Lacuna Passage

[h1]Introduction[/h1] Lacuna Passage shall be my second preview instead of a review, meaning that I will not give the game, a rating or highlight any strong/weak points. This will not mean however that I won’t offer as much constructive criticism, since that kind of treatment gets applied to all my Steam writings. I will do my best to keep it as honest and to the point as I can, regardless of a final rating or not. This is the second Steam project from developer Random Seed Games, after their debut, TIMEframe. While both titles may be regarded as walking simulators within barren landscapes and powered by Unity Engine assets, Lacuna Passage is firmly planted into reality instead of containing the abstract symbolism prevalent in TIMEframe. [h1]Story [/h1] https://tzontonel.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/national-geographic-mars-reference-map1.jpg I was half-expecting Lacuna Passage to be an actual place on Mars. Hence the added link above, with a high-res map of the Red Planet itself. I must confess, I’m a huge fan of anything Mars-related. Seen most, if not all movies which featured the fourth planet from the Sun. But Lacuna Passage is a fictional place and the word “lacuna” is a fancier term for “gap”. Plenty of procedurally generated gaps in the game I’m previewing today. You know what’s truly missing though? The storyline. To their credit, the dev team acknowledges this while promising that in a future update, players will be able to uncover astronaut Jessica Rainer’s story and help her survive a failed mission to Mars, from which she’s the sole survivor. [h1]Graphics[/h1] By the looks of it (and in-game settings menu), we’re dealing with another quality title making good use of Unity Engine 5 assets. The frame rate is a bit unstable at 4K resolution (I was getting around 45fps outdoors and 60 while inside the Habitats), which is a rare case from the several dozens of Unity-powered Steam games I had the privilege of testing and writing about. So it’s most likely a matter of pure optimization since it’s obvious that the barren Martian landscapes shouldn’t take a toll on the frame rate, when other Unity titles would render lush forests in stable 60fps. Lacuna Passage is a beautiful simulation, that much cannot be contested. From the aforementioned landscapes, to the man-made structures, it’s all skillfully textured and the insides of the Habitats show great attention to detail. A bit of wear & tear would increase the immersion even further. These are abandoned/rarely used assets after all. They shouldn’t look as if they’ve just been unpacked and assembled. Mars itself is known for its fierce, planet-encircling dust storms. Overall, I took 45 Lacuna Passage screenshots of which I’m proud to add to my wallpaper collection. You just have to look close enough and you’ll realize that even random rock formations can offer the right conditions for a superb picture. Speaking of which, the game has its built-in gameplay mechanic about taking pictures and using them for future technical reference. Be sure to get acquainted to the control scheme and the astronaut’s best friend: a rugged tablet. [h1]Audio[/h1] It’s still an Early Access title, so I have high hopes that a soundtrack shall be added eventually. So far, I’m not pleased at all by Lacuna Passage's extremely limited number of sounds. The breath and several beeping sound effects from all the EVA (extra-vehicular activity) suit sensors, can hardly replace an OST or the need for voice acting once a storyline shall be implemented. Being stranded in a hostile environment and with no one to keep you company, can take a heavy toll on the sanity of even the most anti-social human. At least allow some music, to ease a stressed mind. The Martian’s (novel and film) Mark Watney may not be a fan of disco tracks, yet when he's choosing between a musical genre he dislikes and the silence of the grave, a compromise has to be reached. Hot stuff or not, just add some music to Lacuna, Random Seed Games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whldh8bivXQ [h1]Gameplay[/h1] You saw the rover in that link? It is this seemingly small feature that stops Lacuna Passage from being a perfect, first person Mars experience. It won’t be an insignificant detail in the end, when you’re forced to go for a walk over a 20 square miles (51 square kilometers) wide map and you can’t seem to reach the nearest Habitat before you’ll suffocate to death. A vehicular means of transportation is crucial to long-term survival and exploration across the planet’s surface. And I want to point out the importance of walking instead of sprinting. You consume a lot more oxygen while running and you’ll only die faster and more tired, than in a situation in which you remain calm and composed, while picking the shortest route back to safety. That’s useful tip in real life as well. Panic leads to mistakes that may seal your fate. So what can you actually do in this game and not feel way too lonely? The Sandbox Mode is currently available and offering sufficient activities to avoid boredom. You can keep yourself busy by constantly repairing the equipment which ultimately ensures your survival. The crafting and repairing sections are simulated quite in-depth, with options for initial diagnostics in order to troubleshoot the issue, reading the part’s manual (don’t skip this under any circumstance) and finally remove (and salvage) or fix the component by case. No one said that life on Mars would be easy, but fixing the auxiliary systems near the Habs, will be the least of your in-game worries. A lot more challenging, shall be the exploration of derelict Habitats and supply caches, which are required for sustained nourishment. Unlike some movies about the Red Planet, you can’t grow your own food in Lacuna Passage. No miraculous crop of space potatoes this time around. Just some “delicious” sealed packs containing dried fruit or nuts which would make even canned dog food seem like a gourmet alternative. At least water, heat, oxygen and electricity are renewable resources and you can rest (and save game progress) while sleeping inside one of the Hab’s many bunk beds. A shower unit is present, but you cannot interact with it. Lots of potential for expansion, if the Habitat shall receive even more attention from the developer. [h1]Verdict[/h1] So far, Lacuna Passage shows the kind of promise and stability that places it above many other Early Access titles on Steam. Even if I won’t rate it, I can say this much: I recommend any Sci-fi fan of hardcore simulations, to give Lacuna a chance. There are currently no Achievements or Trading Cards, but I’m certain the dev can sort that out, by the time retail versions roll out. It’s not overpriced but if Lacuna Passage is out of your financial reach, wait for an inevitable Steam Sale and purchase it then. It's still more affordable than Take On Mars. I can hardly wait to write about the Lacuna’s story mode. [quote]This review was submitted for [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ImperialReviews]Imperial Reviews[/url] and [url=https://www.ticgn.com] The Inner Circle Games Network[/url]through the generous contribution of Nick Edward.[/quote]

It's time for my review. I won this game in a contest about a week ago. Picked it from six other games. Obviously I'm a longtime 'Long Dark' player and I've never warmed up to any other survival games. None of them. Especially not Subnautica which is too cartoonish for me and Idk, I just didn't like it. I read other comments where people said this game is Subnautica but instead, on Mars. Well that said, I must say there must be a bigger difference though since I love Lacuna Passage'! I'm having a blast trying to stay alive and explore. I hadn't even heard of this game yet but I think I've finally found my second survival game. It's my 12th try without dying now and I'm doing pretty well this time. Fun!

[h1]Доброе утро, Марс![/h1] [i]Как бы ни был тяжел сон анабиоза, но удар о поверхность посадочной капсулы окончательно приведет вас в чувства! *Остановка Марс, конечная*, - такие слова приходят сразу на ум. Вам дается установка, найти станцию, привести ее системы в чувства, и выжить, как бы банально это не звучало. Авторы постарались максимально близко к реальным приблизить атмосферу на планете: мрачное небо, тусклое солнце, пыльные бури. Никаких ярких красок, никакой мультяшности и аркады. Немного жутковатый пейзаж, темные и покинутые строения хаба, в котором вам предстоит жить и работать. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1432347284 Да, начинается рутина, починка, восстановление и собирание деталей для полноценной работы станции, кстати, у вас будет мастерская и склад, есть полноценный крафт. Процесс исследований планеты просто затягивает по уши, простор для пеших прогулок обширный, тем более, что вам придется восстановить работу навигационных вышек, для лучшего ориентирования на местности и поиска схронов всякого рода. Да, многие конечно забивают на все на это и просто идут путем мародера, собирая ресурсы, в бесконечном путешествии. Но это вам быстро надоест, я думаю. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1431575075 Надеюсь, завезут *кухню*, тем более, она в наличии уже есть в хабе. Чтобы можно было готовить продукты, а не есть сухпайки. Просто, это бы еще и разнообразила геймплей. История оставляет положительные впечатления, очень затягивает, и, надеюсь, ее не испортят к релизу ничем[/i]

You might think being the only astronaut trapped on a barren world like Mars would lead to an adventure that tests the very limits of human endeavour and resilience. Or at least provides an environment that challenges you to use your initiative in order to survive. Unfortunately Lacuna Passage's gameplay is about as devoid of life as the Red Planet's surface. Watch our first impressions of the game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn6EH0Qb9Wc I can appreciate that being trapped on a featureless alien world would be a little monotonous in real life. But this is a game after all and it should be fun (or at least a challenging distraction). Unfortunately Lacuna Passage is just tedious and dull. Apart from locating a few habitats, doing a few running repairs and tracking down the occasional supply pod or science rover this game features no engaging gameplay. There are no dynamic events like sandstorms, meteor showers, seismic activity or even a fire aboard the HAB (at least as far as I've experienced) that would add tension to experience. It is due to have story mode added at some point in the future but at the moment there is nothing to hunt for in the way of audio logs or mission diaries. There is even an absence of music or creative sound design in the game. Yes - this is an Early Access title and does have scope to develop and grow. And I must say in the couple of hours I've spent with it I've not experienced any major bugs or issues (that are common place with Early Access games). But at the same time there are no redeeming features to the game and at the moment there is no way I can recommend this to anyone at any price. By all means keep an eye on it but until the developers put some flesh on the bones of it Lacuna Passage is going no where.

The original developer sold it to other people who was very enthusiastic at the beginning but soon lost their momentum. Now it is completely abandoned: no news, no updates, no game, actually.

It's very difficult to recommed this game at this particular stage I think. Currently, it's very bare bones and devoid of much to do other than surviving for the sake of it with no real goal. The framework is there for something great eventually however! Pros: Large area to explore Some neat touches Lots of realism in the survial mechanics Cons: Not much to do or see Very little explanation of anything or how much of anything works No real tutorial No story mode as of yet (that would make a great start for a tutorial) Lengthy loading times each time you embark or disembark a Habitat Nothing really "going on" on the planet. No storms, blowing sand/dust or anything similar (thus far) Unfortuantely there is no inbetween Steam button and I cannot say I would recommend it. However, I will say if you like survival games or scifi games and want to be in another early access survival game, maybe check this out. Other than that, there's not much for anyone else really at this time. Gameplay: https://youtu.be/VBBNpRL5ZJ8

Hallo Freunde des gepflegten Survival-Spielvergnügens! Heute gebe ich ein Review zum Titel "La.... Möööööp. Ich bin nicht mehr gewillt weiterzuschreiben. Meine Kräfte lassen nach. Familiäre Probleme.... drei Welpen adoptiert, ein Kind produziert, Oma und Opa verstorben, tja das Leben ist kein Törtchen. Oh mein Gott. Der Reviewschreiber hat einfach mitten im Review die Segel gestrichen!!! Alptraum! Neeeeeinnn.. Tja Leute, weiter unten im Text lasse ich Euch ein paar leere Textboxen frei, könnt ihr nach dem Kauf selbst eintragen wie Ihr das Spiel findet. Ok, Spass beseite. Der Entwickler hat heute doch tatsächlich verkündet, dass das Spiel im EA bis auf weiteres bleibt und er nur noch Bugfixing betreibt. Will heißen: ER MACHT DEN ABFLUG!!! Am Ende seines unsagbar langatmigen Textes meinte er dass er vielleicht, vielleicht auch nicht, oder vielleicht doch, aber sicherlich nicht gleich, irgendwann weitermachen möchte. Mmmh. Hey Tyler Owen, ist das etwa echt Dein ernst?! Du haust ab? Lässt uns alle allein, ohne auch nur einen Gedanken daran zu verschwenden dass wir uns alle auf Deine Programmierkünste verlassen haben??? So. Meine Rache wird bitter sein! Ich werde Dir ein NEGATIVES Review geben. Wird den Kerl zwar Null interessieren, aber dem habe ich es jetzt gezeigt. Ihr bei Steam sollte mal langsam gut überlegen wie viele Kunden ihr mit solchen Flaschen-Programmierern noch vergraulen wollt! Liebe Leute, das Spiel fing echt gut an - ehrlich - aber das was jetzt geschieht ist echt das Letzte! FINGER WEG! Das Spiel wird nicht mehr weiter entwickelt und ist somit eine binäre Bruchbude! Jeder der ein positives Review zum Spiel gemacht hat sollte es schleunigst in ein negatives umwandeln! Ich hoffe ich konnte Euch eindringlich genug warnen! Danke und Augen auf beim Spielekauf! Euer Survivalstevie!

Been in development for several years with nothing to show for it.

Like others have said, another abandoned cash grab that makes you question all other early access titles. As this game will never be finished, and the developer has ceased to work on the project, I dont know why Steam continues to sell it. After games like this, I have no faith in Kickstarters or early access. Its all just a legal scam. In its current state, it is a decent walking simulator, but even then it falls short. I recently tried to play it again, giving it another chance, and my character got stuck walking. There is an auto walk key, but I didnt press it. I was trying to interact with hab systems, and all I could do was run past them, stuck walking. I checked everything, and then just gave up. Much like the dev of this game. Dont waste your money.

NÃO COMPRE. ABANDONADO. A ideia é interessante... um survival com manutenção de base em um ambiente como Marte realmente soa legal. O projeto obviamente prometia mais do que provavelmente o dev seria capaz de entregar, mas por gostar da ideia eu dei o crédito. Ultima comunicação da equipe foi ha 2 anos com promessas de retorno que jamais serão cumpridas... Mais um survival early access de 2017... mais um abandonado por aqui a espera de desavisados. NÃO COMPRE.