Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,903 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight Game Cover
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight combines the best elements of Castlevania, Dark Souls, and even Shantae to create something great. What it lacks in scale it more than makes up for in attention to detail and care.
Starting at $3.21Buy now
Get on Steam

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a side-scrolling action platformer set in a cursed land on the brink of destruction. As priestess Kaho, players must journey through hordes of enemies and bosses to seek the Queen's help. With melee combos, dodge mechanics, and various items/spells, players can enjoy the story casually or challenge their reflexes with increased difficulty.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,903 reviews
gameplay466 positive mentions
grinding36 negative mentions
  • Beautiful pixel art and animations create a captivating atmosphere.
  • Engaging combat with a mix of melee and ranged attacks, allowing for varied playstyles.
  • Challenging yet fair boss fights that reward skill and memorization of attack patterns.
  • Short playtime, typically around 4-6 hours, which may leave some players wanting more.
  • Inconsistent difficulty spikes, particularly in the early game, can lead to frustration.
  • Lack of clear direction and some hidden items may require backtracking, which can be tedious.
  • gameplay1,046 mentions

    The gameplay of "Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight" is generally praised for its fluid controls, engaging combat mechanics, and beautiful pixel art, creating a satisfying metroidvania experience. While many players appreciate the challenge and the incorporation of souls-like elements such as dodge mechanics and strategic boss fights, some criticize the game for its simplicity and occasional frustrating design choices, particularly regarding checkpoints and enemy mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as a well-crafted blend of exploration and combat, appealing to both casual and hardcore gamers.

    • “This game does it perfectly, balancing gameplay and lore.”
    • “The gameplay is exceptional, offering precise controls and fluid combat.”
    • “Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is an action-packed metroidvania platformer which manages to deliver almost perfectly in both atmosphere and gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely disappointing: combat is slow and repetitive; boss fights drag on forever; exploring the map is unrewarding; insta-kill spikes on a metroidvania; inconsistent rules (for example, there's an underwater level and a room where water kills you instantly); the list of questionable design choices goes on.”
    • “Momodora ruthlessly punishes the player for a pixel difference between a successful or a failed dodge roll, and annoying enemies that make these poor game mechanic choices even more frustrating and unbearable to continue playing.”
    • “The gameplay is dull and repetitive.”
  • music1,044 mentions

    The music in "Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and emotive qualities, enhancing the game's overall experience. Many players highlight the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's beautiful pixel art and immersive environments, with standout tracks particularly noted during boss fights. While some reviews mention that certain areas lack music or that some tracks may feel repetitive, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a significant strength of the game, contributing to its melancholic and captivating atmosphere.

    • “From the atmospheric environments to the haunting yet serene soundtrack, it creates a captivating world that feels both familiar and fresh.”
    • “The pixel art is beautiful and the music sounds great, and they both mesh well together wherever you are in the game.”
    • “The emotive and delicate soundtrack perfectly complements the experience, further immersing players in the rich and captivating narrative.”
    • “I wish the music was developed a bit more instead of being short loops.”
    • “Some questionable decisions like platforms moving very slow to make you wait a lot, the first boss killing you in 2 hits with a fast and badly telegraphed move, and the first town not having music; it gives the impression of a very amateurish game, despite the awesome graphics.”
    • “Most of the music is just ambiance that doesn't stand out except for bosses and 2 areas, and while the boss music is okay, the area music is forgettable.”
  • story984 mentions

    The story of "Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight" is often described as minimalistic and straightforward, focusing on a priestess's quest to lift a curse plaguing her homeland. While some players appreciate the atmospheric and cryptic storytelling reminiscent of "Dark Souls," many find the narrative lacking depth and character development, with most lore conveyed through item descriptions and environmental cues rather than extensive dialogue. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging gameplay and beautiful art, but the story is seen as a secondary element that could benefit from further elaboration.

    • “Couple that with an absolutely amazing soundtrack, intriguing characters, and an engaging plot set in a fascinating world, and you get what is quite possibly one of the greatest games ever made by a group of people you can count on one hand.”
    • “Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a very short, challenging, and more or less fulfilling metroidvania game with very adorable pixel graphics and some dark but mostly well done storytelling.”
    • “The story is minimalistic, don't expect Hollow Knight's rich world here, but it effectively conveys what it needs to while maintaining a captivating atmosphere.”
    • “The story is very bland, and I was very disappointed when I finally tried and got the bad ending.”
    • “The story is almost non-existent.”
    • “The main downside is that the story is pretty bad and incoherent.”
  • graphics844 mentions

    The graphics of "Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight" are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, fluid animations, and atmospheric design, which effectively blend a cute aesthetic with darker themes. Reviewers highlight the game's vibrant colors, detailed environments, and charming character designs, noting that the visuals contribute significantly to the overall experience and immersion. Many players appreciate the nostalgic retro graphics, comparing them favorably to other indie titles while emphasizing the game's artistic coherence and emotional depth.

    • “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and the gameplay is pretty fun.”
    • “The art style is beautiful, the animations are fluid, and the characters (even with the small amount of dialogue) have enough personality to get you picking favorites.”
    • “Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a fantastic game with gorgeous pixel artwork and environments, a non-linear world to explore, and an amazing soundtrack to go with it.”
    • “The first boss has several attacks with vague sprites (as in, they are mostly transparent and circular with minimal indication) and I found myself turning down the graphics options to lower the detrimental graphical effects such as lighting that hides indicators and particles that clutter the screen.”
    • “Not sure who this game is supposed to appeal to as it's not very good story-wise, not deep enough combat-wise and isn't the most graphically gripping game out there right now.”
    • “The graphics are simple enough but everything is distinguishable and the color palette is good and easy on the eye.”
  • atmosphere437 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight" is widely praised for its captivating blend of haunting visuals, melancholic music, and immersive world design. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of both beauty and despair, drawing comparisons to the atmospheres found in titles like Dark Souls and Castlevania. The combination of charming pixel art and a somber soundtrack creates a unique experience that resonates deeply with players, making exploration feel both rewarding and emotionally impactful.

    • “From the atmospheric environments to the haunting yet serene soundtrack, it creates a captivating world that feels both familiar and fresh.”
    • “The art is staggeringly beautiful in every layer of the screen, the choice of color palettes and filters is godly; even almost six years after I played the game for the first time, the resulting atmospheres still leave me with refined sensations of bitterness yet serenity.”
    • “The atmosphere is perfect and the sprite work is gorgeous.”
    • “Beware that in spite of the somewhat cutesy visuals, the atmosphere of the game is very somber and often depressing.”
    • “The atmosphere is way darker than what I expected, and this is where the downside of the title kicks in.”
    • “The atmosphere and dialogue are cliché as hell.”
  • replayability136 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting its relatively short length but highlighting features like New Game+, multiple difficulty levels, and hidden collectibles that encourage exploration and repeated playthroughs. While some reviewers feel that once mastered, the game offers limited challenge, others appreciate the various endings and achievements that enhance replay value. Overall, it is considered enjoyable and replayable, particularly for completionists and those seeking to tackle higher difficulties.

    • “There's also great opportunities for sequence breaking in this game, adding some replayability alongside new game +, alternate endings, different modes of difficulty, etc.”
    • “The game's relatively short completion time to my total playtime should be taken as an upside in showing just how replayable this game is.”
    • “A huge plus is that you don't have to play the game in a specific order; I beat it twice and I went in a completely different boss order the second time around, plus found some new secrets. The game has replay value since you could always find a new secret or shave off time from your previous round.”
    • “The game's mechanics are very simple and unfortunately, once mastered, offer very little replayability and challenge (that is why the hardest difficulty lazily just makes everything kill you in one hit).”
    • “Once you've finished a playthrough on the harder difficulty settings and found all the hidden secrets, it doesn't have much replayability aside from replaying it years from now for a refresher on the story.”
    • “There is really no replay value though because once you know what to do, and yeah, the game is pretty easy; even playing through again on hard would probably still be too easy.”
  • emotional53 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching narrative and melancholic atmosphere, which resonate deeply with players, often leading to genuine emotional responses, including tears. While some players feel a lack of connection to the characters due to minimal dialogue and character development, others appreciate the poignant soundtrack and the game's ability to evoke feelings of urgency and despair. Overall, the game is praised for its heartfelt moments and beautiful art, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics that detract from the emotional experience.

    • “A short heartfelt game, one of those dark trips to make you think, but worth the experience.”
    • “The narrative, full of nuances, adds emotional layers to the experience, allowing players to connect even more with the world they are exploring.”
    • “And even though the story isn't anything to brag about in these kinds of games, it gets surprisingly deep and almost heartbreaking at some points in this one, thanks partially to a lot of memorable side characters, which are scattered around the map.”
  • grinding43 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be tedious, particularly due to backtracking and a lack of fast travel options, which can make progress feel slow and frustrating. While some players appreciate the exploration and narrative rewards, others find the gameplay repetitive, especially when navigating through challenging platforming sections and dealing with enemy respawns. Overall, the game manages to avoid excessive grinding, but the design choices can lead to moments of monotony and frustration.

    • “The game is also not super easy, but the game is difficult enough to be challenging, not tedious or frustrating.”
    • “A nice platformer, good controls, unique atmosphere, no tedious backtracking, decent story, good music and sound effects.”
    • “There's wide exploration, but you always feel like you're going somewhere and making progress, so it's not tedious.”
    • “This makes for boring and tedious walks (and many failed dodge rolls) back to where you once were before you can finally continue the game (and walk back again because you died on your way there).”
    • “It takes really damn long to get a fast travel ability - while the map isn't very large, it's still large enough to make backtracking to far away areas tedious.”
    • “While only being a couple of hours long, the game diverges paths constantly, which can become very time consuming, confusing, and tedious to constantly keep track of all the different paths and then backtrack to the diverging point to then explore the next path.”
  • character development35 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal or nonexistent, with many players noting a lack of narrative depth and character arcs. While the character designs are praised for their charm and aesthetic appeal, they often feel underutilized, leaving players wanting more engagement with the characters and story. Overall, the game's focus on visual style and gameplay mechanics overshadows its narrative and character development aspects.

    • “The character design was gorgeous, the animation was great and very promising.”
    • “This gives character design more importance and meaning as you take the time to understand each character and their specific needs.”
    • “Solid platformer with excellent visuals (character design, backgrounds, animations).”
    • “There isn't a strong narrative, character development, mysteries to investigate, or other internal motivation to drive your actions other than 'I want to beat the game.' Additionally, it's incredibly short, and the difference between the 'good' and 'bad' ending is picking up one item at the end that requires a slight bit of backtracking.”
    • “No character development.”
    • “A criticism I would give is the underutilization of certain characters, as they're only briefly shown or have little to no character development.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as solid and often hilarious, with players enjoying quirky elements like a character fighting demons with a leaf and amusing boss encounters. While the game balances moments of gloom with lightheartedness, some players find the humor endearing and effective, though others note that it can sometimes feel out of place amidst the more serious themes. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and memorable.

    • “I found this fight hilarious, so I didn't mind.”
    • “Seeing the tight spaces in the beginning of the game, I thought I would just get a dash to go through, but what actually happened was so cute and funny I did not expect it at all.”
    • “The bosses are funny and almost endearing, as are the main characters.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for smooth performance on most systems, though some users report issues with fullscreen mode and frame drops on certain screens. Players have found that switching display settings can resolve performance issues, and enabling vsync is necessary to prevent screen tearing. While the game runs well on various platforms, some minor optimization tweaks could enhance the experience further.

    • “The game runs smoothly and works perfectly on my PC/laptop.”
    • “I did struggle to get it to run smoothly on Linux, but after I switched my display from X11 to Wayland, it ran just fine.”
    • “Does have some fullscreen optimization issues (I have a fairly solid rig and still get hard frame drops on certain screens), but not a problem in windowed.”
    • “If you have problems with screen tearing/stuttering, then you need to enable VSync in the config file - why is this not enabled by default or an 'official' option in the settings dialog?”
  • stability6 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant bugs and audio issues, while others praise it for being mostly bug-free and running smoothly. Overall, experiences vary widely, with some players encountering frustrating glitches and others enjoying a stable gameplay experience.

    • “It's a metroidvania, it's fairly bug-free, and it has some interesting level design and bosses.”
    • “I have to say I’m impressed by the way I found no glitches in the game so far, and the mechanics run solid and smooth.”
    • “Quite buggy for me and not entirely worth it honestly.”
    • “Buggy as hell.”
    • “Audio won't load unless it's connected before the game launches... ehh just way too buggy for such a simple game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

Buy Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight

Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
4hMain story
10hCompletionist
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News