Lazr is a unique 2D action-arcade platformer video game that lets you shoot lasers through a beautiful futuristic pixel-art world full of AI and androids. Developed by Garrick Campsey, Lazr makes use of a new kind of physics-based platforming called “clothformer”, wherein realistic cloth simulations are used to add cool new game mechanics. If you’re a platformer game enthusiast, then this is a highly recommended title.

Into the future

Lazr takes place in 2666, at the heart of Alpha City 1. Much of the world is now populated by the majority of androids. One of them is your character Lazr, the eponymous protagonist of the story, who has recently been accepted into Alpha City 1 as a freelance assassin. 

Lazr’s first contact is Jada, who wants you to break out the all-powerful Humacorp and steal valuable data. Fortunately for you, Lazr is a fusion-powered android who can shoot lasers out of their eyes, move quickly on the ground and in the air, and can get body upgrades with different modifications to better survive in each level. 

Shooting lasers is the dream

The cloth physics in this game are astoundingly realistic and add a new challenge to your platforming shenanigans. Lazr can easily move through the air for a few seconds and grab and climb some walls, so there can be a myriad of ways to take your route to your destination. However, there are also nets and ropes scattered around the map that you can take advantage of by swinging around—and possibly burn, too, if you’re not careful with your jumping and flying. 

You can really feel the freedom of such an approach with the Casual difficulty, wherein there are mostly open maps with level checkpoints. Meanwhile, Hardcore mode features a stricter linear map with no checkpoints whatsoever. Whichever you choose, there are 64 different types of loadouts that you can use to customize Lazr before any mission—from automatic lasers to explosion-immune shells for Lazr’s body. 

2D cyberpunk adventure

The game menu is beautifully-intuitive and dynamic with its animations, holding four sections that Lazr can visit: Training, Challenges, Airship, and Humacorp—which takes you to a spiraling staircase of progressively harder levels. It’s pretty much a massive single-player adventure that will take you from the glittering neon city above to the dusty-looking residential districts below. 

The art design is so reminiscent of classic futuristic games and movies you may be familiar with, and the physics alone will get you addicted once you get the hang of how Lazr flows past those enemy mooks. It’s definitely a challenging platformer, but perhaps the best feature for animal lovers is the inclusion of a holographic dog you can get during missions, whom you can pet and play with whenever it follows you.

Futuristic eye candy

Lazr is breathtakingly beautiful and surprisingly rewarding despite its difficulty. Platformer fans will come to love the cloth simulations they’ll come across. However, you may want to play with a supported controller instead of using your keyboard. Keyboard controls aren’t too optimized for easy gameplay at the moment—but it’s still an option for the brave and the bold. Not only is the gameplay pretty cool, but the game’s story even includes player choices that may affect your survival.