Moonscars

Developer: Black Mermaid
Publisher: Humble Games
Platforms: Xbox Series X , Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 27 Sep 2022
Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

Improvement through repetition. It’s something that’s in common with plenty of video games. You’re stuck on that boss fight or a difficult race that you just can’t get through no matter how many times you try. But every time you fail, you will learn something new. You better memorize the moves of a boss or figure out just when to accelerate or cut a corner to get first to the finish line. That’s the idea behind Moonscars. Memorize the patterns, get better skills, and weapons and you might reach the end eventually.

Story

How do you give the main character droplets of personality and exposition without revealing it all at once? Through good ole trope of memory loss. You play as a clayborne warrior Grey Irma, driven by one purpose: find the Sculptor and unravel the mystery of her existence. Morph yourself into an ultimate warrior through the cycle of trial and triumph. The nonlinear world of Moonscars is left for you to explore. Hidden paths, secrets, upgrades, and so on… They’re all yours for the taking as long as you don’t die too much on your way to them.

Gameplay

As soon as you take control of Grey Irma, you’ll be acquainted with the basic moves and the premise of Moonscars. Attack, heavy build-up attack, dodge and you’re good to go. Soon later the game introduces environmental traps such as spiked walls and pitfalls. Coincidentally or not, at the same time you will encounter a more buffed version of enemies that just happen to be standing next to those traps. See where this is going? There are also special weapons with dedicated negative effects on the enemies. One might inflict bleeding upon them, another one can cause a slowdown, another one comes with a bonus of stunning the enemies, and yeah, you get the picture.

The formula is simple: hit, hit, evade, and then hit some more. The winning recipe for plenty of soulslike games. Make use of spiked walls whenever ever you see them, lure enemies next to them and pulverize them with a well-placed hit & throw combo. Explore every nook and cranny for hidden upgrades, enemies, and experience points. Plan your attacks but at the same time, don’t take too long. Despite their zombie-like state, enemies can be swift and relentless. You can’t hide behind any obstacle, there is only the choice of running away. And remember, dodging and parrying are your friends.

There are some minor nitpicks in terms of an iffy camera because something you have to be really careful and not rush since pitfalls can be clumsily placed and only noticeable until it is too late. Enemies can also unfairly gang up on you and stun you against the wall which I suppose can be another lesson there to tell you not to rush in.

Visuals

One would think that there isn’t much left in your everyday pixelated 2D scroller. Maybe there isn’t in most cases. But Moonscars is the exception to that rule. While the visuals are nothing extraordinary, the smart use of visual effects is what makes this game above average. Throwing enemies at spiked walls and watching them turn onto a mush of bones and fleshy goo never stops being fun. Effects of special weapons are distinct and as much as they can be slow, they are always fun to use (as long as you time it right). The risk is great, but the reward for watching the enemies turn into minced meat from your spinning wheel is even greater.

Audio

The voice work is only present in cutscenes and not much in the regular gameplay. As you talk with regular NPCs you might hear the occasional grunt, some umph here or one arrgh or ugh there but that’s pretty much it. On the other hand, the background sounds as you explore the grim environment of Moonscars. The soundtrack of the game never takes the spotlight, it just cleverly lingers in the background to remind you that you’re not alone or amp up the anxiety while you’re being cornered.

Overall

The core gameplay of Moonscars isn’t something revolutionary by any standards but it does implement all the usual gimmicks of your standard rogue-lite game. It avoids the mistake of being oversaturated with the usual rogue-lite mechanics to the point of having too much of everything in the hope that at least half of it will stick.

Moonscars is a fast-paced game with zero room for forgiveness, but plenty of room for improving your play. The road to the end of the game is anything but easy, yet it never stops being fun. Hit, die, repeat, and eventually, you’ll get there.

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