From Parade, the developers of NO, THANK YOU!!! and Room No. 9, comes a dark fantasy action BL game, Lkyt. Can two people find hope for the future with an outlook so bleak? Is it possible for friendship to turn into intimacy on the eve of humanity’s destruction? Can love save the world?
Game Details
- Boys Love | Fantasy | Action | 18+
- Price: $44.95
- Rating: M (18+) (explicit, uncensored adult content)
- Where to play: MangaGamer | Steam
- Similar Games: Room No. 9 | Togainu no Chi | Sweet Pool
Story
The end is nigh.
A barren wasteland at the edge of the Earth is home to demons that have destroyed the world. There are those who have chosen to stay behind in these desecrated lands, dedicating themselves to resisting the demon threat.
They are the Seaside Nation.
By their code, they spend their peaceful days fortifying themselves against the demons. Ancient legends are all that remain of the Day of Despair, and its second coming was thought to be far in the future… But one night, warning bells ring out through the capital.
Why is this happening?
And why now?
Our young hero will find the answer in a battle to determine the fate of the world…
Characters
Main Character
Tasuku is a sweet lil horny bean, with a thirst for booty and battle. He’s a skilled fighter who thinks nothing of laying down his life for his country. Despite his low rank, he’s earned the recognition of some of the Seaside Nation’s top warriors. Outside of battle, Tasuku is pretty naïve, but he’s just so earnest you wanna give in to his whims. But, don’t be fooled by his cute appearance, Tasuku is horny AF, when there’s a tingle in his dingle, he attacc!
Love Interests
Lkyt. Review
Every thousand years, the Dark Reign rises and pushes forth to destroy all humanity, but those of the Shoreline Nation have dedicated their lives to defending the world from this recurring threat, using the magic within themselves and their bonds between each other to stave off these vicious foes. It is here that Tasuku trains, expecting the next rise to come generations later, but now as signs of the Dark Reign are uncovered with their nation still unprepared, Tasuku finds himself thrust into a battle that will determine the fate of the world.
In an effort to stave off the coming calamity, Tasuku must bond with the Shoreline Nation’s strongest warriors. Choose between the cool and composed prince, Takeru; brash and cynical outsider, Yael; the stoic and revered warrior, Ango; and the ethereal Divine One, Towa. The power of their combined efforts could be just what the Shoreline Nation needs to usher in a new age of peace or it could lead to an unprecedented age of destruction.
The world of Lkyt. is surprisingly intimate for a fantasy story, especially with such rich worldbuilding and potentially world ending implications. Rather than exploring the other nations or focusing on all of humanity coming together to take down the Hollow threat, Lkyt. follows what amounts to a suicide squad. The Shoreline Nation is humanity’s last line of defense against a seemingly unsurmountable enemy. It’s a futile effort, but one each and every man, woman, and child is willing to lay their lives on the line for.
This is especially important when considering the protagonist, Tasuku. He is every bit a warrior of the Shoreline Nation, capable, loyal to a fault, and honor bound to his mission to protect humanity. He is unwavering in his resolve, often to his own detriment, but instead of being frustrating, I find his journey to be endearing and equally heartbreaking. You want the best for these characters and desperately want them to win, but sometimes, that’s just not how things work out. But, that doesn’t stop these characters from scratching out a living in spite the futility of their cause.
By pulling the narrative inward and focusing solely on the experiences of Tasuku and the rest of the Shoreline Nation, it’s easier to empathize with these characters and their struggle without having to expend years of in game time. Lkyt. takes place over the course of a few weeks (at most), but despite that you really feel a deep connection to these characters, because we don’t delve into the complexities of the world outside of the Shoreline Nation. It allows us to focus on what really matters, the characters and their thoughts feelings, and motivations. When bad things happen to them, we feel it just as strongly as if it were happening to us, and I think that’s what makes this game so gripping and tragic.
While on paper, Lkyt. is a boys love title, I hesitate to classify it as such. Sure Lkyt does feature the usual trappings of the genre. In the game, the men develop deep emotional bonds and yeah there’s fucking, so in that regard you could call it a “boys love” game. Parade in particular is known for having “tops” for their leading men, which is surprisingly satisfying, especially seeing the small and boyish Tasuku mounting his harem of muscular men. Tasuku is a horny lil bean and I live for thirsty tops. But, the relationships in Lkyt. while sexual (and to some degree affectionate), are born out of necessity and not so much romantic attachment.
Scenario writer, Tatsuya Kurashiki mentioned in the staff commentary that they struggled to call this game a boys love title, favoring the term “sexual bromance” instead. And given the complexities of the relationships between Tasuku and the rest of the “love interests” I kind of agree.
It’s hard to say if the relationship between Tasuku and his chosen lover is genuine “romantic love” and not just their emotions (read: lust) being heighten by the urgency of the situation at hand. But, that doesn’t make the relationships any less meaningful or satisfying, in fact because of the dire circumstances, I’d argue their feelings are much more raw. Cutting out the usual petty drama and confusion of most romance stories in favor of a more direct, if not, carnal bond. Sure if the story were longer, the writers could have explored more romantic avenues, but that’s just not the story Lkyt is trying to tell, right now.
Lkyt. is a story of inevitability. No matter which route you choose, the outcome is the same and while that can be frustrating to some folks, having a narrative like this makes the journey much more impactful. The destination is set, but depending on what lens you view the events leading up to it, you may feel more hopeful about the outcome (or not).
I do want to note that Lkyt. is not going to be for everyone, content warnings exist for a reason and this game gets pretty dark. The “good” endings are good in name only and are often more tragic than the “bad” endings. There are several scenes depicting violence and gore on a level many may not be comfortable with. To give you an idea, there is a scene where a character was beheaded suddenly and it came with a CG—bloody stump, blood splatter, the whole nine. Though blessedly there is no non-consensual sex, so that is a huge plus for me.
This is definitely a game that is worth playing through to completion to understand the nuance of these characters and their journey (and to unlock the hilarious and insightful staff commentary).
Is Lkyt. worth playing?
Parade’s latest title, Lkyt. is an experience I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, but I will admit might not be for everyone.
Much like some of the darker Nitro+chiral titles, Lkyt. doesn’t pull its punches with it’s emotional impact. Like Parade’s previous titles, No Thank You!!! and Room No. 9 their latest story pushes boundaries, touching on themes and events that will make even the most hardened gamer squirm. So, mind the content warnings. But, if you’re able to brave the depths of Lkyt.‘s heavier story elements, you’ll be rewarded with a short, but meaningful experience. Odd name aside, Parade’s latest title, Lkyt. is definitely an experience boys love fans won’t want to pass on!
Thank you to MangaGamer for providing a copy of Lkyt for this review.
This review was awesome! I am so glad the nsfw scenes are not non-con, and I also felt a lot of feels from reading that they’re like a suicide squad with no happy endings and I really like the concept of deep relationships formed whilst facing the inevitable end.
Your review is so comprehensive yet you’re so skilled at avoiding spoilers! Wow, I’m impressed. Your words and the art of the game are super gorgeous.
Thank you 😭 I try to strike that balance of being informative without the spoilers, so folks can go into a game and have more organic experience.
RIGHT!! Lkyt is so pretty!!