Game Rant spoke to CosmicNobab about the project they began with the wish to play a game with anime-styled characters on the moon. What started out as a solo endeavor became something far bigger as other talented people pitched in to help. Now LunarLux is being published by Freedom Games, and the game is in full-time development with a dedicated team.
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The Core of LunarLux
“Game development was my dream job,” CosmicNobab said. “I wanted to take the leap into that field someday.” The budding developer learned how to program with RPG Maker while also working as a full-time electrical engineer. Looking back, Nobab said they’re thankful for the experience that their former job gave them.
The core concept of LunarLux was inspired by ideas CosmicNobab said they “personally really latch onto.” They’ve enjoyed thinking of a future where the human race has advanced in space exploration to where society thrives on other planets. While establishments like SpaceX help push this goal closer to reality, Nobab says they also look into more fantastical elements such as wormholes and antimatter black holes to expand LunarLux’s fantasy world.
LunarLux’s Blend of Reality and Fiction
Instead of focusing on one or the other, CosmicNobab said the title aims to be a mix of both real, scientific concepts and fantastical sci-fi scenarios. These ideas can be seen in its demo through the lunar panels that protagonist Bella needs to collect in order to progress. While there were many sci-fi games shown off at Summer Game Fest, LunarLux specifically aims to get its players curious about the reality of space as they play.
Just because the PC-bound indie game takes inspiration from real life doesn’t mean the title is educational in nature. CosmicNobab wants to use scientific studies about space to influence LunarLux’s world, but players won’t get the whole picture if they only follow what the game shows. This is done deliberately to reward those who explore frequently, while also leaving it up to the players to learn more about space for themselves.
“There are a bunch of other nods to science in LunarLux,” they said. “There are characters in these areas as well that might be able to explain it to you further if you want to know that information.” This helps keep the futuristic world immersive despite taking place in a time far ahead of the present day. The use of real-world science helps Nobab and their team think about how humans would truly live in this environment.
Making a living, breathing world for players to explore is one of the most important parts of LunarLux in Nobab’s eyes. “I really enjoy being able to really delve into a world and fully immerse myself in it in role-playing games,” they said, feeling that exploration is one of the most important aspects of the genre. In order to feel like they’re traversing a lively planet, players need plenty of detailed things to interact with. This seems to be an important tenet CosmicNobab Games aims to keep in mind as they build the world on LunarLux’s moon.
Players don’t have to wait to experience this world, as LunarLux’s chapter one demo can be found on Steam as of this writing. While the demo may only offer a glimpse into what fans can expect, CosmicNobab said this demo is an example of the quality fans can expect when the full game launches next year.
LunarLux is scheduled to release in late 2023 for PC, with a demo available now on Steam.
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