In a year packed with sprawling RPGs and endless open worlds, Luctus stands apart by doing the opposite — it keeps things short, focused, and intensely personal. Developed by Mriya Game Studio and published by Blackburne Games Studio and IndieNext, this pixel-art action-adventure delivers a tightly woven narrative full of heart, sorrow, and fire — literally.
You play as Nora, a fire mage on a desperate journey to uncover the truth behind her sister Luna’s sudden disappearance. What starts as a mystery quickly spirals into a story about loss, transformation, and the thin line between destruction and redemption.
Clocking in at around five hours, Luctus is not about length — it’s about impact. And while its world burns bright and fast, it’s a flame that leaves an impression long after the credits roll.
A World of Fire and Memory
From the moment Luctus begins, it sets a tone of haunting melancholy. The pixel-art visuals, hand-animated and almost painterly in their detail, give the game a texture that feels both nostalgic and modern.
The environments — from scorched ruins to myth-soaked caverns — tell their own story. Every area feels lived in, as if Nora is walking through the ashes of civilizations that burned long before her time.
Despite its modest scope, Luctus builds a sense of mythic scale. You meet gods, monsters, and creatures that feel ripped from lost folklore, and each encounter adds another layer to the game’s emotional core.
Nora herself is a beautifully written protagonist. Her silence is not emptiness — it’s focus. Her fire magic is both her weapon and her curse, and as you upgrade it, you begin to feel the weight of her growing power.
Gameplay – When Magic Feels Like Muscle Memory
At its heart, Luctus is an action-adventure RPG hybrid, but its greatest strength lies in its combat flow.
Nora’s fighting style feels deliberate — she’s not a hack-and-slash hero. Every spell, dash, and strike has weight, rhythm, and consequence. The blend of melee combat and elemental magic gives players flexibility, allowing them to switch between fiery aggression and tactical control.
There are over 20 skills to unlock and upgrade, letting you shape Nora’s abilities to suit your playstyle. Some players may focus on raw destructive power, while others might favor fluid combos that link fire, mobility, and defense.
Each fight becomes a kind of dance — one that gets more intricate as you learn to chain spells together. It’s easy to pick up but deceptively deep once you start mastering timing and positioning.
Epic Boss Battles – Small Game, Big Moments
Boss fights are where Luctus truly ignites.
Each of the 20 creatures you face has its own attack patterns, vulnerabilities, and mythology. From serpents that slither through molten pools to titanic golems that wield the power of storms, the bosses are beautifully animated and mechanically diverse.
These aren’t just tests of reflexes — they’re tests of adaptability. Each boss introduces a twist to the combat system, forcing you to rethink your strategies and experiment with new spell combinations.
It’s reminiscent of Hollow Knight or Dead Cells in the way that each defeat teaches you something new — not through tutorials, but through pain, persistence, and pattern recognition.
A Story of Sorrow and Survival
While Luctus thrives mechanically, it’s the storytelling that ties it all together.
Nora’s journey is steeped in grief, but it’s not one-note. Her emotional arc unfolds naturally through short but powerful cutscenes, cryptic dialogue, and environmental cues.
When Luna disappears, the mystery initially feels like a personal quest — but as the game unfolds, it becomes clear that Nora’s sorrow is tied to something much larger. Themes of faith, creation, and the divine weave through the narrative, painting a world that feels ancient, sacred, and wounded.
There’s a moment midway through the game where Nora stands on a cliff overlooking the ruins of her homeland, the sky burning in shades of orange and violet, as the soundtrack swells — and it’s genuinely moving. Luctus achieves emotional resonance not through heavy exposition, but through mood and tone.
It’s storytelling through restraint — something many bigger studios could learn from.
Art Direction – Pixel Art with a Soul
Pixel art has become the default visual style for many indie games, but Luctus manages to stand out through intentional imperfection.
The art feels tactile and raw, as if it were drawn with charcoal instead of pixels. Animations are fluid yet imperfect, creating a human warmth that matches the story’s emotional depth.
Lighting and particle effects play a huge role in setting the mood. Flames dance realistically across walls, spell explosions illuminate dark corridors, and the world seems to breathe around you.
Every area feels distinct — icy ruins, dense forests, ancient temples — and the transitions between them are cinematic in a subtle way, achieved through pacing and atmosphere rather than flashy effects.
Sound and Music – Where Emotion Meets Fire
The soundtrack is one of Luctus’ unsung triumphs.
Composed with minimal instrumentation — often just piano, strings, and ambient synth — the score shifts seamlessly between serenity and intensity. It amplifies the sense of isolation during exploration and then hits hard during boss fights, elevating every encounter into something almost operatic.
The sound design itself is equally impressive. The crackle of Nora’s flames, the echo of footsteps in forgotten halls, and the roar of monsters in the dark all contribute to a deeply immersive experience.
You can feel the world through your ears as much as your eyes.
Short, But Sweetly Burned
At around 4–6 hours, Luctus doesn’t overstay its welcome.
The pacing is near-perfect: every chapter introduces new enemies, mechanics, and bits of lore without padding the experience. The progression system is tight, rewarding curiosity without forcing grinding.
Yes, some players might wish it lasted longer — and that’s probably the best compliment a short game can receive. It’s a complete experience that leaves you wanting more, not because it’s unfinished, but because it’s beautiful.
There are moments when the platforming sections feel slightly unnecessary or the puzzles break momentum, but they’re minor stumbles in an otherwise smooth flow.
Fire as Metaphor
At its heart, Luctus is a game about grief — and fire.
Fire represents Nora’s strength, her anger, and her sorrow. It consumes, it protects, and it transforms. The game’s title, Luctus — Latin for “mourning” — fits perfectly.
Every spell Nora casts is an echo of that emotion. Every creature you face is a manifestation of her struggle to move forward. It’s not just a story about saving her sister — it’s about accepting loss and learning to live with the scars it leaves behind.
This emotional core gives the game’s action real weight. You’re not just fighting monsters — you’re fighting memory, guilt, and fate.
A Short, Fiery Masterpiece of Indie Emotion
Luctus may not be the longest or most complex game of 2025, but it’s one of the most heartfelt.
With fluid combat, gorgeous pixel art, and a story that burns with emotion, it delivers an unforgettable experience that proves indie games can still surprise us.
If you love games like Hyper Light Drifter, Transistor, or Celeste, this one belongs in your library. It’s not about how long it lasts — it’s about how deeply it hits.
Pros:
- Fluid, rewarding combat
- Emotional and well-written story
- Stunning pixel art and lighting
- Great soundtrack and atmosphere
- Tight pacing, no filler
Cons:
- Too short for some players
- Puzzles occasionally disrupt flow
- Minor roughness in animations
Luctus: Luctus is a flame that burns quickly but beautifully — a passionate, polished indie experience that understands something most games forget: sometimes, the brightest fires are the ones that fade too soon. – Flare