About LIGHTDANCER
LIGHTDANCER is a hard bullet hell archery game set in a dark, enchanted forest. You play a Lightdancer, an elite archer sworn to keep light and shadow in balance, armed with a special weapon called the Soliflare arrow.
The Soliflare arrow carries the power of both the sun and the moon, and it can set fire to objects and hostile spirits alike. Runs are short and tough, with a roguelite structure, a difficult streak and a creeping cosmic horror mood under the fairy-tale setting.
The play area is a ring of light cut out of a black forest, dotted with pine trees and small fires, and the game shows you the WASD keys on screen as you start. You can play LIGHTDANCER online here in a browser tab, and LIGHTDANCER free in the browser is a good test of how long you can last.
How to Play LIGHTDANCER
- Click inside the game window first.
- Move with W, A, S and D, as the game shows on screen.
- Follow the next on-screen prompt to learn the rest of the controls.
- Fire your Soliflare arrows at the hostile spirits in the forest.
- Keep dodging the incoming fire, since the screen fills up fast in a bullet hell.
What to Expect in LIGHTDANCER
LIGHTDANCER is hard on purpose. It mixes roguelite runs with bullet hell patterns, so expect to lose a lot early on and to improve one attempt at a time. Each run lasts a few minutes, which keeps the losses from stinging too much.
The mood is dark and strange, with a hint of cosmic horror beneath the forest, but it's an archery game first rather than a scare-a-minute horror game. Firelight glows warm against the black, and your archer is a small pale figure in the middle of it all.
Tips for LIGHTDANCER
- Expect to lose your first few runs. LIGHTDANCER is built to be difficult, and every attempt teaches you more about the patterns.
- Keep moving between shots. Standing still in a bullet hell is the quickest way to get hit.
- Read the prompts on the first screen carefully, since that's where the game teaches its controls.
- Click into the game window before pressing any keys so your first moves register.
- Play in a dim room if you can. The dark forest and the glow of the fires are much easier to read without glare on the screen.
Who Made LIGHTDANCER
LIGHTDANCER was made by xk, who released it on itch.io. It was made in under 48 hours for Ludum Dare 54, using Unity. FunClicker embeds the creator's own version so you can play it here without downloading anything. We did not make the game, and the credit for its design, code, and art belongs to its creator. You can find the original on the LIGHTDANCER page on itch.io.
FAQ
Is LIGHTDANCER free?
Yes. LIGHTDANCER is free to play here in your browser, with nothing to install and no account. It loads in the window above, and the first screen shows you how to move, so you can start a run within seconds of clicking in.
How do you play LIGHTDANCER?
Click inside the game window, then move with W, A, S and D as the game shows on screen and follow the next prompts for the rest. You fight the spirits of a dark forest with the Soliflare arrow while dodging bullet hell patterns. Runs of LIGHTDANCER are short, so you learn by trying again.
What is the goal of LIGHTDANCER?
As a Lightdancer, your duty is to keep light and shadow in balance, and in practice that means surviving the forest and fighting off the hostile spirits in it. LIGHTDANCER is difficult, so the real goal on your first few tries is to last a little longer each time.
Who made LIGHTDANCER?
LIGHTDANCER was made by xk, who released it on itch.io. It was built in under 48 hours for Ludum Dare 54 using Unity. FunClicker embeds the creator's original version so you can play it here, and the credit for the game's design, code and art belongs to xk.
Can I play LIGHTDANCER on a Chromebook or phone?
LIGHTDANCER uses the WASD keys to move, so it needs a keyboard and is made for a computer. A Chromebook can open it in the browser, though lighter machines may slow down when the screen gets busy. Phones and tablets lack the keys it relies on.
Is LIGHTDANCER unblocked at school?
LIGHTDANCER only needs a browser tab, with nothing to download. Whether it opens on a school or work network is up to that network's filters, which we do not control. If LIGHTDANCER loads for you, it plays the same as anywhere else.
Is LIGHTDANCER scary?
LIGHTDANCER has an eerie, cosmic horror mood, with a black forest, hostile spirits and pools of firelight. Its main challenge is the difficult bullet hell fighting, so expect it to feel tense and demanding more than frightening. It suits anyone who likes a creepy setting without wanting a full horror game.
What is the Soliflare arrow in LIGHTDANCER?
The Soliflare arrow is the Lightdancer's signature weapon. It draws on the power of both the sun and the moon, and it can set fire to objects as well as hostile spirits. In LIGHTDANCER it's what you fight with, so the first step to lasting longer is getting comfortable aiming it.
