Moonlaw

About

Moonlaw is a single player platformer game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by scumhead and was released on December 20, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Moonlaw is a mini-micro-metroidvania about a heroic knight's adventure to destroy a horrible monster on the moon!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

music7 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Fun little Metroidvania that can be completed in about an hour, making it a good time-waster.
Visually appealing with good pixel art and a nostalgic soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Offers a variety of upgrades and power-ups, making gameplay enjoyable and rewarding as you progress.

Awful hitboxes and controls lead to frustrating gameplay, with instances of getting stunlocked and unclear damage feedback.
The first boss is particularly difficult and lacks a checkpoint, resulting in tedious backtracking after deaths.
The game is riddled with bugs, including movement issues and glitches that can corrupt saves or freeze the game.

music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
23%
23%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its catchy chiptune style and overall quality, particularly in specific areas like the lava zone. However, some users noted issues with looping and occasional interruptions during gameplay, which detracted from the experience. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the charm of the game, it could benefit from more polish and variety.
- “Also, the soundtrack for the lava area is a banger (bgm004 if you are looking in the files).”
- “Very short and charming NES-style metroidvania with very good sprites and music.”
- “Short, fun, and with decent chiptune music from lukamusics, who previously did the soundtracks to Lycanthorn 1 & 2.”
- “The story was okay, nice and simple, nothing too complicated; the music was okay.”
- “The game can use more variety in enemy/boss attack patterns, and a little more polish in places. Music sometimes stops playing for a while.”
- “Room transitions can be a bit buggy, with music not playing at times.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with reviewers praising the retro aesthetic and effective use of color palettes that evoke nostalgia for old-school video games. While some glitches are noted, the overall artwork, character designs, and atmospheric quality contribute positively to the gaming experience, earning a score around 7/10.
- “Nice atmosphere and aesthetic.”
- “I would give the graphics a 7/10 because they really encompass that retro vibe very well and I also love the color palettes in the various regions.”
- “The graphics are good; it captures the feeling of an old school video game.”
- “The graphics feel like a throwback to the SNES/NES era, lacking the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The visuals are reminiscent of older consoles, which may not appeal to players looking for contemporary graphics.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay of the game is generally considered to have an old-school Metroid feel, featuring decent exploration and a variety of power-ups, though it suffers from notable flaws such as glitchy mechanics and inconsistent power-up functionality. While the controls are mostly forgiving with ample save points, some players find the movement and attacking mechanics to be broken, leading to a mixed experience that can be enjoyable as a casual time-waster. Overall, it offers a challenging yet accessible gameplay experience, albeit with some frustrating elements.
- “Despite its flaws, the gameplay has a nice old-school Metroid feel to it, with plenty of enjoyable power-ups and a decent exploration aspect.”
- “Moonlaw, despite its flaws, is an okay Metroidvania game with good gameplay, impressive graphics, and engaging enemies and bosses. I recommend it as a time-waster and a potential source of inspiration for creating your own Metroidvania game, especially since it's free.”
- “A good way to spend an hour of your afternoon, with decent controls and very forgiving gameplay—there are a lot of save points and health expansions, and the damage and triple hit upgrades make the remaining bosses largely trivial.”
- “Having a bug or three pop up now and again can be fine, but it seems like the core of the gameplay here is tremendously flawed.”
- “Learning curve: medium; you may or may not ever get used to the strangely broken movement/attacking mechanics.”
- “- Dash mechanic is janky; sometimes I got through laser barriers, most times I don't.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with multiple users reporting significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Issues such as malfunctioning mechanics, erratic jumping, and problematic transitions contribute to a frustrating gameplay experience, leading many to describe it as a "buggy mess." Despite some appealing graphics, the instability significantly undermines the game's enjoyment.
- “First off, this game is a buggy mess. The dash just doesn't work; it's so short that it either doesn't pass through the gate or it does, but I still take damage because of how short it is. The 'tungsten shield' feels more like a wet spaghetti shield and gets me killed more often than not. The double jump is also bad due to auto jump, which I don't have a problem with normally, but this game has such small areas in the volcanic zone that it jumps twice when I tap my A button once, and gets me killed. Then I have to go all the way back to get one item.”
- “So overall: a complete buggy mess that will make you want to rip your hair out.”
- “- Room transitions can be a bit buggy (music not playing, walking in the air, etc.)”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The story in Moonlaw is described as simple and straightforward, with users finding it to be acceptable but not particularly remarkable. While it has its flaws, it serves its purpose within the metroidvania framework.
- “The story was okay, nice and simple, nothing too complicated.”
- “The story is lacking depth and fails to engage the player.”
- “The narrative feels disjointed and poorly executed.”
- “Character development is minimal, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has low replayability, as players find the power-up sequence satisfactory for a single playthrough but lacking in alternate routes or incentives to replay.
- “Replayability: low”
- “The power-up sequence is fine for one playthrough, but there are little alternate routes or replay value.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its appealing aesthetic, creating an enjoyable and immersive experience for players.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
- “The combination of sound design and visuals creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
- “Every location feels alive, with a rich atmosphere that enhances the storytelling.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to the need to navigate through multiple screens filled with obstacles and enemies, which hinders quick respawns and impedes the learning process for boss fights.
- “Having to navigate through several screens filled with pits and enemies, where you can't just blast through, makes the experience tedious. It prevents quick respawns into the fight, hindering the ability to properly learn how the boss works.”
- “The grinding feels excessive and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “It often feels like I'm just going through the motions, grinding for resources without any real sense of progress or reward.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game features no in-game purchases, indicating a completely free-to-play experience without additional monetization strategies.
- “In-game purchases: none”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that there are no paywalls, allowing everyone to enjoy the game equally.”
- “The game is riddled with aggressive monetization tactics that make it nearly impossible to enjoy without spending money.”
- “I feel like the developers prioritize profit over player experience, constantly pushing for in-game purchases.”
- “The monetization model is frustrating, as it feels like you have to pay to progress or enjoy the game fully.”