Moonlighter

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,794 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Moonlighter Game Cover
Moonlighter manages to perfectly balance the best bits of Stardew Valley, Dark Souls and Binding of Isaac for a game that just keeps you coming back for more.
Starting at $3.51Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store Get on Play Store Get on Epic Games Store

"Moonlighter" is an action RPG with shop management elements. During the day, you run your store in the village, setting prices and dealing with customers. At night, you explore dungeon levels, fighting monsters and gathering materials to craft better gear and stock your store. Balancing these two aspects is key to success.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Cloud
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,794 reviews
gameplay586 positive mentions
grinding412 negative mentions
  • Charming pixel art and engaging soundtrack create a cozy atmosphere.
  • Unique gameplay loop combining dungeon crawling and shop management keeps it interesting.
  • Fun and addictive, with a satisfying sense of progression and upgrades.
  • Combat feels clunky and unresponsive, making encounters frustrating at times.
  • Repetitive gameplay can lead to boredom, especially after the first few dungeons.
  • Keyboard controls are poorly designed, making it difficult to navigate menus without a controller.
  • gameplay1,517 mentions

    The gameplay in Moonlighter is characterized by a unique blend of dungeon crawling and shopkeeping mechanics, creating an addictive loop of looting, selling, and upgrading. While many players appreciate the charming art style and the initial novelty of the mechanics, the gameplay can become repetitive and shallow over time, with limited variety in combat and dungeon design. Overall, the game offers a fun experience, but it lacks depth and complexity, leading to a sense of monotony as players progress.

    • “The gameplay loop is the biggest thing this game has going for it, swapping between dungeon crawling and shopkeeping is pretty compelling--even if the latter gets pretty easy once you have the game's systems figured out.”
    • “The different dungeons require you to learn the new monster mechanics and the new loot you find requires you to learn about pricing items.”
    • “Moonlighter combines two amazing gameplay loops into one seamless experience!”
    • “I want to like the game, but anything related to the core mechanics in this game were weirdly unresponsive and clunky, combined with many bad design choices and some technical issues.”
    • “The shop mechanics are basically non-existent, with the only minigame coming in the form of guessing the price of an item, and tackling thieves that come into your shop.”
    • “The gameplay loop of fighting in the dungeon then selling things in your shop to save up for an upgrade to your shop or armor or weapon...very fun, but the gameplay gets old and plateaus quickly, and the bosses, the most fun part, can only be fought once each.”
  • story940 mentions

    The story in the game is generally perceived as simplistic and lacking depth, with many players noting that it serves primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force. While some appreciate the light narrative and occasional twists, others criticize the minimal character development and repetitive dialogue, leading to a sense of disengagement. Overall, the narrative is seen as an afterthought, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging and fleshed-out storyline.

    • “The game's story is simple but interesting, with a little bit of mystery.”
    • “The story is quite brief and yet it is still enjoyable; if you're looking for a roguelite game with a little bit of simulator inside of it, I'll definitely recommend you to try out this game.”
    • “The story is charming, and I find the graphics very relaxing to look at.”
    • “The main story is whatever, side characters are boring, no interesting lore or anything to sink your teeth into. It's really a shame; this game made me realize I really dislike roguelikes.”
    • “There is no story to uncover, no arc beyond 'make oodles of money to get a slightly bigger inside to your house.'”
    • “The story is lacking and bland, the controls are stiff, and the biggest issue for me are the bugs/glitches/soft locks that you experience every thirty minutes of gameplay, which are completely frustrating.”
  • graphics738 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the charming pixel art style and fluid animations that evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Zelda. While some players find the visuals beautiful and engaging, others criticize the lack of variety in dungeon backgrounds and enemy designs, suggesting that the graphics, while appealing, do not significantly enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the art style is often highlighted as a standout feature, contributing to the game's overall charm despite some technical issues and repetitiveness in content.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is challenging and adorable, and it's beautifully immersive.”
    • “The pixel graphics are exceptionally well done.”
    • “The art style is amazing, combat is fun.”
    • “This game has the 'pixel art' style that inherently brings a level of charm into the visuals, but it is the most boring, stock standard pixel art you will ever see.”
    • “The game has no resolutions matching my aspect ratio, except one which makes graphics blurry and text unreadable; it is so low res.”
    • “Once the nostalgic charm of the aesthetics wears off, you're left with nothing but an inflation grind that's as dull as the rest of the game.”
  • music685 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its charm and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its nostalgic and engaging qualities. While some found the soundtrack repetitive over extended play sessions, others praised its fitting themes for different environments and the dynamic changes when interacting with various characters. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Great game, great soundtrack; once I got playing, I was hooked until I beat it.”
    • “The music is stunning, and the UI fits extremely well.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and fits the game very well.”
    • “The music is also the same, just boring tracks that repeat over and over again for the entire game.”
    • “The music is rather unremarkable; I ended up muting it and playing my own for most of my playthrough.”
    • “The soundtrack is really loud and super repetitive.”
  • grinding422 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it is a significant part of the experience, it can often feel tedious and repetitive. Some enjoy the grind for gear and upgrades, finding it rewarding, while others criticize the shop management and combat mechanics as overly simplistic and unengaging, leading to a monotonous gameplay loop. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate grinding, but it may deter players looking for a more dynamic and varied experience.

    • “Good game, not too grindy, and it's a fun learning curve trying to follow sales trends.”
    • “It's the kind of grind that's addictive, not tedious.”
    • “Let me put it this way, if you are okay with games that pretty much make you do a routine over and over again (not grinding, but like doing what you do every day), then this game might be for you.”
    • “You'll spend approximately 10 hours building up your gear, not growing at all, and just grinding with no major boss fights in between.”
    • “The gameplay loop of going into a dungeon, getting loot, upgrading gear, then going to the next dungeon gets tedious and repetitive.”
    • “The shop management aspect has potential but it's immediately tedious having to guess a price, wait for a reaction, adjust the price, wait for a reaction, repeat.”
  • replayability124 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting a lack of depth and variety that limits long-term engagement. While some appreciate the option to experiment with different weapons and classes, others find the experience becomes stale quickly, with minimal incentive to replay after completing the main story. Overall, while there are elements that can enhance replayability, such as new game modes and challenges, many reviewers express disappointment in the game's overall replay value.

    • “Great game, plenty of content and great replayability.”
    • “This game captured my interest instantly & has great replay value in new game +, once you beat the original game.”
    • “The addition of new game+ also adds a new degree of replayability as well, making new playthroughs exciting and rewarding all over again.”
    • “There is no replay value whatsoever.”
    • “The game, for all its charm, has very little replay value, and while the experience as a whole is very enjoyable, the ending isn't all that satisfying, and you're not left with very much closure.”
    • “Too many bugs, shallow combat, paint-by-numbers writing (and rushed at the end it felt), non-existent challenge, no replayability, no end-game.”
  • stability116 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as input recognition issues, UI malfunctions, and occasional freezes. While some users have experienced minor glitches that are manageable, others have encountered game-breaking bugs that significantly hinder the experience. Overall, the game is considered fun but suffers from a lack of polish, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck - 60fps flat.”
    • “It's bug-free as far as I can tell, and the visuals are cute.”
    • “By the way, it runs great on the Deck, with low power consumption.”
    • “Release since 2018 and still buggy.”
    • “The PC version in comparison is a buggy mess.”
    • “The biggest issue I have with the game is how buggy it is.”
  • atmosphere52 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful pixel art, a fitting soundtrack, and engaging sound design. Players appreciate the balance of cozy small-town life with suspenseful dungeon exploration, although some note a lack of depth in storytelling and character development. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating and relaxing, making it a significant draw for players.

    • “Reading the lost documents scattered about the dungeons and getting scraps of something much bigger than yourself throughout the game builds a wonderful atmosphere that is just the right amount of suspenseful.”
    • “The atmosphere of the world accompanied by the music and how it changes throughout the dungeons is really great!”
    • “The charming pixel art graphics, excellent music, and sound design also add to the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.”
    • “The bosses and enemies went basically unexplained, and the mystery of the dungeons fell off a cliff. Most of the NPCs within the town were bland, there was a complete lack of character development in the silent protagonist that went at odds against the dialogue of the few NPCs that grew, and the general pacing was entirely skewed towards the beginning and end, with no substantial content in between, creating a jarring atmosphere.”
    • “Despite this, one cannot but notice the two extremely well-done cores of the game: its looting and its atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack, too, is very well done, and helps build atmosphere throughout the game.”
  • humor33 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quirky characters, funny dialogue, and amusing glitches. Highlights include the hilariously ineffective banker, humorous NPC interactions, and clever achievements that add a comedic twist to gameplay. However, some found the attempts at humor inconsistent, with certain story elements feeling cheesy or lacking depth.

    • “Nice cheap little game; it's funny and challenging to the right point.”
    • “- the banker is hilariously useless.”
    • “Everything is cute and the conversations are funny with the NPCs.”
  • emotional30 mentions

    Overall, the emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews. While some players found it to be a wholesome and heartwarming experience, others felt a lack of emotional attachment to the characters and story, describing it as boring or lacking depth. The game's mechanics and storytelling were criticized for detracting from the emotional engagement, leaving some players feeling frustrated rather than fulfilled.

    • “Story-wise, it is really good and very heartwarming; the art style blends very well with the story and the ambiance.”
    • “This game is probably the most wholesome thing I've played in years, and I absolutely love it!”
    • “Moonlighter is an absolutely gorgeous adventure that tells an effective and heartwarming tale.”
    • “It feels like the shop could be explored much more in terms of game mechanics. For such a cool concept, it's a shame you can't do more than this. It would be really cool, for example, if you could mix materials to create new ones to sell at higher prices, but the only notes you find are from this Pete that covers a boring story.”
    • “Boring storytelling; oh yeah, the game needs to level up here. It was just pointless; might as well just make the game silent if you ask me.”
    • “Maybe I'd like it if I got used to the controls, but I don't have the patience to sit through the boring story to get to that point.”
  • optimization26 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players praise its smooth performance and compatibility with controllers, others report significant issues such as long loading times, crashes, and poor performance on high-end machines. Additionally, the save system and keyboard controls have been criticized for negatively impacting the casual gameplay experience.

    • “The optimization is great despite the fact that there are many animations and triggers, so it isn't heavy on the machine, which is why they've released it on iOS.”
    • “Runs smoothly with no crashes or other bugs.”
    • “The game is very optimized, and I had no problems with performance.”
    • “Atrocious performance for a 2D game with the simplest mechanics possible; loading into a new location takes forever.”
    • “Poorly optimized for some reason, despite its pixel-stylized graphics.”
    • “Great game, really addictive, but the issues with performance are significant. It heats up my computer a lot and has constant crashes after every 30-40 minutes of gameplay.”
  • character development24 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many reviewers noting that while the character and enemy designs are visually appealing and varied, the storyline and character interactions are minimal and fail to provide meaningful growth or engagement. The absence of substantial dialogue and character arcs leaves the vibrant world feeling underexplored, resulting in a disconnect between the charming aesthetics and the overall narrative experience.

    • “The world is vibrant and colorful, with detailed character designs and environments that are both visually appealing and immersive.”
    • “Character designs are varied and fun.”
    • “I really like the character designs that feel individual and fun.”
    • “The barebones story basically just establishes the setting and there is no character development.”
    • “There's barely any story or character development or anything of that nature, there are no puzzles, there's no world to explore, and there are only 5 simple bosses in the whole game.”
    • “The bosses and enemies went basically unexplained, and the mystery of the dungeons fell off a cliff, most of the NPCs within the town were bland, there was a complete lack of character development in the silent protagonist that went at odds against the dialogue of the few NPCs that grew, and the general pacing was entirely skewed towards the beginning and end, with no substantial content in between, creating a jarring atmosphere.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    Overall, players appreciate the game's monetization model, noting that it avoids intrusive microtransactions commonly found in mobile games, which enhances their enjoyment. While some feel misled by the advertising hype, the gameplay experience aligns closely with what was promised, leading to a generally positive reception regarding monetization practices.

    • “I'm just glad this isn't a phone game with microtransactions because that would have really screwed me over.”
    • “I am torn with Moonlighter, because while I do enjoy the game for what it is, I feel like I was misled by the general advertising and hype for the game.”
    • “Human brains are weird, and I'm just glad this isn't a phone game with microtransactions because that would've really screwed me over.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Moonlighter

Play time

12hMedian play time
43hAverage play time
14hMain story
27hCompletionist
6-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 68 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News