Lovish

Lovish is a very stylish love-letter game to the era of NES, mixing a lot of the great retro feel and mechanics into an enjoyable blend of short, one-room levels with a charming personality.

Lovish is a retro-styled 8-bit game that brilliantly blends action, platforming, and humor. With its straightforward action levels that demand planning and quick, dynamic problem-solving, and random events with unpredictable outcomes, LABS Works' new title never fails to surprise. Without a doubt, it's a highly engaging game that leaves you wanting to explore every corner of the castle.

Lovish is a very special indie game that really stands out with its unique campaign and top-notch random humour. How could you not love it? ❤️

Charming and fun 8-bit-infused 2D action platformer on Switch

Lovish is a cute and sweet 8-Bit retro-inspired action game that parodies the hero-saves-the-princess trope. Each puzzle room is filled with challenging obstacles and enemies that are constantly changing and evolving throughout your playthrough. Though there are some issues, such as the game’s stores stocking useless items, there being no way to pause the game and boring boss fights, Lovish makes up for this by including a lot of secret levels to find and explore, meaning that there is a lot for players to discover and experience after the base game is beaten.

The thing I really enjoyed about Lovish is that it's just very surprising. Many of the cinematics are clever, there's a set of late-game bosses and stages and directly reference many NES games from my childhood including Super Mario Bros. 3 and Bubble Bobble, among others, and you'll occasionally find yourself playing a shockingly long minigame based directly on some old favorites. The cinematics might get old, and some of the Crowns are weirdly hard to find, but overall, I think this Lovish is a fun romp.

Combining ingenious ideas with practical simplicity, Lovish has dozens of short stages that need to be played multiple times to uncover their various secrets. The vibrant music, the cynical comedy of playing as a petty knight, and the many references to the video games universe add extra charm to an adventure that is charismatic, silly, and will appeal to fans of retro action platformers.

A little more TLC with the boss battles might have resulted in a more memorable experience, but Lovish is a satisfying adventure nonetheless. It’s a timeless type of entertainment that takes a simple a premise and runs with it. As the gaming industry continues to get more complex, bigger, and frustrating, it’s a solid reminder that at the end of the day, what matters most is creating a product that people can have fun with.

Despite its simplicity and minuteness, Lovish is an 8-bit retro platformer that gets right to the point with its retro charm. Some of its progression feels archaic, but it makes up for it with tongue-in-cheek satire and tight platforming. It's a delight of an indie gem that's best appreciated by 90s kids who are still wearing their rose-colored glasses.

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