Review: LOVESICK
When the reveal trailer for LOVESICK was released, I was immediately captivated by its distinctive artistic style, and I found myself curious about how the gameplay would unfold based on the short summary provided at the end. Now that I’ve explored the world of LOVESICK, the pressing question is: did it live up to my expectations?
Release Date: March 6th 2025
Developer: Rose City Games
Publisher: Lyrical, Rose City Games
Price: $14.99
Reviewed On: Meta Quest 3
* Access Provided For Review *
Can You Save The Band?
After an exhausting tour that took a toll on their emotions and left their finances in shambles, the four members of The New Agenda return to their rundown home, flooded with uncertainty. They struggle to hold a band practice without getting into arguments. Just when they believed things couldn’t possibly deteriorate further, a bizarre occurrence known as “the Feedback” thrusts them into a peculiar alternate reality.
Enter The Feedback
This introduces your character Sam, the bassist of the band, as you confront the challenges caused by the Feedback and work to ease the conflicts within the group. The narrative unfolds in a cycle, with your bandmates remaining immobilized in your home. To overcome the Feedback, you’ll need to solve a puzzle in their room, assist them during the Feedback, and perform LOVESICK together to free them.
I truly enjoyed how this experience allowed you to connect more deeply with your bandmates and grasp the challenges the band faces. It offers a comprehensive view of each member, with the feedback crafting a vivid backdrop for the game to develop. The feedback immerses you in the memories, fears, and personal goals of each bandmate. As you tackle various puzzles, you’ll also acquire abilities that will assist you on your journey.
You have some amazing abilities at your disposal! You can stretch your reach to grab things that are otherwise out of your grasp, unleash a shockwave from your hands to shatter objects and send them flying, and even manipulate the speed of various items. As you assist each bandmate, these powers will become available to you, so you’ll need to tackle the puzzles in a specific sequence.
The puzzles and skills you acquire give the game a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of classic point-and-click puzzle games. Keeping this in mind, the team has created a point-and-click teleport movement system that allows you to move to specific points within each scene you experience in the Feedback. This was a deliberate choice by Rose City Games, with them indicating that they won’t be adding a smooth locomotion option later on. While I typically prefer that option, I can appreciate the reasoning behind this decision while playing LOVESICK, and I believe it fits the game’s design beautifully.
Now you’ve been a great support to your bandmates, and now it’s time to play your new track, LOVESICK, together to help them break free from the Feedback. The experience is reminiscent of classic rhythm games like Guitar Hero and Rockband, where you step into the role of the bassist. The gameplay is simplified, featuring just three notes: an open hand and a note assigned to both the trigger and grab buttons, avoiding any complicated sequences. This setup perfectly captures the essence of being in a band, enhancing the unfolding story.
Peculiar Alternate Reality
What really caught my attention in the reveal trailer was the game’s unique art style. The vibrant block colors, the graffiti and poster-covered walls, and the character designs all hinted at a fantastic visual experience on the standalone device – and I was not disappointed. The way the objects and your bandmates warped with feedback was truly striking, and the shift back to normal as you tuned the objects was incredibly smooth. This visual approach, even in the areas outside of the Feedback, was equally effective. I truly appreciate when developers think outside the box with their art style, and these choices resonated with me perfectly.
At first, I noticed that the characters’ mouths didn’t move, which was a bit off for me. I thought that even with the unique art style, there could have been some animation for the mouths, even if the rest of the face stayed still. However, since the characters remained mostly frozen after the opening scene, it made sense that their mouths didn’t move, and I found it easy to overlook that detail as I got into the game.
The game’s sound design really enhances the feedback experience. In open areas in the Feedback, there’s an eerie hum and unsettling noises that create a tense atmosphere, especially when feedback signals that something might go awry. However, in designated spaces, the hum fades, allowing the ambient sounds to take centre stage. For instance, in a music shop, the music from the speakers is more prominent, yet you can still hear that subtle ominous hum in the background, contributing to a wonderfully immersive environment. Additionally, the voice acting is strong and clear, enriching the character development of each individual, and the song “LOVESICK” stands out as a fantastic piece on its own.
Comfort
The Verdict
LOVESICK exceeded all my expectations for the game. I was first attracted by its distinctive art style, which I truly admire in VR games. Yet, it was the captivating story and gameplay that really kept me engaged, leading me to play straight through the entire three to four hours without a break, as I was having such a great time. The team has crafted a nostalgic point-and-click puzzle game that features a teleport movement system and thoughtfully designed puzzles. While some puzzles may present a challenge, they remain accessible and never veer into the realm of frustration. Even if teleport movement isn’t your preferred style, it’s a deliberate design choice that complements the overall gameplay beautifully, so it’s worth giving it a chance. If you enjoy puzzle games, I highly suggest giving LOVESICK a try.