Unlocking the Joys of Luma Island: A Haven for Every Gamer

Choose Your Path: The OPEN World of Luma Island

Even from the very beginning of the game, Luma Island takes a hands-off approach that lets you be in-charge. The second your virtual feet touch the picturesque isle, you see an empty canvas in front of you that’s just waiting for you to start splattering it with vibrant colours. After making your character, you start life anew, fully equipped with nothing except rudimentary tools and a half-decent trailer for resting. Your first real taste of what awaits comes when you head to the nearest town – and make the crucial decision of what profession you want to pursue.

Craft Your Destiny: From Cook to Archeologist

There are seven professions to choose from – everything from the contemplative life of a cook or brewer to the semi-mad adventures of a treasure hunter or archeologist – and the path you start off on dictates the direction your character’s journey will take. Being a forest guard will give you a different set of goals than being an archeologist, geologist, baker, hunter, brewer or trader. And for the lay reader, the skill trees dictate the path your character will take through the game, providing you with a set of definite objectives based on the challenge level you choose. But, in keeping with the player-centric approach of the game’s myriad pathways, there is nothing that stops you from pursuing more than one profession. There’s even a currency system in the game, because you can’t throw a rock in The Sandbox without hitting a concept that could be monetised. In the end, every path leads to the centre of the island. The island is your oyster.

Expand and Master: The Homestead Advantage

Opting for the easier career path means that immediately you can begin collecting items and crafting right outside your doorstep. Your axe and pickaxe are the keys to access the stored wealth hiding in various types of materials and, upon returning home, their use at craft benches turns them into increasingly complex items and recipes. With your tools evolving as your player scales, forging this loop means also taking the hard work deeper into Luma Island. Farming is a fundamental component of the loop and, true to the name, it allows you to literally grow the seeds of your new homestead.

Adventure Awaits: Embracing the Challenge

Those with an appetite for danger can seek deadly traps or rare loot in the caves and temples of Luma Island, each of which are gruelling adventures in themselves, teeming with life that wants nothing to do with you. The isolated salvage missions test your courage and make you pump your fist in celebration when you return home with a plan. Each object you discover by saving a civilian or by plundering dangers in the world prompts you to ask why it exists, where it came from, how it works – and where you should take it next, to make it work better.

Unveiling Mysteries: The Quest for Ancient Keys

Collectively, through the cultivation of skills, the expansion of your homestead, and the gradual discovery of the island’s lore … there is a goal to which all players are drawn. At the heart of Luma Island lies a sealed temple, and as you clear dungeons, build and upgrade your homestead, the story gradually unfolds. Onion Knights is proof of the power of modest games: it allows you to invest your time, skills and trust in something that will pay off, and will nourish both your self-esteem and your mind over time.

The Lumas: Your Magical Companions

Every step of your journey is shared, thanks to these ethereal creatures called Lumas. Once hatched, Lumas remain with you until the end of the game, and accompany you on quests to dig up buried treasure. Lumas also help you collect all-important Luma Energy, the fuel you need to craft new items. Their presence adds an element of warmth and magic to your experience, and is emblematic of the spirit of discovery that the game itself celebrates.

A World of Choice: The Essence of Luma Island

At heart, Luma Island is a love letter to choice. It’s a story in support of the freedom to be, to grow, to explore, and to create your story in a welcoming world that’s as expansive as it is inviting. Created by Feel Free Games, Luma Island has the potential to be a game that gains a foothold in the space between AAA titles and indie darlings, and leaves its mark on players with their own Luma Island tales. It’s available on PC now, and is due to be released on console later this year. Luma Island is a game, a world, a story, and the most welcoming place on earth. All you need is you.

What is 'Open' in Gaming?

On Luma Island, and throughout video gaming in general, the word ‘open’ is not used only in the sense of open territory, or non-linear; it is also a freedom to ‘do’ games in your own way – to go where you want, to engage with the game world on your terms, and to pursue a story that is uniquely your own. ‘Open’ is a synonym for flexibility in playing games, and as such it is a defining principle in the player’s freedom to engage with a game the way they enjoy playing most, rather than the way they have been told to play. This is the openness of Luma Island.