Amazon Luna hands-on: Skip the console-buying chaos
With somany cloud gaming servicesout there, it can be tough to know which will suit your needs, especially when each and every one offers a different method of monetization. This is why I’ve gone hands-on with Amazon’s Luna, to report on my findings so that anyone curious about the game streaming service can decide for themselves whether its features are robust enough for their needs. So with Prime Day almost upon us, when Amazon will assuredly discount a selection ofsmart TVs that offer access to the Luna app, let’s dig into Amazon’s Luna to see how it stacks up.
Keep in mind, my personal experience withAmazon Lunamay not be representative of yours—a stream can be affected by a local network, the service provider’s network, not to mention how the stream is routed or where the game’s server is located. This can differ substantially across game streaming services and regions. Ephemeral is a word that comes to mind, having tested several of these services over the years. For the record, my internet is 500mbps up and down, and all testing was performed over 5GHz Wi-Fi on an Omni FireTV, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2, and Asus ROG 5, with the Luna controller also connected over my 5GHz Wi-Fi network.
To kick things off, let’s start with the most crucial bit: the stability of Luna’s streams. Over the last few years, I’ve tested several game streaming services, and I’ve yet to find one that’s 100% stable. The way a service handles lag, I find, is key. In Luna’s case, I experienced some dropped frames, which caused a little stutter here and there, but I’ve yet to experience anything that wrecks the experience. The majority of games play smoothly, where any stutter is short-lived and easily ignored.
Of course, you’ll want to connect Luna over a 5GHz WiFi network. While you can play over a 2.4Ghz connection, Luna might warn you as you connect that 5GHz is preferred, and I can confirm games are much smoother and look better over 5GHz compared to 2.4GHz. So if you’re looking for maximum stability while playing, it would be a good idea to ensure your router is up to the task.
After testing Luna, I’d place it at the top of the pack when it comes to its stability of streams, slightly edging out Nvidia and Xbox Cloud Gaming and beating the pants off Stadia. Of course, the nature of streaming games means this may change at any time, but for once, I can say game streaming is actually starting to feel viable, where I’m not constantly annoyed by performance issues. Whatever magic spell Amazon has cast on its streams, it’s working, as the meltdowns I’ve experienced on competing services are nowhere to be seen on Luna.
Much like Stadia, Amazon offers its own controller, and it connects to Luna’s servers over Wi-Fi instead of directly connecting to your device (like you would over Bluetooth with third-party controllers). This type of setup lowers latency, which is necessary when streaming video games to ensure they are responsive. While a similar setup for Stadia’s controller never quite felt stable enough, I can confirm games on Luna feel good enough that you might forget you’re a streaming game. That’s pretty much the goal for cloud gaming, often hard to hit, but Luna does a bang-up job delivering low-latency gaming with the Luna controller.
What’s really impressive is that the low latency of the controller holds no matter the device you choose to play on. Whether you’re looking to game on a Chromebook, a Smart TV, or your phone, the controller holds its connection and delivers an almost-seamless experience. While it might sound silly that the device being streamed to could affect your controller’s connection, any weak point in the chain can have rippling effects (looking your way, Stadia), so it’s nice to see Luna holding its own.
As for the design of the controller, it’s a solid device and feels more sturdy and dense than the Stadia controller with its strangely loud buttons and squeaky triggers. The stance feels slightly wider than an Xbox controller, with the grips angling out slightly more. These grips are a very dark blue that would look black if it wasn’t for the black plastic face of the controller. The thumbsticks offer a wonderful pop of color; Luna’s trademark purple. Amazon has opted for an Xbox layout with asymmetric thumbsticks (as compared to Sony and Google, which place both thumbsticks in the center). There’s also a pleasant textured back that reminds me of the latest Xbox Wireless Controller, which is a nice touch. Best of all, it uses standard AA batteries, so there’s no waiting while the controller recharges, just pop in a fresh pair of AAs. Oh, and Bluetooth support is built-in if you’d prefer to use the controller with a PC (you can also use it as a regular controller wired over USB). So even if you don’t stick with Luna long-term, the controller won’t go to waste.
If you’re interested in co-op, there’s a feature called Luna Couch, and while support isn’t available for every title, those that do support this multiplayer functionality work as expected, where each player inputs a code to sync up across the internet.
Of course, if you prefer to game on your smartphone, there’s also anoptional clipavailable to attach your phone to the controller. Like all controller phone clips, the off-center weight is annoying, especially if you’re using a sizable/weighty gaming phone, though it’s still nice to have the option for Luna gaming on the go.
The meat of Luna comes down to software, as this is what you’ll interface with no matter your device of choice. There’s a website that can be accessed on any supported browser/device, along with a Luna controller app on Android and iOS, which is used to connect the controller to Amazon’s servers. If you happen to own a Fire TV Stick, there’s a progressive Luna web app available, though this app is not listed on the Play Store, which leaves out Shield and other ATV users. While there is a short list of phones that officially support the PWA (including Google, Samsung, and OnePlus handsets), unsupported devices can also install the PWA through the Luna website. However, the PWA may not work perfectly. Having tested the PWA on my Tab S8+ and ROG 5, both of which aren’t officially supported, things worked fine, but your mileage may vary.
I experienced very few hiccups across Android, ChromeOS, and the Fire TV Stick 4K. Firing up a game is just as easy on my Chromebook as it is on my phone/tablet or Fire TV Stick. Like magic, the Luna controller connects to a game’s servers (once set up in the separate Luna Controller app, which is a breeze). So, even though Luna’s software may currently sound limiting, what’s available has clearly been put through rigorous testing and works well. That’s what you want to see when buying into a cloud gaming service. After years of trying to troubleshoot unending issues on competing services, it’s a breath of fresh air that Luna works out of the box anywhere you choose to play.
Monetization
Luna is monetized similarly to Amazon Prime Video. If you subscribe toAmazon Prime, you gain access to a handful of Luna games, just as you gain access to a selection of streamable Prime Videos. If you wish to move beyond Prime’s small rotation of bundled games, you can subscribe to a handful of gaming channels. There’s Luna+ for $5.99 a month, offering a variety of titles, like Dirt 5, Resident Evil Biohazard, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. But there are also Retro, Family, Ubisoft+, and Jackbox Games channels, ranging in price from $2.99 to $17.99 a month, with Ubisoft’s channel at the high-end.
You can Subscribe to the channels that contain the games you’d like to stream, with the option to drop one and move to another at any time. Yes, you’ll have to juggle a bunch of different subs through your Amazon account, but all of the subscriptions will be centrally located under a single account for easy management. Unfortunately, you can’t get individual games, even if there’s only one thing in a channel you want to play.
Personally, I don’t enjoy the hassle of dealing with multiple subscriptions, so I prefer Stadia’s and Nvidia’s models, where I buy the games I want to play. Nvidia offers the best system for seasoned gamers, of course, as you’ll be able to play the games you already own on services like Steam and Epic. So, Luna doesn’t offer my favorite pricing model, though I concede that a subscription model is great for those who love trialing a wide selection of games without the need to commit beyond a month.
Final Thoughts
For me, Luna sits somewhere in the middle of the fledgling game streaming space. Its streaming quality is the best I’ve experienced; reasonably stable, with clear images that reach up to 1080p. Sure, there’s no 4K here, not yet, but that doesn’t mean streams look bad on 4K TVs. If anything, I’d say most games are comparable in graphics to Stadia and Nvidia, just capped at 1080p. Seeing that all streams are already compressed, it’s not like you’re getting a true 4K experience on competing services anyway. For me, performance is of utmost importance, and Luna nails it.
In this particular instance, with my equipment, my location, and the games I chose to play, it would appear that Luna works well. Will this hold true for you? Well, that’s anyone’s guess, which is why video game streaming is such a fickle beast. The good news is it’s easy to check out the service, especially if you already pay for Prime—just log on and launch one of the free games in the Prime channel. Yes, the pricing may be a turnoff after the second or third channel subscription, but at least you have the option to pick the types of gaming categories you’d like to experience.
So, like all game streaming services, Luna may or may not appeal to you, depending on your needs. One of the biggest issues for me is device support—it would be easier if more devices were supported across Android. But growing pains are to be expected, and seeing that the entry price is so low, there’s certainly no harm in taking Luna for a spin to see how it stacks up on your network. I, for one, am certainly pleased with Luna. I can easily see sticking with it for the longterm.
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UPDATE: 2022/07/19 BY MATTHEW SHOLTZ
This review has been updated with new thoughts and content
$135 is its lowest price in months
An advanced, compact, purpose-built device
Strong alternatives to aging competitors
Not yet, anyway
A hefty discount makes this a no-brainer
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