LIT is a 2009 WiiWare game developed by WayForward Technologies. It is a classic "use the objects to construct a path to the exit" puzzle game, dressed up as Survival Horror.
The plot is as follows: Jake, the protagonist, has become trapped in his school, which has been plunged into darkness. Dangerous creatures lurk in the dark, and Jake must use the various light sources around to safely navigate a path to the exit. However, turning on too many things at once and filling the light meter at the top will cause a fuse to blow, sending you back to the start of the room.
Occasionally a room will have a ringing phone; making it to the phone and answering it before it stops ringing will let you listen to a phone call from Jake's girlfriend, Rachael, as she works to escape from the school as well.
In October 2015, a version of the game was released for iOS and Android. While it retains the same characters and basic gameplay, this version replaced the realistic 3D character models and environments of the original WiiWare title in favor of a new, colorful Super-Deformed 2D art style more in-line with WayForward's other productions. This version was also released
on Steam on February 21, 2017.
Following the closure of the Wii Shop Channel in January 2019, the original game is no longer available for download.
No relation to the idle game by thepaperpilot.
This game provides examples of:
- Absurdly Bright Light: Would you believe from oscillating fans? They come with lights preinstalled that can reach nearly to the opposite wall of the room. Light from outside windows can fully cross the room, but only in a single row.
- Another Side, Another Story: Beating the game as Jake will allow you to play through again as Rachael. Her levels are exactly the same, but the phone calls she gets are from Jake. It's implied that both stories take place at roughly the same time.
- Brats with Slingshots: Jake can use his to break windows to provide light, or to destroy inconvenient light sources like extra computers from a distance to manage power consumption.
- Creator Cameo: Jake's voice is provided by Voldi Way, the founder and CEO of WayForward.
- Dark Is Not Evil:
Word of God states that the choice in making Jake an Emo Teen was to invoke this trope. In Dark Mode, Jake and Rachael are dark versions of themselves (complete with Glowing Eyes of Doom), further playing this trope. - Darkness Equals Death: Invoked. Stepping into or being caught in any unlit area is instant death.
- Death Is a Slap on the Wrist: Even in Dark mode, you have unlimited lives, and dying only sends you back to the start of the room.
- Dragged Off to Hell: If you step on a dark patch, you'll be dragged through the floor by a multitude of pale hands.
- Emo Teen: Jake. According to the developers, he was deliberately designed as this to invoke the irony of the type of person associated with darkness literally bringing light to his school.
- Fade to White: If the player uses too much energy (by activating too many desk lamps, fans, TVs or computers), the screen will fade to white as the generator surges and breaks, leaving Jake/Rachael to be consumed by the darkness.
- Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels: "Light" (easy) and "Dark" (hard). The rooms stay the same, but in Dark Mode, the player character appears as a silhouette, and all light sources will slowly dim once turned on (and cannot be re-turned on once they're off entirely), so every level becomes a Timed Mission after you've made your first move.
- Light 'em Up: Jake and Rachael take down the school staff by manipulating the room to shine light sources in their faces.
- Multiple Endings: Each character has a good ending and a bad ending. Listening to all the phone calls in the game will get you the good ending.
- One-Hit-Point Wonder: Jake doesn't even have a health bar. As soon as any part of him touches the darkness or a boss hits him in any way, he's done for.
- Puzzle Boss: Every boss is this, requiring you to use different strategies to damage them with the light. In all cases the last blow can be dealt by the flashlight or cherry bombs, but it better be the last, or the boss will retaliate immediately and lethally.
- Resources Management Gameplay: You only have so many slingshot pellets, light bulbs, flares or matches to work with in any given room. The WiiWare version also puts a limit on how many electronics you can have active at once before you trip the breakers.
- Ten-Second Flashlight: You have one of these at the start of every room, and it's vital for scoping out the level for what you have to do. It depletes in 30-ish seconds of continuous use, but you can recharge it by shaking the Wii Remote.
- Throw Down the Bomblet: Cherry bombs work similarly to the slingshot, but with Splash Damage. In certain rooms, you have to make use of that to break more than one window at once. They also generate a quick flash of light, which is a vital mechanic for certain boss fights.
- Timed Mission:
- In rooms with phone calls, the phone will only ring for a limited time. If it goes silent, you'll have to start the room over to get it again.
- In Dark mode, unlocked by beating the game once, all light sources will start to dim when activated, and can't be used again after they die out. After the first move, you have to move fast to get through the room safely.
- Who Forgot The Lights?: The whole school was plunged into darkness, so much so that the only light in each room is a square meter or so by the starting door. And don't you dare step out of it without lighting your way first.
