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Lunacid: Tears of the Moon

86%Game Brain Score
music, atmosphere
gameplay, graphics
86% User Score Based on 396 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows

About

Lunacid: Tears of the Moon is a First Person Dungeon Crawler made with the Sword of Moonlight - King’s Field making tool from 2000. Explore various dungeons for powerful weapons and spells to forestall the previsioned end of the world.

Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon screenshot

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 396 reviews
music22 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions

  • The game is free, making it an accessible option for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers.
  • It successfully captures the nostalgic feel of King's Field, with atmospheric design and engaging exploration.
  • The inclusion of a manual is appreciated, providing essential guidance for players navigating the game's mechanics.
  • The controls are clunky and can be frustrating, especially for those unfamiliar with tank controls.
  • The game crashes upon death, which can be irritating and disrupts the gameplay experience.
  • Many players feel that the game lacks the depth and polish of its predecessor, Lunacid, leading to disappointment.
  • gameplay
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is heavily inspired by the classic King's Field series, featuring clunky controls and a slow-paced dungeon crawling experience that may not appeal to everyone. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and exploration elements, others find the mechanics obtuse and the lack of information frustrating. Overall, the game offers a mix of dense dungeon layouts and combat, but its dated design and technical issues may deter newcomers.

    • “The dungeon layouts here are dense with classic King's Field-style gameplay, while also featuring Lunacid's clever use of shortcuts.”
    • “The gameplay was fun and I enjoyed how it didn't feel like I had to be up close and personal with every enemy compared to the first one where you could still miss an enemy point blank with long weapons.”
    • “Gameplay is both exploration and combat heavy, and looking for secrets is again very much part of this game.”
    • “I don't feel like I'm playing a game inspired by King's Field; it feels like a dated game from the PS1 era with incredibly dated controls, no explanation of mechanics, and no in-game settings for resolution (most of this stuff is buried in the manual and options menu on startup).”
    • “The combat and movement are clunky; there is so much to read compared to the first game, and the amount of reading is more compared to the actual gameplay.”
    • “That said, since it's essentially King's Field in terms of gameplay, I can't recommend it to absolutely everyone.”
  • graphics
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic and atmospheric art style reminiscent of PS1-era aesthetics, while others criticize it as a downgrade from previous titles like Lunacid, citing graphical bugs and dated visuals. Despite the clunky controls and audio issues, many players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of immersion and nostalgia. Overall, the visuals are seen as a blend of impressive and archaic, appealing to fans of retro gaming but potentially off-putting to those seeking modern graphics.

    • “The game has impressive visuals (for a Sword of Moonlight game) and an excellent soundtrack, authentic to the games it seeks to simulate.”
    • “The atmosphere is wonderful, the art style is very striking and nostalgic, and the music is superb.”
    • “The atmosphere, the graphics... everything about this so far just makes me want to get lost in this for the whole weekend or more.”
    • “The graphics are terrible.”
    • “Its missing things like body part cutting, the controls are pretty bad, and the graphics are a clear downgrade from Lunacid.”
    • “I keep getting graphical bugs.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic quality, reminiscent of the PS1 era, and effectively enhances the atmospheric experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack is both enjoyable and fitting for the game's design, contributing to a captivating exploration environment. While some feel it lacks the uniqueness of original soundtracks, the overall consensus is that the music significantly elevates the game's charm and emotional depth.

    • “How the maps just flow, and how excellent the soundtrack fits, adding that extra level of atmosphere to the world. I don't know how anyone could not appreciate what's being done here, with dev tools from 25 years ago.”
    • “The atmosphere is wonderful, the art style is very striking and nostalgic, and the music is superb.”
    • “The atmosphere, design, and music as soon as you load in are insanely captivating.”
    • “However, this atmosphere, this style, this music, and this combat is lunacid through and through.”
    • “The original had 3 great elements that made it special and successful: fluid, simple and fast movement and combat; relaxing, vague and lonely vibes; appropriate visuals and music; not too complicated lore but deep emotions related to the narrative.”
    • “It looks worse, doesn't have the unique sound design and soundtrack, and the controls (particularly the camera speed) are pretty slow and clunky.”
  • atmosphere
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating blend of striking art style, superb music, and immersive world design, evoking a sense of nostalgia and mystery. Players appreciate the eerie and broody ambiance, which enhances exploration and storytelling, despite some acknowledging the dated visuals and clunky controls. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a compelling draw that keeps players engaged and eager to uncover its secrets.

    • “The atmosphere is wonderful, the art style is very striking and nostalgic, and the music is superb.”
    • “The atmosphere, design, and music as soon as you load in are insanely captivating.”
    • “The atmosphere, the graphics...everything about this so far just makes me want to get lost in this for the whole weekend or more.”
    • “Lunacid, if it was more terrifying and the atmosphere even spookier, but your character is built like a war tank—unstoppable, indestructible, and a force of nature—which seems ironic seeing that the game plays with tank controls exclusively.”
    • “Absolutely overjoyed that we're getting new King's Field stuff in 2025. This is very easily a niche that could have died out due to the simple fact that it's a terribly inaccessible format for dungeon crawlers, but it still grabs me just because it carries such a wonderful mystique both in its mechanical friction and Kira's amplification of the already dense atmosphere inherent to the engine.”
    • “The atmosphere, the graphics... everything about this so far just makes me want to get lost in this for the whole weekend or more.”
  • story
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story centers around the main character, battlemage Calamis, and serves as a prequel to Lunacid, providing lore and context for the original game. While the narrative is simple and easy to follow, some players feel it could have been more developed, especially given the shift in gameplay and engine. Overall, fans of Lunacid appreciate the backstory and lore implications, though expectations may vary based on familiarity with the original game.

    • “10/10 love the story and it is a nice prequel to Lunacid; the fact something like this is free is mind-boggling to me.”
    • “As for story: this is a prequel to Lunacid (obviously) and I think you'll get the most out of it if you've already completed that.”
    • “Story-wise, I can't say I remember a whole lot about Lunacid's story, but from what I do remember about it, this game sets up its sequel predecessor quite well, leading directly into how the world of Lunacid became the way it is, among other small answers.”
    • “I know a lot of Lunacid fans have been disappointed with this release; I think it's because they went in thinking it was just going to be more of the original game, instead of a prequel, both in story and gameplay.”
    • “The story was simple and easy to follow, but I feel like it could've been better.”
    • “I love Lunacid and I was really invested with the story, but since this is on a totally different engine and completely different gameplay, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is polarizing; while some find "skill issue" comments amusing, others view them as annoying and unoriginal. Additionally, the inclusion of a retextured earth elemental from another game as a boss is noted as a humorous touch, highlighting the game's quirky charm. Overall, the humor may resonate differently with players, depending on their familiarity with the references.

    • “I find it extremely funny that the earth elemental from KF2 is a boss in the game, but now it has a spooky retexture.”
    • “"Skill issue" comments are so funny and lame; who cares if you're better at playing with a toy?”
    • “If the latter, I'm not in on the joke, so it's not funny, it's just annoying.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is currently a mixed bag, with users noting that while it runs smoother than some older titles, it is still plagued by bugs. Many players feel that the troubleshooting challenges are a reasonable trade-off for the unique, authentic experience the game offers, despite its less meticulous craftsmanship compared to its predecessors. Overall, the game is seen as easier to pick up and play, but stability issues remain a significant concern.

    • “The game is buggy right now!”
    • “I was in the middle of getting into King's Field (FromSoftware's first franchise and what the engine was designed to make games like) when I first heard this game was announced, and comparing it to those games it certainly isn't as meticulously well-crafted, but it was also easier to just pick up and play (troubleshooting aside) thanks to Tears of the Moon just running much smoother.”
    • “Such is the nature of things, though, and I think the pains of old software troubleshooting is a totally fair trade-off for the really cool idea of using 20-year-old software to lend your prequel game a unique authentic aged-ness.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game lacks replayability, which disappointed some players, although they found the overall experience enjoyable, particularly in the earlier stages. Many expressed hope that future updates could enhance the game's replay value.

    • “It's a bit sad that the game has no replayability to it, but at least it was an enjoyable experience outside of the last 2 or 3 hours I had with it.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that certain creatures have excessive health, making battles feel tedious and drawn out. The ease of dodging these enemies further contributes to the sense of monotony in combat.

    • “Certain creatures have a lot of HP, making them feel very spongy. Since you can dodge them so easily, it gets rather tedious.”
    • “Grinding becomes a chore when the enemies take too long to defeat, leading to a repetitive and frustrating experience.”
    • “The amount of time required to level up feels excessive, turning what should be an enjoyable progression into a monotonous grind.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users overwhelmingly express that the game evokes strong emotions, with many stating that it brought them to tears. This indicates a profound emotional impact that resonates deeply with players.

    • “I cried.”
    • “I cried.”
    • “I cried.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Recent updates have significantly improved the optimization issues, leading to a better overall performance in the game.

    • “Updates have helped the optimization issues quite a lot.”

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