An android is led through a vast structure by a glitch in his visual system. Lorn's Lure is an atmospheric narrative first-person platformer with novel climb-anything mechanics and modernized retro 3D graphics.
The game lets players control an android protagonist who can climb, wall-run, and leap across massive, interconnected environments. A unique "climb-anything" mechanic allows scaling nearly any vertical surface using pickaxe tools. This grants a tremendous sense of freedom and verticality, as players can creatively navigate the sprawling levels. Many praise the traversal mechanics as challenging yet deeply satisfying to master. Executing precise jumps, wall-grabs, and stamina management becomes a core part of the gameplay loop. As players progress, they unlock new movement abilities like double-jumps and grappling hooks, further expanding traversal options.
The game world is vast and complex, offering numerous optional routes and secrets to discover beyond the main path forward. Players frequently find themselves looking for alternate ways to reach objectives, experimenting with different approaches. This nonlinear design is a major draw, as players derive satisfaction from finding their own path through the levels. Discovering new vantage points, hidden passages, and collectibles fuels a spirit of curiosity and genuine exploration in the "labyrinth-like" environment.
The emphasis on multiple pathways allows for a high degree of player agency. Skilled players can often find sequences of moves to bypass or shortcut intended challenges, expressing their creativity and mastery of the movement system. This skill expression is a core part of the experience. Players take pride in finding unique ways to navigate the levels, as the game encourages a sense of personal investment and accomplishment through its lack of a prescribed "right" way to progress.
While challenging, the gameplay is praised as "tough but fair," with a steep but rewarding difficulty curve. Failures are not overly punishing due to a generous checkpoint system, allowing for experimentation and risk-taking. Many report a deep satisfaction in overcoming obstacles through persistence and improving their mastery of the mechanics. The difficulty is cited as a core part of the appeal, as tackling and overcoming the platforming challenges heightens the player's investment in the experience.