Luke Daimont: Absolute Mayhem

This is a review of the file which is downloaded on July 14, 2023.
My playtime: 00:19:04 (last save before the final boss)

Intro
Luke Daimont: Absolute Mayhem is a mix of action and turn-based game. Set in a world where an evil genius is trying to wreak havoc with his mutant army, it's time for the great Luke Daimont to save the world.

Graphics
The game mostly uses default RTP assets. I like that each character has their own portrait - it makes all characters look important, even the small fry. However, some areas like the inn and the city look empty, which I believe looked that way due to the sidescroller view.

Story
As expected of a game that lasts for less than 30 minutes, there isn't much to the story. It focuses more on the gameplay while still giving some plot in between. Surprisingly, the dialogue is great - I liked the humor that was put in it, and the plot itself doesn't feel too confusing to read.

The Game
Gameplay
The gameplay in Luke Daimont: Absolute Mayhem is divided into two sections: story and combat. While the story section is more straightforward, the combat is more complex. It is played in a sidescroller view where you need to reach the goal within the time limit while taking care of the enemies on the map. You are not required to beat all of them, although they might prove to be a hassle since touching them will initiate the turn-based mode.

All enemies die in one hit in the turn-based mode, but they hit fast and hard. You have two types of attacks: snipe and full-auto. Snipe targets one enemy with high accuracy, while full-auto targets multiple times and has lower accuracy. The damage that you take will rely on luck, and if you are unlucky, you will die. Luckily, the game is very forgiving in this regard. You will spawn right from where you left off at the cost of 500 points - the in-game currency that will be obtained after you either defeat the enemy in the turn-based mode or clear the levels.



What I like about the gameplay is how you can choose to kill the enemy. You are armed with a gun that can shoot the enemy, eliminating the need to battle them in the turn-based mode. However, it takes time to beat them all this way - there are a lot of enemies, and targeting them, especially the flying ones, can be hard to do. I missed several times when I did that from a safe distance. That being said, it still doesn't stop me from killing all enemies this way. It's way too hard to resist.

The instructions need some work, though. It took me a while to figure out how to jump between the platforms correctly, even after reading the instructions. Note that you need to do a lot of jumping to reach the goal at every level, so it can be problematic if you couldn't figure it out. The motorcycle riding minigame also wasn't clear enough for me. Since it lasts for minutes, I thought that I had to kill all enemies within the time limit before I could continue, especially since some of the obstacles look repeated. Also, the game seems to not running smoothly when this minigame happens.



Length and Difficulty
I finished the game in less than 30 minutes. The game isn't difficult to beat - there are 5 levels in total and 2 bosses. Although you'll die several times, you can pick up from where you left off and keep on trying whenever you die. The only issue I got was when I had to beat the first boss. That one was harder than the final boss and take too long to finish.

Pros:
- Jokes
- Simple gameplay

Cons:
- It can take a while to learn how to play

Final Rating: 4/5
I enjoyed the jokes and the music that is played in each level makes me pumped up. It's the perfect choice for that segment. The first boss fight and the motorcycle minigame need some work, though. Those two are the least of my favorites.