Light Strafer

Light Strafer is an action-adventure third-person shooter game, developed by Mirror Samurai Studios and published by Fantendo. It was released in the Spring of 2022 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, and was later released on PC through Steam.
Light Strafer is a reboot of the Strafe series, first created by JesseRoo midway through 2011. The game incorporates elements mostly from the original game, Strafe: Heaven Born, though they are heavily reimagined to tell a new story with familiar elements.
The story focuses on Strafe Luxalea, a thief with power over light who fights against his corrupt father, Lock, in order to stop him from unleashing a long-lost god of darkness. The gameplay takes a very different approach from the original game, being more focused on speed and action as opposed to the original game's focus on stealth, though stealth sections reminiscent of those in Heaven Born are still present.
==Story==
===Episode I: Fires of Noah===
The story begins with a dream sequence, as a voice asks himself, "Why did he do it?". The dream shifts to show a ten-year-old Strafe witnessing his father, Lock, shooting his mother, Micaylie, and killing her. As the dream ends, the adult Strafe wakes up in a state of shock, clearly unsettled by his memories, and receives a call from the voice tube on his bedroom wall. He receives the call from Ida, the leader of the Thieves' Guild, who tells him to come to see her.
After finding Ida, Strafe talks about his nightmare. Though he has run away from home and found a place in the Thieves' Guild, he still can't stop thinking about Lock after eleven years of not seeing him. Ida reassures him that he is in good hands, and sends Strafe out on some field work to keep his mind off of it. From here, Strafe is able to explore the Thieves' Guild and the city of Noah, at least what isn't under the control of the aristocrats.
After completing simple thieving missions from the lower-class people in the Gateway District, Strafe runs into Mist, a fellow thief from the Guild, and heads back to their base to receive another mission from Ida, to take a signet ring of fire from the aristocrats. Mist objects, thinking that this could draw attention to the thieves - the lower and upper classes of Noah are in heavy conflict towards each other due to their opposing beliefs, and the thieves have managed to remain neutral in this conflict. Ida assures her that she does not plan to join the battles, but rather she intends to sabotage them, so that the fights can't escalate.
Strafe and Mist are sent to the north of Noah, where the aristocrats reside, and sneak into the estate of the nobleman Sear. While the two team up at first, Mist breaks away for a distraction as Strafe goes in to take the ring. As he finds it, however, he overhears something, and notices Sear conspiring with another man, who he recognises as Lock. Strafe takes the ring and escapes with haste, though he has to contend with the guards that Mist had failed to distract.
While the mission is a success, with the ring claimed and thus the fire magic of Sear's forces more limited, Mist is held captive by Sear, and the effort turns to saving her. The guild needs a way to sneak in undetected, so she sends some guild members to find a way in, including Strafe. This leads him to the Market District, where he is recognised by a group of Sear's mercenaries, lead by a woman named Ashley. After a battle, Ashley makes her escape and Strafe gives chase across the platforms over the market, though he does eventually lose her.
Strafe soon finds the prisons where Mist, along with a few other thieves and several lower-class soldiers, have been imprisoned. Sneaking past the guards and mercenaries, Strafe manages to break Mist and the other thieves out. While they are unable to avoid the guards on their way out, Ida and some of her allies arrive to take them out. Strafe then receives a new mission, to head back to the guild as it has been left poorly defended, leaving room for a potential attack from the lower class. Strafe arrives and finds the attack underway, but by unlocking a new light power, the Light Laser, he is able to stave them off.
With attention drawn to the thieves by the aristocrats, Ida decides that stopping Sear's attack is the best move. Strafe and Mist team up to deal with the forces outside and destroy the four guard towers around Sear's estate. When they break inside, however, they soon run into Ashley. After Strafe has another battle with her, the other mercenaries surround the thieves. Mist throws her knives at two of the attackers to take them out, allowing Strafe to slip out and make it to Sear, though she is killed by the mercenaries shortly after.
Strafe reaches Sear's room and battles him, managing to put an end to the aristocrat. However, Strafe is shot by Lock shortly after the battle, causing him to fall down. With Ida and her allies charging into the room, however, Lock makes a swift retreat with dark magic to avoid being outnumbered. Shortly after, Strafe loses consciousness.
===Episode II: The Race for the Fangs===
While unconscious, Strafe has a flashback to when he was a young boy and first discovered his light powers. He remembered his mother being happy about these powers of his, though he also remembered Lock "looking away, as if he hated it". His thoughts then shift to when Lock shot him, focusing on the dark magic that Lock seemed to have used, though Strafe's memory of this is very foggy.
Strafe is about to ask himself more questions about his father, only to hear an unfamiliar voice asking "Are you alright?". He opens his eyes and sees Jeremy Coarson, who says that he had found him after he passed out in the desert. Strafe is confused by this, but guesses that his fellow thieves had him relocated out of Noah to help him avoid Lock. In this moment, Strafe also notices that his right arm was broken as he tries to get up. Coarson introduces himself, saying that he is a mechanic and inventor, and shows Strafe some of inventions, though the device he is currently working on isn't working properly. Strafe thinks that he knows what the problem is, having some experience in tinkering from running maintenance on guns in the past.
In order to fix the device, they need some Glimstone Dust, and since Coarson is short on Glimstone, Strafe offers to go out and find some for him. Coarson shows concern, but Strafe confirms that he is mostly okay beyond the broken arm, which he doesn't need since he is ambidextrous. Coarson tells him that the Glimstone caverns are in the mountains to the north-west, so Strafe crosses the Crescent Sands to reach the peaks. In order to make it across the mountain, Strafe figures out a new way to use his light powers, the Light Wings, to make his way to the caverns where the Glimstone form. Along his way, he fights monsters shaped from darkness, with a giant, ant-like beast of their kind personally guarding the Glimstone.
After dealing with the dark monsters, Strafe is ready to head back with the Glimstone he found, though on his way out he is attacked by a band of thieves known as the Vermin. While he is able to shoot the first group of them down, he becomes overwhelmed on his way out, only for Coarson to come by and rescue Strafe on his weaponised jet-glider. They make it back to Coarson's lab, where Coarson uses the Glimstone to fix his device, which he reveals to be a Fang Tracker, used to scan for ancient treasures of power called the Dragon Fangs, so that he can find them before the Vermin do. Strafe proposes that he and Coarson team up to hunt for the Fangs, saying that he has nothing better to do, and the mechanic accepts. In truth, however, Strafe wants to head after the Vermin because he wonders if they have a connection to the dark monsters, which he is certain are connected to Lock's powers in some way.
As thanks for helping him, Coarson also gives Strafe an extra Desert Eagle, allowing him to take advantage of his ambidexterity. The two head west on another of Coarson's vehicles, an all-terrain buggy, crossing the Crescent Sands and reaching a rocky pass, where they battle some members of the Vermin over one of the Fangs. The road becomes rougher, until they eventually reach a range of white mountains known as Pallida Valley. Strafe sets out on foot, taking the scanner with him to follow the signal of a Dragon Fang, which turns out to be in the possession of Solrad and Lunica, twin senior officers of the Vermin. Strafe defeats them both at once, though Decay, the leader of the Vermin, comes to their aid. Strafe tries to get information out of the three, though they make their escape with the Fang without telling him much, beyond making a mention of "finding the fang of Khaos". 
===Episode III: Glimmer and Corruption===
Strafe and Coarson follow after the Vermin, making it past the rocky pass to the snowy Valley of Pallida, further west in the continent Aereus. According to the Fang Tracker, another of the Dragon Fangs is in a castle situated deep in the snowy mountains - in order to get there, Coarson needs a glider, but he doesn't have the right materials, so he sets off to Pallida, the namesake city of the Valley, with Strafe in order to get to work. While Coarson is busy working on the glider, Strafe explores the city, only to see a shady figure that he mistakens for Lock. He follows the person into the city alleyways, until they turn around, forcing him to hide - from here, he gets a better look and realises that this person is a woman, carrying some kind of mechanical device.
Strafe continues to follow her, but has to stealthily avoid machines that the woman seems to have put on guard. He eventually follows her out of the city and into a cavern of ice. After avoiding and destroying more of the machines, Strafe finds the woman at the end of the cave, talking to someone on her laptop. The voice on the other end sounds distinctly like Lock's, and he hears him calling the woman "Ramona". Ramona finishes the conversation, where she confirms that she has located the Fang at Luminos, the castle that Coarson found with his scanner, and says that she thinks she may have someone following her. She then boards a machine at the back of her makeshift base, revealing it to be a flying mech that takes to the skies. Strafe considers going after her, but decides it would be safer if Ramona didn't know about him.
Heading back to the city, Strafe meets up with Coarson, who has finished his mechanised glider, and confirms to him that Lock is after the Fang as well, having an ally in a flying machine on her way there - though he doesn't mention Ramona's name, figuring it isn't important. Strafe and Coarson head to the nearest peak, since a high-up place will make it easier for them to fly to Luminos. Along the way, however, they end up fighting some dragon-like people, which Strafe recognises as Drakids, an ancient race that oppressed humanity in ancient times - but they are known to have been banished underground 1100 years ago, making their appearance all the more strange. Coarson guesses that the Dragon Fangs have something to do with the Drakids' return.
Once they reach the peak, Coarson and Strafe fly the glider to Luminos, though along their way they are intercepted by Ramona in her flying mech, and stage an aerial battle. As the fight draws to a close, Ramona recognises Coarson and calls out his name. Coarson, who recognises her as well, is shocked to see that Ramona is on Lock's side, but before he can say any more, Ramona uses her mech's arm to strike at the glider, sending it off-course. However, Coarson is able to struggle for control and land on the mountain peak - but far away from Luminos.
After their landing, Strafe asks for an explanation, with Coarson explaining that Ramona was his girlfriend, who he says left him a year ago to "pursue the darkest science there is" - that being the science surrounding the Drakids. Now that he knows this, Strafe starts heading out with Coarson, crossing through several linked sites of castle ruins, filled with pools of water and flames and with ancient traps in play. Along his way, Strafe finds himself in a situation where he has to create a new use for his light powers, the Light Charge.
On his way, Strafe finds several Eversnow Stones, which Coarson is able to use to create two new guns for him, the freezing Winter Eagles. With these, Strafe continues his progress through the ruins, until he reaches Luminos itself. Telling Coarson to stay back as someone is sure to be here, Strafe rushes in. Shortly after arrival, however, he is shot by Lock, who manages to steal Strafe's Dragon Fang. Lock briefly mentions wanting to bring back the "Shadow God" and tells Strafe to stay out of his way, before warping away and leaving a horde of dark monsters to distract him.
Giving chase after Lock, Strafe takes down waves of the dark monsters, until he reaches a chamber where he sees a group of Drakids slaying these beings. The Drakids then turn their eyes on Strafe, and while he tries to fight them, they manage to drain his light power with their magic. Just before they can take him out, however, a swordswoman rushes in to whisk him away - Strafe quickly realises that this is Ashley, the mercenary who fought on Sear's side in Noah. She states that her job gives her a constantly shifting allegiance, and since she's not paid to kill Strafe, she's fine with assisting him, especially with the dangers inside the castle. Apparently, Ashley is out to stop Lock herself, figuring that he was dangerous from the time she spent around him in Sear's estate - she also reveals that she has a Dragon Fang of her own.
Strafe and Ashley continue to explore the castle, fighting more dark beings and a few Drakids, but find themselves in total darkness, so Strafe finds a new use for his powers, the Light Torch, to help them see in the dark. Along their way, they come across a set of inscriptions and a mural that portrays two gods, Stemmara and Orcorum. The inscriptions mention how the Drakids wanted to use the power of the gods rule Aereus in the past, but when they finally achieved the divine energy to do so, it drove many of them insane, turning them into feral dragons. The gods - Stemmara of light and Orcorum of shadows - then gave their blessings to humans to protect them from the dragons, before they were eventually sealed. However, Orcorum went mad, for reasons "lost to time".
Before long, Strafe is able to find Lock and gives chase, though they end up following him into the chamber of Ekatz, one of the lords of the Drakids that had lost sanity and become a dragon. Strafe and Locke fight, and though Strafe manages to get the upper hand, Ekatz awakens and interrupts their fight, attacking with feral fury. Lock warps away, and Strafe is left with Ashley to fend for themselves against Ekatz's onslaught. The fight seems hopeless at first, until the statues of Stemmara in the room, placed to channel her power for sealing the dragons, bring the goddess' light to Strafe. Strafe receives an overflow of light power, with his hair and clothes glowing white, and he is able to subdue Ekatz for long enough to give Strafe and Ashley an escape.
On the way out, Ekatz breaks free from the divine seal placed on him and bursts out of the castle. Strafe guesses that Lock must have used the Dragon Fang to unseal the dragon, but he can't be sure. The dragon then fires a blast of ancient magic at the fleeing pair, causing them to fall off the plateau, though Coarson comes flying in on his glider to rescue the two. Coarson explains that he had returned to the spot the glider landed so that he could repair it, and came to provide backup when he saw the dragon break free, guessing that it was after Strafe. After landing back at Coarson's workshop, Strafe explains everything, and Ashley decides that the best place to go next is Kresthita, the island where the Drakids originated from.
==Characters==
Character 	Description
Strafe 	A conflicted thief hailing from the city of Noah. He ran from home after his mother was killed by Lock, soon finding himselves in the hands of Ida and the Thieves' Guild. Though now that his past has caught up to him, he ends up on the run and winds up in a great battle between the gods of light and darkness. He wields a peculiar light magic, and by shaping the light into bullets, his trusty Desert Eagle never runs out of ammunition.
Lock 	A shady man who fathered Strafe, but after killing his mother is insistent on making his life a misery. He always shows up where he is least needed, conspiring with villains such as Sear and Decay. His weapon of choice is dark magic, the opposite to his son's light powers. But he wasn't always like this, he was surely a good man once. It's a mystery what caused him to change.
Ida 	The leader of the Thieves' Guild, who took Strafe in when he ran from home and raised him as her own child. Though she has no qualms towards plundering and assassination, she cares deeply for Noah, sabotaging the lower and upper classes to try and stop the raging conflict between them.
Mist 	One of Strafe's allies in the Thief's Guild. He looks up to Strafe as an older brother, and is especially fascinated by his light powers. While she can be hesitant with following Ida's plans, her skills as a thief are clear, and she remains a steadfast ally to Strafe even in the toughest situations.
Guild Thieves	There are several other thieves serving under Ida, though Strafe only has three notable friends - Zanzabar, Xaler and Evelyn. Zanzabar, hailing from the island of Kresthita, is a master gunsmith whose dedication and serious attitude are hard to ignore. Xaler is the Guild's studious, perfectionist artist, who also shows interest in the arcane. Finally, Evelyn is a romantic young woman who has feelings for Strafe, and has a talent for making plush toys.
Sear 	The head of House Incendia, one of the main governing powers of the upper class of Noah. Believing the lower-class and especially the Thieves' Guild to be vermin that cause most of his nation's problems, he's sending his people to war. Sear is a powerful wielder of fiery magic, powered by his magic signet rings.
Ashley 	A mercenary hired by Sear to help guard his estate. She's a ruthless and effective battler, but her allegiance is ever-changing. If she feels that someone else will benefit her more, she'll change to their side in a heartbeat.
Coarson 	Jeremy Coarson is a mechanic who lives alone out in the Crescent Sands. A genius with technology, he built a bionic arm for himself and has the know-how to make various kinds of weapons and vehicles. After meeting Strafe, he forms a steadfast friendship with him, and is happy to provide the thief with new firearms.
Decay 	The leader of the Vermin, a band of vagabond bandits that do as they please as they travel Aereus. He and his allies are currently seeking out the Dragon Fangs, ancient treasures connected to the Drakids who ruled over the people of Aereus in ancient times. His knowledge of history makes his hunting methods highly effective.
Solrad 	One of the head officers of the Vermin, who's out to snag the Dragon Fangs with his twin sister Lunica. A high-energy rogue who always wants to take the vanguard in whatever he does, he and his sister often butt heads with their combined attitude, but are effective nonetheless.
Lunica 	One of the head officers of the Vermin, who leads the search for the Dragon Fangs with her twin brother Solrad. While as domineering as her brother, she prefers to hang back out of trouble and let the other Vermin have their chance. The twins regularly argue, but are something to be feared when they fight as a pair.
Stemmara 	The White Goddess herself, worshipped all throughout Jonethr. The myths say that she gave light to the scorching desert sun, gave birds their wings, and answers every prayer with good fortune, but that can't all be true. Her truth is shrouded in mystery, though what is known is that she established a fair few civilisations, including Noah. Some say she reincarnates as a human so she can live alongside them at times.
==Gameplay==
Light Strafer generally keeps a similar gameplay style to the original game, being a third-person platform shooter, though it is more focused on action as opposed to the series' usual focus on stealth (though stealth missions are still quite regular throughout the game). The player explores the areas as Strafe by running, jumping, climbing and sliding, with their primary attack method being his various firearms. The shots aim towards a reticle that can be moved with the right analogue stick, and by holding the zoom button, they can close in on the reticle to make it easier to fire distant targets. When dual-wielding weapons, the zoom button serves as a second fire button, making zooming in impossible.
The player can collect weapons around the world, and can equip three "active weapons" to switch between at any time. Weapon parts are also obtained, and duplicate weapons can be broken down into parts. When enough parts for a weapon are in stock, the player can give them to Coarson to upgrade the weapon. Every weapon has eighteen upgrades, with three properties (usually clip size, attack speed and damage) that can be upgraded six times each.
At several points throughout the game, the player enters sections where Strafe runs automatically along a set path, and the player has to use his shots to destroy enemies and obstacles before they can reach him.
===Controls===
These controls assume a PS4 or PS5 controller. All other systems use roughly the same button layout.
	Move 		Move Reticle 		Fire Weapon		ZoomFire Left-Hand Weapon
	Jump 		Switch Weapon		Reload 		Light Magic
	Switch Light Magic		Crouch, Slide		Sub-Weapon 		Switch Sub-Weapon
==Abilities==
===Weapons===
Weapons and their parts can be collected in various locations, or bought at shops. Excess weapons can be broken down into parts, and parts can be used to upgrade weapons of the same type. Up to three weapons can be equipped and switched between at any time.
Note that the dual-wielding ability for any weapon is unlocked after getting a second Desert Eagle in Episode II.
Weapon 	Description
Desert Eagle 	Strafe's favourite, a popular firearm designed for ease of use. With his infinite light magic bullets, he has no need to stock up on ammo.
The Desert Eagle uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 12 ammo and is semi-automatic with a potentially fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 24 ammo.
Available from the start. Desert Eagles can be dual-wielded.
Coyote Burst 	A shotgun designed for blasting enemies at close range. It fires a mass of bullets that scatter in a large area, which is great when you're surrounded, but unreliable when further away.
The Coyote Burst uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 8 bursts of ammo and is semi-automatic with a potentially fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 16 ammo.
Can be found from Episode I onwards. Coyote Bursts can be dual-wielded.
Lizard Fang 	A fully automatic weapon that constantly fires when you pull the trigger down. Each shot is weak, but the damage racks up quickly. It's a very handy support weapon.
The Lizard Fang uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 25 ammo and is automatic with a fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 40 ammo.
Can be found from Episode I onwards. Lizard Fangs can be dual-wielded.
Tortoise Bomber	A weapon that propels powerful explosive rounds. The shots are quite slow and heavy, so it's not best-suited for long-range combat, but it proves effective in crowd control.
The Tortoise Bomber uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 6 ammo and is semi-automatic with a fairly slow firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 12 ammo.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Fennec Blast 	A weapon that fires three shots in a quick burst. If you can keep a steady aim and get them all on-target, it deals pretty good damage, but it isn't specialised in one field like other weapons.
The Fennec Blast uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 30 ammo for ten bursts and is semi-automatic with a medium firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 48 ammo.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Scope Stinger 	A common sniper rifle, designed to propel bullets super-long distances. Look through the scope to get the best use. It's powerful, but quite slow, and very ineffective at close range.
The Scope Stinger uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 5 ammo and is semi-automatic with a slow firing rate and high recoil. The clip size, recoil resistance and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 8 ammo.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Razor Claws 	A pair of hand-attached claws, used for augmented hand-to-hand combat. While fast and powerful, they lack in range, and take a long time to put on and take off. Also, you can't use sub-weapons with claws, so be careful.
The Razor Claws are used for close-ranged attacks, with various combo options depending on how the player times their button inputs.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Gatling Ram 	A bulky weapon designed to fit as many bullets as possible and unload them all at high speed. While it's slow to start firing, and the scattered shots result in poor precision, it is highly effective in dealing with groups of enemies.
The Gatling Ram uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has infinite ammo and is automatic with a very fast firing rate and high scattering, though it will overheat after firing for enough time, preventing you from shooting until it cools off. The overheat time, cooling time and firing speed can be upgraded six times each.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
Spider Snare 	A shotgun designed to fire bullets in a wider spread than the Coyote Burst. While the burst is less precise, it makes up for it with the area the spread covers. It also has a long-ranged centre blast, and hitting both this and the spread can deal heavy damage.
The Spider Snare uses Light Lead as its primary ammunition. It initially has 6 bursts of ammo and is semi-automatic with a potentially fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 12 ammo.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
Ancient Blade 	A sword pilfered from ancient ruins. While its age certainly shows, what it lacks in damage it makes up for by inflicting enemies with an ancient spell, lowering their defences. Claws may be faster and stronger, but the sword is less unwieldy and has a longer reach.
The Ancient Blade is used for close-ranged attacks, with various combo options depending on how the player times their button inputs.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
Winter Eagle 	A special weapon built using Eversnow Stones. Built in the image of the Desert Eagle, it is mechanically similar but fires frozen bullets, which can chill enemies to slow down and leave harmful ice spikes on surfaces they hit.
The Winter Eagle is similar to the Desert Eagle outside of the ice property of its shots. It initially has 15 ammo and is semi-automatic with a potentially fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 30 ammo.
Gifted in Episode III. Winter Eagles can be dual-wielded.
Red Phoenix 	A special weapon built from Salamand Stars. While similar to the Desert Eagle, it fires bursts of flames that singe enemies, causing damage over time and weakening their melee strikes. The shots will even ignite when they hit the ground.
The Red Phoenix is similar to the Desert Eagle outside of the fire property of its shots. It initially has 20 ammo and is semi-automatic with a potentially fast firing rate. The clip size, attack speed and damage can be upgraded six times each, for a maximum of 40 ammo.
Gifted in Episode IV. Red Phoenixes can be dual-wielded.
===Sub-Weapons===
Sub-weapons include small melee weapons, such as knives, and thrown weapons. Many of them are lost after use, though they are found in good supply. Up to three sub-weapons can be equipped and switched between at any time. None of these sub-weapons can be used while claws are equipped.
Weapon 	Description
Hunting Knife 	A plain dagger that is used for close-range attacks. It is highly powerful, but not very easy to land hits with, especially considering the short range. For an easy stealth kill, try throwing the knife with a charged attack.
Pressing the sub-weapon button launches a short-ranged stab with the knife, while holding it down will prepare a knife throw. If the knife hits an enemy when thrown, it will be lost, it can otherwise be reclaimed.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Lizard Plush Toy	Strafe's favourite animal in a soft, huggable form. A terrible choice for a weapon, but a good distraction.
The Lizard Plush Toy cannot deal damage, but distracts human enemies near where it lands.
One is given by Evelyn in Episode I, more can be found from Episode III onwards.
Grenade 	A hand-thrown bomb that explodes on a timer when you remove the pin.
The Grenade is slow to throw due to needing to remove the pin, but has a large, powerful explosion.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Time Bomb 	A bomb set to explode several sections after you turn the dial. Useful for a delayed blast.
The Time Bomb functions similarly to the Grenade, but is quicker to throw and takes much longer to explode.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Empty Grenade 	A grenade without any explosives, allowing it to be filled with explosive light magic.
The Empty Grenade functions similarly to the Grenade, but releases a light blast that deals more damage to monsters than humans.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Flare Bomb 	A bomb that explodes into a long-lasting pillar of flames. Useful to melt ice and seal off enemy escapes.
On impact, the Flare Bomb immediately explodes into a large, long-lasting fire that constantly damages enemies within. Enemies inside the flame will be scorched quickly, while those outside the flame are scared away from it.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Vermin Blade 	A dagger modified by the Vermin to have bullet-firing capacity. Since it only has room for a single bullet, it can't be relied on at range, but can offer solid results in melee combat.
Pressing the sub-weapon button launches a slash with the knife, while holding it down will fire a bullet. The bullet only has one ammo, so it must be reloaded after use.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Sand Boomerang 	A boomerang that flies in an arc when you throw it, and always comes back to your hand. It flies slowly, but once it hits, you'll knock the enemy down.
Pressing the sub-weapon button will throw the boomerang in a small arc, though holding it down will allow you to throw it further, with a red indicator showing where the throw's arc will reach its furthest point.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Stun Grenade 	A specialised grenade that doesn't cause harm, instead stunning enemies in its blast.
The Stun Grenade functions similarly to other Grenades, but stuns enemies instead of damaging them.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
Glacial Bomb 	A bomb that explodes into a mass of ice, covering the ground. Useful to freeze water, cool lava and make the ground slippery.
On impact, the Glacial Bomb immediately explodes and freezes the surrounding ground temporarily. Anyone that moves too quickly on ice will fall down, including Strafe himself without the right equipment.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
Proto-Boomerang 	An ancient tool that is believed to be the precursor to our favourite loop-flying hunting tool. It behaves similarly to a normal boomerang, and can hex enemies to lower their defences
Pressing the sub-weapon button will throw the boomerang in a small arc, though holding it down will allow you to throw it further, with a red indicator showing where the throw's arc will reach its furthest point.
Can be found from Episode III onwards.
===Equipment===
Equipment pieces can be switched between from the menu.
Weapon 	Description
Desert Shoes 	Everyday teal shoes that keep the sand away from your toes, but don't do much else.
Available from the start.
Sprint Shoes 	Special shoes designed for quick short-distance running. Boosts speed, but might be hard to control.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Impact Shoes 	Heavy shoes that lessen the impact from a heavy fall. Allows you to fall further before taking fall damage.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Spring Shoes 	Shoes designed to give greater height when jumping. Allows you to jump higher, and extends Light Step's reach.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Spiked Boots 	Boots with soles covered in spikes. Protects you from damage when crossing rough ground, but gets stuck in sticky terrain.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Desert Gloves 	Everyday teal gloves that keep your hands from getting dirty, but don't do much else.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Fingerless Gloves	Gloves that leave the fingers uncovered, letting the hands be more nimble. Slightly raises firing rate.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Hoisting Gloves 	Gloves designed for lifting the wearer up. Makes it easier to climb onto a platform after grabbing the ledge.
Can be found from Episode I onwards.
Gripper Gloves 	Gloves designed with climbing in mind. Allows you to climb for longer before growing tired.
Can be found from Episode II onwards.
Guard Goggles 	Goggles that completely cover the eyes, preventing you from being blinded by sandstorms and snowstorms.
Applies an orange filter to the screen while in use. Gifted in Episode II.
===Light Magic===
Most Light Magic abilities cost Luminosity to use. Luminosity refills over time when not wielding a Luminosity-based ability. Up to three magic abilities can be equipped and switched between at any time.
The player can use Light Beads, which are found either by shattering glass orbs containing them or earned by defeating enemies, to upgrade their light powers in levels. All powers that can be upgraded have five levels initially, or ten levels for actual weapons, but the level cap increases at certain points in the story.
Weapon 	Description
Light Lead 	Light that has been solidified into razor-sharp bullets. Usable with any type of gun, it completely removes the need to gather ammunition.
Light Lead is considered the basic attack for most weapon types. It is the only magic ability not to cost Luminosity.
Light Step 	A handy dodge move that sends a burst of light from the feet to quickly roll in any direction. If an enemy tries to attack you, get out of the way quick with a Light Step, but be careful not to overuse it.
Use by flicking the left stick when close to an attack. Does not take up a magic slot. Available from the start.
Light Laser 	A powerful beam of light. Easy to aim with and powerful, but it drains Luminosity quite quickly. If you let it run out, the weapon overheats, leaving you vulnerable.
Can be assigned to a magic slot. The Light Laser is a concentrated attack that reaches its target instantly and deals constant damage. It is an automatic weapon, and has no limit other than Luminosity. This attack can be upgraded, to a maximum level of 10, to increase the damage rate and range, and reduce the Luminosity cost.
Unlocked in Episode I.
Light Wings 	Summon wings made of light to glide in the air. If you're free-falling, you can use them to slow the fall and gain more control. For long-distance jumps, the wings can help increase the distance you reach.
Light Wings can be brought out by holding the jump button in midair. The ability can be upgraded, to a maximum level of 5, to increase control, flight speed, and the duration you can hold the wings out for. When upgraded to Level 5, Strafe gains a double jump ability. Using the wings, including for the double jump, costs minor Luminosity, but the duration you can glide for is separate from Luminosity.
Unlocked in Episode II.
Light Hawk 	A shape-shifting light blast that transforms into a bird shape shortly after being fired. The bird intelligently homes in on enemies, but lacks in damage output. Charging a shot fires several hawks at once.
Can be assigned to a magic slot. The Light Hawk flies slowly, but homes in on whatever you aimed the reticle at. It is a manual weapon, and while it doesn't have traditional ammo, Strafe must take a short (but noticeable) break after five shots in a row.
When a shot is charged, Strafe fires three or five hawks at once, depending on the time spent charging, which can home in on several targets in the general area. This attack can be upgraded, to a maximum level of 10, to increase the damage and speed of the hawks, and reduce the Luminosity cost and charge time.
Unlocked in Episode II.
Light Charge	Channel the power of light to jet forwards. With enough speed, you can shove objects that are too heavy to push on your own. You can even use it to dash for a short distance in midair.
The Light Charge can be upgraded, to a maximum level of 5, to increase the force and damage.
Unlocked in Episode III.
Light Torch 	Summon a beam of light in the hand to emulate a torch. Very useful in dark rooms for seeing what your eyes alone can't. While it does take up your sub-weapon slot and prevents the use of other light spells, mashing the button will launch a flashing light that stuns and blinds enemies.
The Light Torch only uses Lumminosity while flashed, but can't be used at all if Strafe's Luminosity is empty. It can be upgraded, to a maximum level of 5, to make the flash attack more effective.
Unlocked in Episode III.
==Areas==
TBA
==Bosses==
TBA
==Multiplayer==
TBA
==Trivia==
*Light Strafer's conception and development dates back to the February of 2021.
*The idea for Strafe using his guns to fire light magic came from Mirror thinking that Strafe's power over light has been less touched-upon than his use of guns in previous incarnations. He decided that mixing both of Strafe's abilities into one would make them more interesting and prominent, in addition to being a unique quality to let him stand out.
*Several character designs had been subject to change during development:
**Strafe's headband was going to be blue at one point, as seen in several trailers, but was changed to brown as the blue blended into his hair.
**As seen in the first trailer, Strafe's hair was considerably lighter, being very similar to Stemmara's hair colour. This was changed to match Strafe's original hair colour as it was "too iconic" to change.
**Lock's design was set to have far more chains initially, as seen in concept art, but this was toned down shortly after.
**Ida originally had a "zettai ryouiki" look, with short shorts and thigh-high socks, and her armband was on her left arm rather than her right. These were also changed before the first trailer.
**Sear was originally more heavily robed, his outfit was more purple than white, and he lacked his crown and cape.
**Coarson's design went through a large number of adjustments, as seen in several trailers. He originally sported a jacket, shoulder sleeves and a cloth that covered his bionic arm, his gloves were green instead of red, and his shorts and boots were much more green as well. His freckles were a very late addition.
**The shape of Stemmara's staff in her final design was originally an insignia of light that appeared behind her head, with her staff having a much more simple design with an orange, sun-like orb at the top.
*The first Episode can be described as a condensed version of the plot of Heaven Born, the first Strafe game. This was intended to show the scope of the reboot compared to the original. In particular, making Sear the first boss was decided as a "punchline on the entrance", as he was the final boss in Heaven Born, to cause more of an impact to players who played the original game.
Category:Strafe (series)Category:Fan GamesCategory:Mirror Samurai GamesCategory:Reboots