Moonlaw

View game

Get on Steam

Get on itch.io Store

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

music7 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Fun, short metroidvania experience that captures the classic style and nostalgia of the genre.
Good pixel art and music, with interesting monster designs and a charming atmosphere.
It's free, making it an easy recommendation for those looking for a brief gaming experience.

Controls are often clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay and issues with hitboxes.
The first boss is poorly designed, lacking clear indicators for attacks and checkpoints, making it tedious to retry.
The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including getting stuck in walls and inconsistent dash mechanics.

music
12 mentions
58 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its fun chiptune soundtrack and good quality. However, some users noted issues such as poor looping and occasional interruptions during gameplay. While the soundtrack contributes positively to the experience, there are calls for more variety and polish in the audio implementation.
- “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.”
- “Good artwork and music.”
- “The game could use more variety in enemy/boss attack patterns, and a little more polish in places. The indication for taking damage can be clearer, and the music sometimes stops playing for a while.”
- “Room transitions can be a bit buggy, with the music not playing and issues like walking in the air.”
- “The story was okay, nice and simple, but the music was just okay.”
graphics
9 mentions
78 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, praised for their retro aesthetic and effective use of color palettes that evoke nostalgia for old-school video games. While some users noted minor glitches, the overall artwork, character designs, and atmospheric quality contribute positively to the gaming experience, earning a score around 7/10.
- “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 game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “The graphics feel like a throwback to the SNES/NES era, lacking the polish and detail expected in modern games.”
- “The visuals are reminiscent of older consoles, which may not appeal to players looking for high-quality graphics.”
gameplay
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered to have an old-school Metroid feel, featuring decent controls, a variety of power-ups, and a forgiving structure with numerous save points. However, it suffers from significant flaws, including glitchy mechanics and inconsistent power-up functionality, which can detract from the overall experience. While it may serve as a casual time-waster or inspiration for aspiring developers, the gameplay's core issues prevent it from being fully recommended.
- “Despite its flaws, the gameplay has a nice old-school Metroid feel to it, with plenty of enjoyable power-ups and decent exploration.”
- “Moonlaw, despite its flaws, is an okay Metroidvania game with good gameplay, impressive graphics, and engaging enemies and bosses. It's a worthwhile time-waster and could serve as 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 plenty 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
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
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 region 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 want to make you rip your hair out.”
- “- Room transitions can be a bit buggy (music not playing, walking in the air, etc.)”
story
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The story in Moonlaw is generally regarded as simple and straightforward, with users finding it acceptable but not particularly remarkable. While it has its flaws, the narrative does not detract significantly from the overall experience of the game.
- “The story was okay, nice and simple, nothing too complicated.”
- “The story is lackluster and fails to engage the player.”
- “The writing feels disjointed and doesn't flow well.”
- “The narrative lacks depth and fails to develop the characters.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, as players find the power-up sequence suitable 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
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its appealing aesthetic, creating an enjoyable and immersive experience for players.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive and beautifully crafted.”
- “The game's aesthetic creates a captivating and enchanting environment.”
- “I was completely drawn into the atmosphere; it feels alive and vibrant.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
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. The lack of quick respawn into the fight hinders your 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
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features no in-game purchases, indicating a monetization model that does not rely on additional spending from players.
- “The game offers a fair monetization model with no in-game purchases, allowing players to enjoy the experience without any financial pressure.”
- “I appreciate that there are no hidden costs or paywalls; the game is completely free to play.”
- “The absence of in-game purchases makes it refreshing to play without worrying about spending money.”