The crowdfunding campaign for an interesting light/dark puzzle game just launched on Indiegogo. Night Lights is the latest effort by Russian developer Artem Cheranev. The game features the interaction of 'shadow objects' that disappear when lit up. Artem is looking for $20,000 USD to fund the game for a September 2018 release on PC, Mac and Linux.

The game doesn't stray too far from its puzzle-platformer roots. There are boxes to move and switches to push while you keep an eye out for light sources. Lamps are abundant and the beams can be moved to illuminate different areas. Make platforms, ladders, and even entire walls disappear with the power of light. You'll also have to collect crystals to power machines and teleporters to advance to the next stage.

If successful, Night Lights will also include:

  • Different night places to explore: forests, city rooftops and more strange locations
  • Various mechanisms, powered by crystals
  • System of portals, giving you a little bit of freedom in order of completing the levels
  • Approximately 5 hours of gameplay
  • Keyboard and controller support
  • Lightbulb in your head

The last point is hard to understand until you see a plushie of the protagonist ($500 USD tier reward).

Night Lights

The game currently has a demo available so you can try it before backing. There's also a Steam Greenlight page to help increase the reach of the platformer.

The game itself has a certain charm that is hard to point out. While the toggling of lights and a silhouetted world is nothing new within indie games, the crisp design and traditional looking gameplay make the title seem pretty solid. The backgrounds also really stand out to me: the blocky, industrial city, or the densely packed, yet lonely looking forest.

Also, what's not to love about a main character with a bulb on its head? Who knows how many bright ideas you can come up with with that thing up there.

The campaign is on until February 7th with Night Lights still having a long way to go financially. $8 USD gets you the early bird digital copy whereas the $10 USD mark is left for those who don't back quick enough. The trailer below might help you decide if you'd like to back and hey, if you leave your computer on, could serve as a decent night light.