Vibrant retro arcade shooter

Luminesce is a free arcade video game that was developed by indie creator Spacespy. It’s a top-down shooter made in retro styling, featuring 2D pixel-like graphics and a neon-inspired theme. In it, players will shoot down enemies and collect gems to aim for the highest scores they can.

Similar to Retro Invaders, Luminesce has inspiration for the classic Space Invaders game for its design and gameplay. Its graphics are simple but effective, the controls are easy to learn, and there is a lot of fast-paced action for players who want to aim for high scores every run.

How do I play Luminesce?

Luminesce is very straightforward has no overarching story, which is perfectly fine for the arcade shooter that it is. In it, you take control of a spaceship, and your main objective is to shoot down and defeat waves of enemies. Along the way, you collect gems to add points to your total score. Also, you get to pick up upgrades for your ship. Some of them include increasing firing rates or additional guns for more firepower.

For controls, you can use your keyboard’s WASD or Arrow keys for movement and scroll through the game’s menus. The Shift key is for selecting items or using your special ability when it’s fully charged. Alternatively, you are also given the option to use a gamepad instead, if you prefer. This time, you will use your DPAD for movement/navigation and your X/A button for selecting or using your ability.

Just be aware this Luminesce is a simple game before you get into it. It’s rather thin on content right now, and it doesn’t have any special features like additional game modes or more advanced gameplay mechanics in place. The developer is planning to add more in the future, but that is pretty much still up in the air as of this writing.

A decent casual arcade shooter

If you have some time to spare and want to play something fun for short bursts, give Luminesce a try. Its graphics and gameplay are similar to the arcade shooters for decades past. Controls are easy to learn, and you can even plug in your own controller if you want. It’s a simple game, but there is fun to be had here to pass the time.