GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 315 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon Game Cover
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
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GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is a rogue-like hack-and-slash action game set in a dark and fantastical Japanese underworld. Players control the legendary warrior Getsu Fuma as they battle through procedurally generated levels filled with grotesque yokai enemies. With fast-paced golg combat, a variety of unlockable skills and weapons, and stunning visuals inspired by traditional Japanese art, GetsuFumaDen offers a fresh and challenging take on the action genre.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 315 reviews
gameplay25 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • Stunning art style and visuals that resemble traditional Japanese paintings.
  • Engaging and fun gameplay mechanics with a variety of weapons and combat styles.
  • Good sound design and music that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • Grind-heavy progression system that requires excessive farming for upgrades and materials.
  • Clunky controls and hitbox issues that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Lack of variety in enemy design and level layouts, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • gameplay118 mentions

    The gameplay of "Undying Moon" combines elements from popular titles like "Dead Cells" and "Dark Souls," featuring solid mechanics and a visually stunning presentation. However, many players find the gameplay loop repetitive and lacking depth, with clunky controls and poorly explained mechanics detracting from the overall experience. While the combat can be enjoyable and rewarding once mastered, the slow progression and grind for upgrades may hinder long-term engagement.

    • “If I wanted to explain the gameplay of Undying Moon in brief, I would say it's basically Dead Cells mixed with a little bit of Dark Souls.”
    • “Fantastic art aesthetic, solid platforming that feels very familiar but welcomed, and an addictive gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is a combination of the combat from Dead Cells, the look and feel of Nier, the death and rebirth mechanics, and level design from Hades.”
    • “This should already be a recipe for greatness, but the game fumbles this potential because of its gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay loop is also just lacking overall: enemies are more annoying than challenging, the grind for meta-currency is insanely long and incentivizes farming the early zones without making real progress.”
    • “It baffles me that the devs put so much effort into the graphics and soundtrack of this game, but the gameplay is so amateurish and dated.”
  • graphics115 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, heavily inspired by traditional Japanese ukiyo-e paintings. Many players praise the attention to detail and the atmospheric presentation, which enhances the overall experience. However, some critiques mention that the visuals can occasionally become cluttered, making gameplay confusing, and that while the art is beautiful, it does not compensate for gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The developers have nailed the art style for Getsufumaden's revival, making the whole game look like an old Japanese painting that has come to life, with all of the enemy designs and depictions being directly based on them.”
    • “The Japanese ukiyo-e art style is beautiful, and there's a huge amount of detail crammed into every nook and cranny.”
    • “Gorgeous visuals with fun gameplay and a decent amount of content.”
    • “The main drawback of the graphics is that they're too crowded at times.”
    • “Even though the game is not unfair in my opinion, it takes a little practice to memorize all of the enemies because some of them are kinda cheap with the visuals, especially on stage 3 where the foreground obscures your vision, not to mention that you can get hit by projectiles through the walls.”
    • “It baffles me that the devs put so much effort into the graphics and soundtrack of this game but the gameplay is so amateurish and dated.”
  • music55 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its outstanding soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience and complements the visuals. However, some players feel that the music lacks a clear direction, featuring an inconsistent mix of genres that can sometimes distract from the gameplay. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, there are critiques regarding its coherence and the quality of certain tracks.

    • “The haunting and atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the game's visuals, enhancing the overall immersive experience and drawing you deeper into the game's world.”
    • “Great music and art really make this game stand out and shows how much effort they are putting into this game.”
    • “Fantastic soundtrack with amazing variety from atmospheric kabuki-inspired tracks to intense power metal renditions of the original OST.”
    • “But unfortunately, I cannot say the exact same thing about the music.”
    • “While the music tracks are done really well, some of them make you think maybe there wasn't any clear direction as to what should be done with them.”
    • “There are times when the music drops out completely and other times when it's a major distraction.”
  • grinding32 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the game features excessive grinding, often leading to a tedious experience as players must repeatedly farm materials and resources for upgrades. While the gameplay is described as addictive and enjoyable, the grind for meta-currency and weapon upgrades can feel overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially in the early stages. Many players suggest that the grinding mechanics need improvement to provide a more rewarding experience.

    • “Yet, everything is really grindy and inefficient.”
    • “The gameplay loop is also just lacking overall: enemies are more annoying than challenging, the grind for meta-currency is insanely long and incentivizes farming the early zones without making real progress.”
    • “It truly is an immense amount of grinding for very little benefit.”
  • story23 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and poorly developed, leaving players confused about the protagonist's motivations and the overall narrative. While there is a basic premise involving the protagonist's quest to defeat demons and find his brother, the storytelling is sparse and lacks emotional depth, often relying on vague journal entries and loading screen text for context. Many players express a desire for a more engaging and coherent storyline to enhance their experience.

    • “Undying Moon sees you control the 27th head of the Getsu clan as you quest to kill the demon lord that has broken loose and unleashed hell upon the earth.”
    • “From then on, what little story there is is told via a series of glowing stones that act as journal entries from your brother and the text during the loading screens.”
    • “I hope there is a lot more depth to this game, with many weapons and items, and story and gameplay.”
    • “The story is utterly wank; I am not quite sure why the protagonist is doing what he's doing or what the end goal is.”
    • “There seems to be a story, but it's not very well explained, so I have no idea what's going on and what this is about even after seeing the short and obscure ending.”
    • “In terms of storyline, there's not a lot.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it offers endless replayability due to procedural generation and potential future content, others feel it diminishes after a few playthroughs due to a lack of variety and meaningful upgrades. The addition of new characters and features could enhance replay value, but currently, it largely depends on players' interest in completing challenges and unlocking upgrades. Many hope for ongoing developer support to introduce more content and randomized events to keep the experience fresh.

    • “Endless replayability.”
    • “That being said, it's a very tidy package overall, with plenty of replayability, so it gets a recommendation.”
    • “Looks like it will have some serious replayability with other fuma to encounter with each playthrough, so that will be interesting.”
    • “The replay value starts to wane after a few playthroughs, as the procedural generation fails to provide sufficient variety and freshness to keep players engaged in the long run.”
    • “After you fully beat the game once, there really isn't much in terms of replayability unless you are a completionist.”
    • “The second character they added feels too similar and doesn't add any replayability really.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its haunting and immersive soundtrack, which enhances the visuals and draws players deeper into the experience. Reviewers note the impressive variety in the music, ranging from atmospheric kabuki-inspired tracks to intense power metal, contributing to a unique and captivating ambiance that stands out on its own.

    • “The haunting and atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the game's visuals, enhancing the overall immersive experience and drawing you deeper into the game's world.”
    • “I love the atmosphere! If I had to compare the game, it's like Dead Cells and Nioh had a baby, but in all honesty, comparing this game to either of those is unfair and doesn't give enough credit to the devs of this game.”
    • “Fantastic soundtrack with amazing variety, from atmospheric kabuki-inspired tracks to intense power metal renditions of the original OST.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that negatively impact the overall experience.

    • “The game is incredibly buggy, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “It's full of glitches that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “I encountered numerous stability issues that ruined my enjoyment of the game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's sparse narrative undermines emotional investment, resulting in a lack of compelling storytelling to engage players. Additionally, inconsistent character mechanics detract from the overall experience, further diminishing emotional connection.

  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model is praised for its simplicity, featuring no microtransactions or hidden costs, allowing players to fully engage with the game without distractions.

    • “No microtransactions, no catches, just you and the game.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “I appreciate that I can enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should just to enjoy the game.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending money.”
    • “The constant barrage of ads and prompts to purchase in-game currency really detracts from the overall experience.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly highlighting the amusing weapon options and combinations that add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.

    • “I really liked this game; the soundtrack is good, and the options for weapons and combinations are hilarious.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, making every encounter a joy.”
    • “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and absurd situations throughout the game.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The game features impressive character design and a visually stimulating style, showcasing strong character development despite its presumably lower budget.

    • “The character development in this game is truly remarkable, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the overall narrative.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that genuinely impact their personalities and relationships.”
    • “The attention to detail in character design and development is impressive, creating a rich and immersive experience that keeps me engaged.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is reported to be significantly better optimized, allowing it to run smoothly even on older hardware, such as a 10-year-old PC.

    • “The game runs much better optimized on my 10-year-old PC.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by how well the game performs on lower-end hardware.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on older systems.”
    • “The game runs significantly better on my 10-year-old PC.”
    • “Optimization is lacking; I experience frequent frame drops even on high-end hardware.”
    • “The game feels unresponsive and sluggish, indicating poor optimization.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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