A lot of buzz has been created around the Metroidvania platformer Lone Fungus since it launched in Steam Early Access earlier this year, with comparisons being made to genre standouts like Hollow Knight and Celeste coming up in the process.
For a number of reasons, I think this small indie game from Basti Games caught my attention for a number of reasons, including the fact that it has been developed alone by the developer. The game is described as a “handcrafted open-world platformer set in a world built by mushrooms,” and that sounds like a beautiful twist on one of my favorite genres of games, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. In spite of the fact that the store isn’t overflowing with reviews – 94 percent of them are positive, which is a good thing – there are a lot of reviewers pointing out Hollow Knight and Celeste in particular, which is easy to understand after digging a bit deeper into the game.
It has been said that if Celeste and Hollow Knight had a child together, the child would be named Lone Fungus, according to Steam user Buzzo, if Celeste and Hollow Knight had a child together. In this game, he says, it feels like a mix of Hollow Knight and Celeste, especially for those of us who have played Hollow Knight and Celeste. According to the Mstegosaurus, this movie is a great combination of Hollow Knight and Celeste, and I am sure that it will be a hit with fans.” This movie is a mixture of Hollow Knight and Celeste, agrees Holdenjerm. I believe it is best that catWithAcap put it when they said that, “Celeste + Hollow Knight = Win.”
The comparisons aren’t just being drawn by players; they are also being drawn by experts. In terms of the Steam page, it states that the game has Emblems and Relics that are very similar to the Charm system in Hollow Knight. Additionally, it mentions that the game has “unique and challenging platforming gameplay that is reminiscent of modern platformers such as Celeste, but set in an open world.”
There is no doubt that the massive organic world, equippable relics, and oddly cute protagonist of Hollow Knight are all present in Lone Fungus to some extent. In addition to its four-directional slash attacks, our mushroom hero’s downward slash is also a familiar one as well, particularly its bouncing downward slash. However, I am getting an almost Mega Man vibe from Lone Fungus’ parry and magic systems, which seem to be more versatile than Hollow Knight’s combat system in any case.
A number of reviewers have described Celeste DNA as a game more about Lone Fungus’ responsive, demanding platforming, which Hollow Knight showcased in intermittent bursts of intensity, such as Path of Pain, and not throughout the entire game. It appears that platforming will dominate this game, and according to the developer, much of it will be based on challenging zones reminiscent of Celeste’s most vicious levels, right down to ziplines and rebounding. Even though these sections are mandatory, it is impressive that Lone Fungus even has movement systems in place to support this type of design, in spite of the fact that they are mandatory.
All of which means that Lone Fungus looks very promising and very much something I am looking forward to, especially after reading such positive early reviews about it. Steam is offering a 20% off discount on the game through the 14th of April for those looking to jump on board soon.
