There is something inherently appealing about a puzzle game that takes an everyday concept and turns it into an entirely new way of interacting with the world. In Thanks, Light., South Korean developer Lightersgames does precisely that by making light and shadows the foundation of its gameplay. What initially appears to be a relatively straightforward first-person puzzle platformer gradually reveals a more elaborate system in which the physical properties of the environment can be manipulated to overcome obstacles. The concept immediately brings to mind games such as Portal and Superliminal, but Thanks, Light. establishes its own identity through its particular approach to spatial manipulation. We previously had the opportunity to meet the developers in person during Gamescom 2025, where we went hands-on with a substantial demo. Even at that stage, the game showed considerable potential, and the finished experience builds upon many of the ideas that made that early impression so promising.
The central mechanic revolves around a flashlight that can transform flat silhouettes into tangible three-dimensional objects. Shine light on a shadow and it gains physical properties, including weight and collision, allowing it to become a platform, a staircase or an obstacle that can be moved around. Remove the light, however, and the object returns to its flat state, potentially opening up entirely different routes through the environment. This creates an interesting relationship between perspective and physics, as the same silhouette can represent different objects depending on the angle from which it is illuminated. Consequently, players need to consider more than simply where an object is positioned. Understanding what it represents, how it interacts with its surroundings and when it should become solid is equally important. It is an effective foundation for a puzzle game, although the reliance on interpreting silhouettes and spatial relationships can occasionally make the solution less immediately apparent than the underlying rules might suggest.
Fortunately, Thanks, Light. does not rely on this central mechanic alone. Its three chapters, LIGHT, ABSORB and MODIFY, gradually introduce additional ways to manipulate the environment. Mirrors allow objects to be duplicated, lenses change their dimensions, and a merging mechanic combines different shapes into new structures. The real strength lies in how these abilities eventually interact. An object might initially be useful for activating a seesaw, only to become essential for stopping a rolling ball somewhere else. Similarly, removing an object’s physical properties can be just as important as making something solid in the first place. Rather than simply introducing new tricks and leaving previous mechanics behind, the game encourages players to reconsider familiar solutions using the tools they have acquired. This gives the puzzles room to become increasingly intricate without losing sight of the central idea.
The resulting challenges are built around experimentation, observation and a willingness to approach familiar situations from different angles. Some solutions require players to manipulate several objects in succession, while others demand careful positioning and precise timing. The ball-and-box puzzles highlighted in the gameplay demonstrations illustrate how the game can combine seemingly incompatible physical elements into a single problem, sometimes requiring a room reset and a carefully timed interaction to separate objects that cannot otherwise be moved. These are the kinds of situations that can produce particularly satisfying moments when everything finally falls into place. However, there is also potential for frustration when the intended interaction is not immediately obvious. This was something we experienced firsthand during our Gamescom session, where some puzzles left us struggling to identify the intended solution. The developers were available to offer occasional nudges, but regular players will not have that luxury. The lack of an integrated hint system remains a potential weakness, particularly for those who become stuck and struggle to see how the various mechanics are supposed to work together. With more than 60 stages spread across three chapters and a campaign estimated to exceed six hours, there is a substantial amount of puzzle-solving to work through.
Controls and movement are another important part of the experience, particularly because this is not simply a stationary puzzle game. Players explore the environments from a first-person perspective, use their flashlight to manipulate objects and interact with the resulting structures. Picking up and rotating objects adds another layer of physical interaction, meaning that positioning is often just as important as selecting the correct ability. One slightly unusual design decision is that the character runs automatically by default, with players having to hold Shift to walk instead. This can be useful when covering larger spaces, but it feels counterintuitive during sections where precise movement and platforming are required. Having to actively slow down rather than accelerate when approaching a delicate jump is an adjustment that may take some getting used to. The developers have also worked on improving puzzle navigation and addressing bugs during the demo’s development, which suggests that the overall experience benefited from player feedback and might see more improvements post-launch.
The presentation is arguably just as important to Thanks, Light.’s identity as its mechanics. The game initially introduces players to an imposing environment of polished marble halls and carefully arranged architectural spaces, creating an atmosphere that feels clinical, controlled and somewhat unsettling. This is the domain of the Administrator, an enigmatic figure who appears to have designed the entire complex around the pursuit of perfection. As the adventure progresses, however, that apparent order begins to deteriorate. Visual glitches, broken architectural structures and increasingly abstract environments gradually undermine the impression that everything is functioning as intended. The transition towards an almost entirely black-and-white world is particularly interesting, as the changing visual language helps communicate that something much bigger is happening than a collection of increasingly difficult puzzles. The three chapters also offer distinct environments, moving from grand marble spaces to repetitive corridors and fractured landscapes that appear to contain fragments of memories.
There is more going on here narratively than the initial premise might suggest. Players follow a young girl through the Administrator’s carefully constructed world, while an ominous figure repeatedly warns them to leave. The contrast between the Administrator’s apparent desire for perfection and the growing instability of his creation provides an intriguing foundation for the mystery. Rather than relying entirely on conventional storytelling, Thanks, Light. uses its environments and visual anomalies to gradually suggest that the world is hiding something. Strange creatures lurking in the shadows add an additional layer of unease, giving exploration a slightly more threatening edge. This atmospheric approach suits the game’s surreal setting, although the puzzle-solving remains the main attraction. Those hoping for a narrative-driven adventure in which the story consistently takes center stage may find the mystery more of a complementary element than a compelling reason to keep progressing. Nevertheless, the relationship between the increasingly unusual environments and the underlying mystery gives the experience a welcome sense of direction.
Audio is another area where the game benefits from its restrained approach. During our Gamescom 2025 session, the subtle sound design and tonal shifts between areas already helped establish a sense of isolation and tension without overwhelming the experience. That restraint fits the visual presentation particularly well, allowing the environments to speak for themselves while giving important changes in atmosphere room to register. The developers subsequently introduced additional background music during the demo’s development, alongside subtitle options and other improvements intended to enhance immersion.
Thanks, Light. is an intriguing addition to the first-person puzzle genre, built around a central mechanic that offers considerably more possibilities than its initial simplicity suggests. Its greatest achievement is the way light manipulation, object duplication, resizing and shape merging complement one another, encouraging players to experiment rather than simply follow a predictable sequence of increasingly complicated tasks. Having followed the game’s development since our Gamescom 2025 meeting with Lightersgames, it is particularly satisfying to see how the original concept has grown into a sizeable puzzle adventure with a distinctive identity. The mysterious environments and gradual breakdown of the Administrator’s supposedly perfect world also give the puzzle-solving a welcome atmospheric dimension. There are some potential stumbling blocks, particularly when spatial interpretation becomes frustrating or precise platforming clashes with the automatic running behavior, while the lack of a hint system could discourage less experienced players. Even so, Lightersgames has delivered a thoughtful and visually distinctive experience. For players who enjoy games that challenge their perception and reward unconventional thinking, Thanks, Light. offers plenty of reasons to step into the shadows.
Score: 8.0/10