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La-Mulana and Why You Should Play It

Blogs > Ghin
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Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
June 02 2013 11:51 GMT
#1
._.)/")

La-Mulana is a game where you pretend to be an archaeologist exploring a massive set of monster-infested ruins. It is a 2D platformer in the style of Super Metroid or the newer Castlevania games. There are lots of puzzles in every area and lots of traps that will kill you if you are foolish enough to set them off. It is also stupidly, frustratingly hard.

[image loading]
adventure! oh boy!

Seriously, this game is really hard. Some of the puzzles are so hard that you are going to have to get a piece of paper and take notes. The monsters aren't particularly hard, but some of the bosses had me wondering what to do. I really don't know how to describe how difficult/frustrating/rewarding this game is. If you are the kind of person who uses a walkthrough, this is not a game you should be playing. If you are the kind of person who throws controllers, this is not a game for you.

[image loading]
don't worry, no one else has any idea whats going on in this picture either

So what do you actually do in this game? You walk around, jump like a basketball player, and hit monsters with a whip. There are switches within the ruins that need to be pressed to open chests and doors, move things around, drop spikes on your head, or other less obvious things. I am trying really hard not to be specific and spoil the game.

[image loading]
of course there are annoying birds

There are lots of traps. There are so many that you won't be able to recognize all of them as traps. Do you like being randomly struck by lightning? Do you like being crushed by boulders covered in spikes? If you said yes, this is a game you will enjoy.

[image loading]
this is going to be a familiar image to anyone who has played the game

If you can get over the absurd level of difficulty, La-Mulana is an extremely rewarding, well-crafted game. There is an incredible feeling of accomplishment when you solve a puzzle or destroy a giant robot riding a dragon. There are also tons of secrets that you simply won't find unless you play the game through several times or someone tells you where they are.

[image loading]
THE GIANT FACE WILL BE DISPLEASED IF YOU DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME

You can buy it on steam for 15$.

***
Legalize drugs and murder.
kollin
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United Kingdom8380 Posts
June 02 2013 12:03 GMT
#2
What happened to Mount and Blade?
Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
June 02 2013 12:12 GMT
#3
On June 02 2013 21:03 kollin wrote:
What happened to Mount and Blade?

I couldn't get the game to do anything interesting enough to write about lol.

choose 1:

+ Show Spoiler +
-chased bandits
-ran out of money
-got bored and quit

or

-chased bandits
-ran out of money
-dueled some dirty vaegir picking on peasants
-entire dirty vaegir army was waiting nearby and took me prisoner
-quit

or

-captured by steppe bandits
-lose all people
-captured again trying to escape
-captured again trying to escape
-quit
Legalize drugs and murder.
kollin
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United Kingdom8380 Posts
June 02 2013 12:14 GMT
#4
That's actually very close to my experience with the game D:
Corvi
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Germany1406 Posts
June 02 2013 12:18 GMT
#5
this game is not hard, there are like a thousand hints in the game ...
Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-06-02 13:07:00
June 02 2013 12:31 GMT
#6
On June 02 2013 21:18 Corvi wrote:
this game is not hard, there are like a thousand hints in the game ...

starcraft isnt that hard, i can beat 7 computers

[image loading]
Legalize drugs and murder.
Mahanaim
Profile Joined December 2012
Korea (South)1002 Posts
June 02 2013 15:09 GMT
#7
No money, I'll pass XD
Besides, I don't enjoy puzzle games that much ^^;
Celebrating Starcraft since... a long time ago.
32
Profile Joined February 2010
United States163 Posts
June 02 2013 17:57 GMT
#8
Just play Spelunky, it's free and operates similar to a rogue-like except it isn't...
Starcraft 2
Profile Blog Joined January 2013
United States64 Posts
June 02 2013 17:59 GMT
#9
On June 03 2013 02:57 32 wrote:
Just play Spelunky, it's free and operates similar to a rogue-like except it isn't...


This is the first thing I thought of too, you even still have a whip!
EG.HuG[RC]
KonekoTyriin
Profile Joined March 2008
United States60 Posts
June 02 2013 18:05 GMT
#10
I'm actually currently working my way through this for the first time. I really don't like the jump mechanics; I don't think the neutral jump should be that much better than the running jump, and having no control when you walk off an edge is bothersome. But the game has a lot of cool ideas in it. You need both puzzle skills and action skills to make it through.

Because you end up having several different places at which you suspect you might be able to advance, there is often the problem of either trying to fight a probably-meant-for-later boss or bashing your head against the silly puzzle that might not actually be solvable with what you currently have. I spend something like ten times longer trying to figure out what to do next than I do actually exploring places. Nevertheless, it feels very rewarding when you do actually solve a cool puzzle (when it wasn't just 'which apparently identical section of wall is breakable?') or make it through a tough boss (I accidentally fought the fourth boss first, it was pretty hard you guys).

It's both cool and stupid that installing different combinations of games on your laptop results in different game mechanics. I feel like it's totally not a spoiler to recommend buying all the software you come across and check every pair of things for a special effect (both icons will glow white briefly when a pair is equipped.) The game is much, much harder (maybe impossible?) if you don't have access to these abilities.

Overall I would recommend La-Mulana to anyone who has a high bullshit tolerance, and especially to that curious intersection of the populace that likes both cryptograms and action games.
THIS COURAGE OF MINE BURNS WITH AN AWESOME COURAGE
Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-06-02 18:31:44
June 02 2013 18:27 GMT
#11
lmao Bahamut is probably the hardest boss in the game in my opinion. Until you get the axe or the flare gun, he is retardedly difficult. The later bosses aren't that bad because you have the Chakram.

actually maybe Pazuzu is harder. he's certainly more annoying. My strategy for Pazuzu was: + Show Spoiler +
empty revolver into his face


also this game is easily 40 hours long on your first playthrough.

also the 1 star bandit strikes again! lol
Legalize drugs and murder.
Ydriel
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Italy516 Posts
June 02 2013 20:11 GMT
#12
Game looks nice but.....it looks waaay too similar to Spelunky, which is also pretty great and freeware. How do they differ?
<3 SC2 <3<3 Dota 2. Steam ID: HellS
setzer
Profile Joined March 2010
United States3284 Posts
June 02 2013 20:23 GMT
#13
Spelunky is more of a roguelike and La-mulana is a metroidvania style of game. La-Mulana is heavily based on the old MSX games like Maze of Galious. It's a lot more evident if you play the original instead of the re-make as the sprites and textures are very reminiscent of how the MSX games looked.

Anyway, La-Mulana has been out for a lot longer than Spelunky and deserves a lot more respect than being labeled as some a Spelunky knock-off. Any fan of the Super Metroid or Symphony of the Night should give this a try.

A link to an LP by DeceasedCrab of the remake, and also one of the original: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5AE8EE0B96CB97E2 http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL25D2DC18FBD81577
Meow-Meow
Profile Blog Joined May 2013
Germany451 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-06-02 20:40:56
June 02 2013 20:28 GMT
#14
This game is freeware as well, I don't know why it's on steam for 9.99...

Can you play it using a game-pad?
| (• ◡•)|╯ ╰(❍ᴥ❍ʋ) Like all techno, it's hard to tell if it's good music played horribly or horrible music played well.
Ydriel
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Italy516 Posts
June 03 2013 03:08 GMT
#15
Hmm, seems the game's got a lot more history than I thought. Seems it's no longer freeware though xD Might give it a try some time, I'm a fan of the genre (big sucker for Metroid, also love Castlevania).
<3 SC2 <3<3 Dota 2. Steam ID: HellS
Flossy
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States870 Posts
June 03 2013 03:23 GMT
#16
First thing I thougt of was Indiana Jones.
etternaonline.com
Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
June 03 2013 03:26 GMT
#17
On June 03 2013 05:28 Meow-Meow wrote:
This game is freeware as well, I don't know why it's on steam for 9.99...

Can you play it using a game-pad?

The steam version is a remake with some of the puzzles and gameplay changed. The graphics and music are also better. It's different if you are the type of person who doesn't have 15$ lol. And you can use a controller
Legalize drugs and murder.
Imagist
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Australia484 Posts
June 03 2013 03:45 GMT
#18
La-Mulana has some of the best aesthetics and design of any game I've ever seen, and I also highly recommend it.

The first two areas are great for player-training and narrative develoment.

When the difficulty ramps up, it really ramps up, but attention to detail and a couple of tries will get you through most of it. There are very few utterly bullshit puzzles in La-Mulana.
I enjoy Starcraft when I'm not too busy being dynamic and attractive.
ThunderGod
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
New Zealand897 Posts
June 06 2013 05:24 GMT
#19
Looks like Pitfall of Windows 95 fame.
"Certain forms of popular music nowadays, namely rap and hip hop styles, are just irritating gangsters bragging about their illegal exploits and short-sighted lifestyles." - Shiverfish ~2009
Animzor
Profile Joined March 2011
Sweden2154 Posts
June 06 2013 12:02 GMT
#20
Just downloaded this and gave it a try. Holy shit that music got me pumped as hell.
Ghin
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States2391 Posts
June 06 2013 13:26 GMT
#21
On June 06 2013 21:02 Animzor wrote:
Just downloaded this and gave it a try. Holy shit that music got me pumped as hell.


I was trying so hard not to spoil the game that I don't think I adequately described how awesome it is. The music and everything else is great and you can tell they spent a ton of time on it.
Legalize drugs and murder.
Animzor
Profile Joined March 2011
Sweden2154 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-06-07 13:09:04
June 07 2013 13:03 GMT
#22
On June 03 2013 05:11 Ydriel wrote:
Game looks nice but.....it looks waaay too similar to Spelunky, which is also pretty great and freeware. How do they differ?


The only similarity between these games is that both have whips. The original post really doesn't do this game justice.
Animzor
Profile Joined March 2011
Sweden2154 Posts
June 07 2013 13:06 GMT
#23
On June 06 2013 22:26 Ghin wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 06 2013 21:02 Animzor wrote:
Just downloaded this and gave it a try. Holy shit that music got me pumped as hell.


I was trying so hard not to spoil the game that I don't think I adequately described how awesome it is. The music and everything else is great and you can tell they spent a ton of time on it.


I've played a bit more now and I am completely in love with this game. Feels like playing Symphony of the Night for the first time. This is slightly more difficult though, which is great. I also love the hilariously insane guy who keeps emailing you.

Thanks for making this thread!
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