Summary

  • The word gameplay in Leximan is quirky and interesting, often leading to silly but funny results.
  • Leximan offers an unexpected mix of different gaming genres, so be prepared to tackle different types of minigames and scenarios.
  • Leximan is one of the most unique games I've ever played.

I’ve never gone into a game thinking it's one thing only to discover it's something else completely like I have with Leximan. I first played its demo at EGX 2023, which introduced me to the titular character, a wizard apprentice who combines word fragments to cast spells. The use of vocabulary in battles is quirky and clever, and I mistakenly believed this to be indicative of the entire experience. I was wrong.

The wordplay I loved so much during the demo is still present, and I still snickered at some of the combinations and outcomes I achieved. For example, I thought spelling ‘DISARM’ would take away a goblin’s knife, but instead I removed his arms entirely. Certainly, a different way to win the battle. But Leximan’s command of vocabulary is just one part of a much bigger package. As the first mechanic you’re introduced to, you’re lulled into a false sense of what to expect.

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Nothing could have prepared me for the evolution that Leximan goes through, nor the whiplash you receive as you get thrown from one genre to the next. Imagine getting on a ride and it changing from a loop-de-loop rollercoaster to a gentle kid’s caterpillar, to a water flume, to suddenly a 4D cinema trip. Leximan mixed it up so often I was never sure what would come next. It’s supremely chaotic. After I rolled credits on the true ending I sort of sat there scratching my head thinking, ‘What just happened?’, before realising, ‘I think I enjoyed that’.

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Leximan utilises 2D pixel graphics with a retro feel, but the more I progressed, the more I realised that it paid homage to gaming’s history in more ways than aesthetics. As well as flinging out your formed words to win battles, you’ll be dodging AoE markers or running around the screen to avoid projectiles in different rooms. As I left the wizard tower and ventured into the woods, it became a city-builder resource game, then I went to the city by way of a Frogger-like minigame, and questing suddenly became a thing. Quests included various minigames, such as delivering mail via a hard-to-control car, matching correct coffee orders to customers, and sorting spam from important emails.

The next area adopted a more point-and-click style. You venture from screen to screen collecting random junk, speaking to different characters to learn new information, and solving problems using your collection of crap to overcome whatever obstacle is in front of you. For that timeless point-and-click feel, you must combine some items to solve certain issues. This was my favourite part of Leximan as I have a particular soft spot for puzzle-solving and point-and-click games. I loved the challenge it provided when things weren’t quite as simple as they seemed, and the end of this section offered an interesting puzzle where you have to strategically pair the correct ally to the correct job to move to the next area.

By this point, I was wondering what would come next, but knowing I was heading into a dungeon should have been the only clue I needed; it was time for some classic turn-based battles. True to the genre, you can swap out your party members at campfires and each have their own unique moves and spells. Pairing specific allies together and fighting with them allows builds bonds that trigger special scenes when you next go to a campfire, with moments of reconciliation, romance, and, of course, some Leximan-branded weirdness.

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I was pretty impressed with how much Leximan was offering up with its strange but captivating smorgasbord of genres. None of the different phases lasted long enough to outstay their welcome, and there were a few sections I had to attempt more than once, so there was definitely an element of challenge. You certainly realise what type of gameplay you’re weak at when you’re having to multitask so many at once, and it turns out avoiding projectiles in a bullet hell frenzy is where I fail spectacularly.

While I ultimately enjoyed the wild ride that Leximan offers, which pays tribute to classic retro gaming genres in a unique and wonderfully weird way, I couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the game I thought I would be playing. I would have liked to see more of the spelling and vocabulary mash-ups come into play, with more options, variations, and outcomes, but I can’t deny that the surprising trip down retro gaming memory lane was a welcome jaunt.

Normally in reviews, you worry about revealing narrative spoilers, yet with Leximan the real depth is in the gameplay shifts rather than the storyline. Though there is a plot, it feels quite general and only really grows in interest in the last part of the game when it takes a darker turn. It feels a shame to reveal the twists and turns of the genre-hopping, as I think part of what made it so enjoyable was that it was so utterly unexpected, yet it would be doing a disservice to Leximan to not acknowledge here what makes it special.

Leximan is one of the most unique games I’ve played in a long time. It’s a love letter to old-school gaming and retro fans are sure to appreciate the genre medley. While a few points felt a bit clunky or unclear, the humour and unique gameplay shines through and though it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, I’m glad I played it.

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Leximan

Puzzle Narrative Systems 3.5/5 Released August 13, 2024 Developer(s) Knights of Borria Publisher(s) Marvelous Europe Engine Unity Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Platform(s) PC Expand Collapse Pros & Cons
  • The word gameplay is quirky and interesting
  • Unique mashup of gameplay genres
  • Silly but lovable humour
  • Some parts felt a little clunky
  • More of the word gameplay would have been welcome
  • Narrative wasn?t that strong