Side-scrolling action adventure game Aeterna Lucis, the sequel to Aeterna Noctis, will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on December 3 for $24.99 / €24.99, developer Aeternum Game Studios announced.
“Aeterna Lucis is, without question, the most important project in our studio’s history,” said the Aeternum Game Studios development team in a press release. “Taking an additional year wasn’t an easy choice, but we refused to settle for an ordinary sequel. We wanted to pour every ingredient, every technical breakthrough, and everything we’ve learned into creating a true jewel. Today, we can finally tell you: on December 3, the wait is officially over.”
Here are the latest details, via Aeternum Game Studios:
The announcement arrives hand-in-hand with heartfelt gratitude from the studio toward the community, media, and industry partners who patiently supported the difficult decision to postpone the game. Far from being a mere delay, this extra year of production has marked a complete reinvention: the development team poured every ounce of experience, craft, and insight gathered across their catalog to transform Aeterna Lucis into their most mature, ambitious, and finely polished work to date.
A Radical Technical and Artistic Evolution
The wait has undeniably paid off. Aeterna Lucis doesn’t simply iterate on the formula that captivated genre enthusiasts—it rebuilds its core foundations to deliver an uncompromising level of quality:
- Seamless, Interconnected Exploration Without Loading Screens – Exploration takes a monumental step forward. Traditional loading pauses and artificial scene breaks have been eradicated; the entire world is now traversed continuously and organically, ensuring immersive, fast-paced momentum.
- Real-Time Dynamic Lighting Where Light Takes Center Stage – True to its name, light serves as the beating heart of the adventure. The new lighting engine casts real-time illumination across environments and actively interacts with projectiles, weapons, and foes alike, creating an atmospheric and visual spectacle unprecedented in the franchise.
- Artistic, True-to-Life Map Representation – The era of abstract, schematic minimaps is over. The game introduces an artistic, full-scale miniature depiction of every chamber, complete with authentic background set dressing, allowing players to instantly identify their exact location at a mere glance.
- Accessible Stained-Glass Lore System – Storytelling unfolds through an elegant stained-glass visual narrative. This rich lore system allows newcomers to dive straight into the universe of Aeterna without requiring prior knowledge of past installments, while offering deep allegorical depth to returning lore hounds.
- Two Tailored Gameplay Experiences
- Aeterna Mode – Built with a more forgiving, accessible challenge curve— ideal for players looking to absorb the atmosphere, lore, and platforming without frustrating bottlenecks.
- Lucis Mode – The definitive, no-holds-barred gauntlet designed for hardcore purists and seasoned Aeterna Noctis veterans, boasting relentless bosses and pinpoint-precise platforming where every frame counts.
- Rebuilt Console Ports and Rock-Solid Optimization – Save systems, data handling, and platform-specific performance pipelines have been overhauled from scratch, ensuring silky-smooth frame rates and razor-sharp controls across consoles and PC right from Day 1.
Watch a new trailer below.