Moonlight Pulse
- April 26, 2024
- Seafloor Games LLC
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Get on itch.io StoreTeamwork matters most in this seamless, fantastical metroidvania within a living, breathing world. Realize each character's true potential to take down an invading force of overwhelmingly powerful parasites.
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Reviews
- Moonlight Pulse features a unique and charming setting inside a giant space turtle, with engaging character interactions and a heartfelt story.
- The character swapping mechanic is well-implemented, allowing for diverse gameplay and creative problem-solving during exploration and combat.
- The game has polished graphics, solid controls, and a memorable soundtrack, making it a delightful experience for fans of the metroidvania genre.
- The game is relatively short, with some players wishing for more content or optional areas to explore.
- The fast travel system can be cumbersome, as it only allows for one-way travel through blood vessels, which may lead to confusion and backtracking.
- Some players found the character switching to be a bit clunky, especially when managing multiple characters during combat and platforming.
- gameplay64 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a clever character swapping mechanic that enhances exploration and combat, allowing players to utilize each character's unique abilities effectively. While the game offers engaging challenges and creative boss designs, some players feel that certain mechanics are underutilized and the overall experience is somewhat short. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its responsiveness, fluid controls, and integration of narrative elements, making it enjoyable despite some criticisms regarding depth and length.
“I've played a ton of metroidvanias at this point, but this one still managed to surprise me with its clever use of mechanics and really creative boss design.”
“The gameplay itself is fun and engaging.”
“It makes good use of the character swapping mechanic, and while it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of, especially when you've assembled the full party, it feels great to successfully chain their abilities together to make a jump you weren't sure was possible or exploit the weaknesses of a tough group of enemies.”
“The aesthetic is great, but I'm really not enjoying the moment-to-moment gameplay with this one, which sucks considering how much everyone else loves it.”
“If I did have one criticism, it's that the game feels a bit too small and short to really leverage how many mechanics and ideas it has, so a lot of them end up feeling underdeveloped.”
“I found that the way the blood vessel fast travel mechanic is utilized early on was frustrating.”
- story52 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of *Moonlight Pulse* is praised for its engaging narrative and character development, set within a unique world on a spacefaring turtle where players must fend off parasites. Reviewers appreciate the heartfelt themes and the ability to explore lore through character interactions, noting that the straightforward storytelling stands out in the metroidvania genre. Overall, the combination of compelling characters and an intriguing plot contributes to a rich gaming experience that leaves players wanting more.
“Unlike most games of this genre, this game has a great story and makes you care for the characters; they have growth to them, and dialogue changes depending on which character you use during interactions.”
“The story takes place on and within a gigantic spacefaring turtle, and centers on a group of animals who live there and act as relatively microscopic caretakers, fending off parasites to maintain the literal health of their home, as they discover that it is coming under attack from a fearsome megapredator.”
“Everything here is done well, and it fantastically carries itself in all departments—character, story, aesthetic, gameplay, and beyond—and never once drops the ball.”
“I don't like that kind of stuff, because storytelling and exploring are much more important to me.”
“Ok premise, ok story, ok fights.”
“The lore and backstory of the game is simple and short but still intriguing.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming aesthetic and unique art style, which many players find engaging and polished. The pixel graphics are noted for their quality, complementing the overall storytelling and character design, while the vibrant visuals enhance the gameplay experience. Despite some mixed feelings about the gameplay itself, the graphics consistently stand out as a highlight.
“What really got me interested is the setting and the art style along with it.”
“Gameplay is responsive, graphics are wonderful and I love the bosses.”
“Will edit as I play more later (played an hour of the demo earlier), but so far this is such a polished and unique metroidvania with some great ideas, a strong art style, and an engaging story.”
- music20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many players highlighting memorable tracks, especially during boss fights, which are described as "jammin'." While some found the area music less impressive, the overall soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere and lore, leaving a lasting impression on players. There are also requests for a soundtrack purchase option, indicating a strong appreciation for the music.
“The music is great, with a few very memorable bangers thrown in there.”
“A metroidvania with a unique setting and a moody soundtrack that doesn't overstay its welcome.”
“Really enjoyed the overall setting, music, and atmosphere.”
“The normal area music isn't much special, but the boss fights are pretty jammin'!”
“Though admittedly I don't always pay much attention to music in games unless there's a pause in the gameplay.”
“A metroidvania with unique setting and moody soundtrack that doesn't overstay its welcome.”
- character development6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game excels in character development, offering a compelling and emotional narrative that enhances the metroidvania experience. Players appreciate the engaging writing, charming character designs, and well-crafted story, all contributing to a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“This is a rare game to put great character development and an interesting story in a metroidvania game, and it does it well.”
“Fun movement, cute character designs, engaging and surprisingly emotional writing.”
“A smooth and sweet game with well-developed character design, a nice story, and interesting level design.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to circuitous routes and the absence of fast travel, which makes long-distance traversal feel more laborious than typical for this genre.
“Firstly, the exploration can be quite tedious at times, more so than this style of game usually is.”
“- Circuitous routes and no fast travel made long distance traversal a bit tedious.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its short length, which enhances its replayability, making it easy and enjoyable for players to return for new playthroughs. Users find it to be a fun experience that encourages multiple saves despite its brevity.
“In conclusion, this is a short, but super fun and replayable gem.”
“It's a pretty short game, but it has a bit of replay value, and its brevity means I'm more likely to come back to jump into a new save for fun.”
“It's a pretty short game, but it has a bit of replay value. Its brevity means I'm more likely to come back and start a new save for fun.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming 2D locations, engaging music, and the presence of adorable animal characters, all of which contribute to an enjoyable and immersive experience.
“It's got tight controls, atmospheric 2D locations, and a whole bunch of adorable little animal characters.”
“Really enjoyed the overall setting, music, and atmosphere.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features engaging and surprisingly emotional writing, with a heartfelt "power of friendship" narrative that, while somewhat clichéd, resonates with players. The combination of fun movement and cute character designs enhances the overall emotional experience, making it a genuinely nice journey.
“Fun movement, cute character designs, engaging and surprisingly emotional writing.”
“The game controls well, the boss fights are fun, and the story is your basic 'power of friendship' cliché, but it's heartfelt, earnest, and just nice.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally considered acceptable, but many reviewers feel it lacks finesse and could be improved for a more impactful experience.
