Turn on lights and interact with other objects such as computer monitors and television remotes with a press of the A button. Occasionally, you may be too close to a light and accidentally off yourself when you meant to do something else, but once you figure out that you need to make sure your action is in the correct context, you shouldn’t find yourself repeating the mistake often. Still, this is something that may bother those with little patience for restarting levels.
Shoot your slingshot by switching to third-person view, and then point and shoot with the IR pointer and the A button. Toss a cherry bomb either from your traditional view-lock on to an area by using the IR pointer and pressing the A button, then making a tossing motion with the Wii Remote-or switch to third-person and then do the same. It’s all very easy to do, and can be down quickly and accurately after you practice a bit as well.
You will need to practice as well, because there are boss fights in this puzzler. Each boss is completely different from the last (there are five all told) and the goal is to send them back into the depths of the level by shining lights on them. These puzzle battles may take you a try or two before you figure out just where you need to go and what you should (or shouldn’t) do in order to succeed, but the feeling you have upon completing them is one of satisfaction for figuring it out.
Visually, LIT has a lot going for it. The art style is excellent, and has a very creepy vibe to it. There is not a lot of detail in the character or his surroundings, but part of that is due to the entire level being dark. Anything involving light and shadows has been done very well though, and there are plenty of nice touches. Some monitors or lights will start to falter and flash, which can change the look of the room, and if you pan your flashlight over one of the areas clouded in shadows, you will see the creatures that are trying to pull you under scampering away, back into the safety of the surrounding darkness.
Touches such as that, along with a soundtrack pulled straight out of old horror movies (as well as some tracks that have an old-school Metroid vibe to them-ominous, throbbing songs that enhance your feelings of isolation as they play in your head-make the horror portions of this game work, and work well. It’s not a survival horror game, and it isn’t meant to scare you or make you jump, but it is meant to convey a sense of isolation and desperation to survive, and in that, LIT succeeds.
This by itself would be worth the 800 Wii point price, but Wayforward has also included a “Dark Mode”, which is setup somewhat like a time trial mode. You try to escape rooms you have beaten previously before the level, which is continually dimming, goes completely dark and you are pulled under. For those of you looking for a serious challenge, this is the game mode for you. In addition, you can also go back and play any level from the main menu at any time once you’ve completed it, and there is also another playable character for you to use. With multiple game modes, multiple endings, another playable character and a solid game concept, this is easily a steal for 800 points.
With LIT, Wayforward has delivered one of the more intriguing titles on the WiiWare service. The combination of creepy horror vibes mixed with difficult puzzling gives this game appeal, and the little touches put into the light/dark mechanic as well as the wonderful art style all contribute to making this a no-brainer download for Wii fans in need of something to play.
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