The story of
Lux-Pain is fairly complex, in that nonsensical way that otaku have come to know and love so well over the years. Tracking down the source of an infection, you enter Kisaragi City and start investigating strange incidents that prove the infection is coming from a mental parasite called Silent. Somewhere in the city, a person is carrying the original form of Silent. Unlike physical diseases, people will carry Silent and show no outward sign. The organization that sends you to the city and monitors your progress became aware of the Silent infection through tracking mass suicides and acts that point to a deranged mind.
This is the point where we point out or remind you that Lux-Pain carries a T for Teen rating. They aren't kidding. This would be a terrible game to give your young child, because the content is most definitely for adult consumption. In my more conservative moments, I'd say that a M for Mature rating would not be out of place, but most of the really bad stuff is delivered in the form of hints and suggestions. Reading people's minds to uncover Silent infection will also expose thoughts they are having that often are dark or brooding. Later teens will get it and enjoy the more mature subject matter, but younger teens may just find it confusing or disturbing.
Aside from interviewing characters to uncover their issues and gather clues as to the whereabouts of the original Silent carrier, you'll mostly spend time exorcising Silent from people you meet and in places you visit. The clues you'll have as to where and when this happens are pretty blatant. Lux-Pain refers to items used to sense activity beyond the physical plane, not just reading minds but sensing the presence of something otherwise unseen. The way this works feels a bit like a mini-game; when you see the sigma symbol on the screen, you tap it to activate your power. This brings down a screen-on-screen effect that desaturates the color of the scene and freezes characters you may be talking with. Scratching at areas where you know there is a shred of infection will uncover a "worm" that you can isolate and destroy. This act frees memories and associations for people that you can combine and implant in other people. This is the primary mechanism in the game aside from just exploring locations and talking with people, so it really defines Lux-Pain. Without a huge amount of variety, the search for Silent becomes a ticket punch, moving from one location to the next looking for people that might offer you another clue and that need your assistance. If you make it through to the end, you've unraveled quite a story, but it still doesn't make a whole lot more sense than it did when you started.
