At this point, I’ve covered a decent handful of demos. However, none have been quite like Luto. Usually, demos showcase a part of the final game. Broken Bird Games and Entalto Games have gone a different route for this. The demo for Luto is a showcase of ideas, an example of the kind of game the developers are making without spoiling the main event. Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about this. Let’s get into it!
What is Luto?
Luto is an upcoming psychological horror experience. You play the role of a man, inexplicably unable to leave his own home. The game will explore the pain of loss, grief, and the darkness behind anxiety and depression, amongst other things. The world within the house is full of secrets, and challenges. The lines between fact and fiction are blurred.
Although not particularly covered in the demo, Luto itself will contain depictions of suicide, as well as mental health topics. Please play with caution if you are sensitive to these topics!
The Demo
The demo for Luto is a relatively short experience. You spawn (for want of a better word) inside a house, with limited rooms available to explore. The house is messy, almost falling apart in some areas. To progress, you must solve a couple of puzzles, and essentially fill in the blanks in the picture series.
I’m not going to lie, friends. I don’t know how I feel about the demo for Luto. The concept is unique and interesting. To show off the thematic ideas and gameplay, minus the game’s story. However, that’s exactly where I ran into problems.
Not so Luto
The lack of a story is a huge issue for me. I’ve always associated demos with an introduction to a story and characters. An opportunity to show off what’s to come, and reel you in early. Genuinely, it is a great concept. Demoing without the story showcases the ability of the animation, art, and gameplay teams. And I do love that. It’s wonderful for extra light to be shed on that side of things.
But I don’t feel like I came out of this demo knowing any more about what the developers are trying to accomplish. All I’ve gotten from this experience is a haunted house. The last haunted house game I played was Madison, and I loved it. Admittedly, I was shocked at how much I loved it.
I truly hope that Luto has a lot more to offer than what the demo showed. If anything, it has got my interest piqued.
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