiting them and numerous other places in LUNARK, developed by Canari Games and published by WayForward, which is available now on Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Steam in addition to itch.io.