Moonlighter

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 8,710 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.
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"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

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 8,710 reviews
gameplay892 positive mentions
grinding682 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of dungeon crawling and shopkeeping mechanics that keeps the gameplay loop engaging.
  • Charming pixel art and a soothing soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
  • Satisfying progression system with upgrades for weapons, armor, and the shop.
  • Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive, with limited attack directions leading to frustration.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop that can become tedious over time, especially in later dungeons.
  • Keyboard controls are poorly designed, making it difficult to navigate menus and play without a controller.
  • gameplay2,394 mentions

    The gameplay of Moonlighter is characterized by a unique blend of dungeon crawling and shop management, creating an engaging loop of collecting loot at night and selling it during the day. While the mechanics are simple and accessible, many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, particularly in combat and shop interactions, which can lead to a grindy experience. Despite its charming visuals and sound design, the game struggles with balancing its core mechanics, resulting in a mixed reception regarding its overall gameplay experience.

    • “Moonlighter offers a unique and enjoyable blend of action and management gameplay, making it a great choice for fans of indie RPGs.”
    • “The loop of collecting loot in dungeons at night and selling it in your shop by day is refreshing and keeps the gameplay interesting.”
    • “Moonlighter masterfully combines shop management with dungeon crawling, delivering smooth gameplay and charming 16-bit style visuals.”
    • “The repetitive nature of the dungeons and limited enemy variety can make the gameplay feel grindy over time.”
    • “It lacks the basic, even core, gameplay elements of other rogue-likes.”
    • “The gameplay loop is present but hollow, with each new return from the dungeon to the town mattering precisely not at all.”
  • story1,384 mentions

    The story in "Moonlighter" is generally perceived as simplistic and lacking depth, often taking a backseat to gameplay mechanics. While some players appreciate the charming art style and the light narrative that unfolds through notes and interactions, many find the plot to be thin and underdeveloped, with a disappointing payoff at the end. Overall, the game is more focused on its dungeon-crawling and shopkeeping elements than on delivering a compelling story.

    • “The story is simple for the most part, although it gets weird at the end, so I'd say it's pretty alright.”
    • “Moonlighter's story was cute and relatively easy to get through.”
    • “The story is interesting, if really thin.”
    • “The story, while serviceable, takes a backseat and may not captivate those looking for a deep narrative.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game has no story really, and it's just kinda slapped on at the end and doesn't really make much sense.”
    • “The story is borderline non-existent.”
  • graphics1,108 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming pixel art style, vibrant colors, and fluid animations, often drawing comparisons to classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap." While many players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the overall visual appeal, some critiques mention repetitiveness in dungeon designs and a lack of variety in enemy graphics. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's immersive experience despite some minor graphical glitches.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is challenging and adorable, and it's beautifully immersive.”
    • “The pixel graphics are beautiful, the game flows really nicely, the combat is exciting and challenging; Moonlighter is just great.”
    • “The art style is charming and the songs are catchy!”
    • “The graphics are old style 8-bit which is my favorite.”
    • “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 controls are too clunky, the visuals are repetitive and not engaging, it feels way too small and short, and it feels more tedious to play than anything else.”
  • music1,025 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and engaging qualities, with many players noting its ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack features a variety of catchy and soothing tracks that adapt to different environments, such as town and dungeon settings, contributing to the game's immersive feel. While some players found the music repetitive over time, the majority appreciated its charm and the way it complements the game's pixel art and gameplay mechanics.

    • “The pixel art is beautifully crafted, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
    • “The music is soothing, especially the opening song.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and fits the game very well.”
    • “Once the music is muted out of necessity to keep my eardrums from bleeding, there's no relaxing atmosphere and so the game becomes pure annoyance and frustration.”
    • “The music is rather unremarkable; I ended up muting it and playing my own for most of my playthrough.”
    • “The music is repetitive, which hurts it a lot because of how many times you have to rerun the dungeons.”
  • grinding704 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages. While some appreciate the grind as a means of progression and enjoy the loop of dungeon crawling and shop management, others criticize it for lacking variety and depth, leading to a monotonous experience. Overall, the game is characterized as heavily grind-focused, which may appeal to fans of the genre but can deter those seeking a more dynamic gameplay experience.

    • “The game wasn't too grindy for me and it always felt like I was making some sort of progression.”
    • “It's the kind of grind that's addictive, not tedious.”
    • “Good game, not too grindy, and it's a fun learning curve trying to follow sales trends.”
    • “The repetitive nature of the dungeons and limited enemy variety can make the gameplay feel grindy over time.”
    • “It felt more like a grinding simulator to progress than an actual game.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability176 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting a significant lack of depth and content that limits long-term engagement. While some enjoy the variety of weapons and procedural elements, others find the experience becomes monotonous after the initial playthrough, leading to low replay value. A few titles do offer new game plus modes or different classes that enhance replayability, but many reviews emphasize that the games often fall short of expectations in this regard.

    • “All the tracks have excellent replayability value, and on top of that, they blend masterfully with Rynoka’s aesthetic.”
    • “The game's replayability is remarkable, thanks to its procedurally generated dungeons, diverse combat mechanics, and a plethora of loot.”
    • “The addition of new game+ also adds a new degree of replayability as well, making new playthroughs exciting and rewarding all over again.”
    • “There's no replayability to speak of, no endgame content, no special weapons or abilities, a severe lack of events, and it's really boring.”
    • “There is no replay value whatsoever.”
    • “The game looks promising and it was quite enjoyable while playing it, but it falls short in the replayability.”
  • stability166 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting a wide range of bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, including issues with controls, combat mechanics, and inventory management. While some users have experienced minor glitches that are manageable, many others have encountered game-breaking bugs that hinder progress and enjoyment. Overall, the game is described as "incredibly buggy," leading to frustration and a recommendation for potential players to approach with caution.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck - 60fps flat.”
    • “It's bug free as far as I can tell and the visuals are cute.”
    • “Runs great on my potato.”
    • “The game has potential but there are a lot of glitches and problematic interactions.”
    • “Unfortunately, the various glitches and game-breaking bugs ruined my experience.”
    • “The biggest issue I have with the game is how buggy it is.”
  • atmosphere91 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming pixel art, immersive soundtrack, and the ability to evoke a sense of whimsy and mystery. Players appreciate the rich narrative and the way the music complements various environments, creating a relaxing and engaging experience. However, some critiques mention that while the atmosphere is captivating, certain gameplay elements may feel lacking or simplistic, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The complexity of the combat, the rich narrative, and the haunting atmosphere make it a game that stays with you long after you've finished playing.”
    • “The pixel art is beautifully crafted, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is warm, the soothing soundtrack combined with the attractive design will help you relax before your next dungeon dive.”
    • “Once the music is muted out of necessity to keep my eardrums from bleeding, there's no relaxing atmosphere and so the game becomes pure annoyance and frustration.”
    • “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.”
  • humor50 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it both funny and engaging throughout various aspects, including character interactions, story twists, and amusing glitches. While some critiques mention cheesy writing and repetitive elements, the overall consensus highlights a blend of lighthearted humor and entertaining gameplay that enhances the experience. Players particularly enjoy the quirky details and unexpected comedic moments, making it a memorable and enjoyable title.

    • “The selling part is simple but really enjoyable; getting 'scammed' by customers when I would accidentally put up a high-priced item for an accidental discount was pretty funny each time it happened.”
    • “Everything is cute and the conversations are funny with the NPCs.”
    • “The game has a cool little story with fun characters and interesting/funny voice lines; an awesome and light pixelated design; and a variety of enemies for you to slay.”
  • emotional38 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players finding it heartwarming and nostalgic, evoking feelings reminiscent of classic titles like "The Minish Cap." However, many reviewers express a lack of emotional investment in the characters and story, criticizing the narrative as boring and poorly executed, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game's wholesome visuals and mechanics are appreciated, the absence of a compelling emotional connection leaves it feeling incomplete for some players.

    • “Story-wise, it is really good and very heartwarming; the art style blends very well with the story and the ambiance.”
    • “This is one of the most heartwarming and endearing experiences to play on current gen.”
    • “Moonlighter struck a chord with me because even though it was paying homage to the godfathering franchise of Zelda, it felt to me like it was taking inspiration from a specific game in the aforementioned franchise that I remember growing up playing and have a massive emotional connection with, The Minish Cap.”
    • “The story feels pointless and boring; it might as well be silent if you ask me.”
    • “I don't care about the game mechanics being explained through a boring story.”
    • “For such a cool concept, it's a shame that the shop mechanics are underdeveloped and the story is uninteresting.”
  • optimization38 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly with loading times and controller support. While some users report smooth gameplay and minimal bugs, others experience crashes and subpar performance even on high-end machines. The lack of optimization for mouse controls and the game's save system have also been criticized, leading to a frustrating experience for some players.

    • “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.”
    • “The game is very optimized, and I had no problems with performance.”
    • “What works: the game runs smoothly, and I have yet to encounter any game-breaking bugs that involve the gameplay or graphics.”
    • “Support is rewarded with lazy performance optimizations, garbage fixes, and a complete lack of care for their game and players.”
    • “Poorly optimized for some reason, despite its pixel-stylized graphics.”
    • “Great game, really addicting, but those crashes are really annoying and should be taken into account.”
  • character development29 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 NPCs offer minimal interaction and dialogue. The storyline is described as simplistic, failing to provide meaningful character arcs or development, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite the charming artwork and engaging designs, the absence of substantial character growth leaves players wanting more from the narrative.

    • “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 is also no character development or subplot - it's just 'go to the dungeons to stock your shop'.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with many players frustrated by the recent update that introduced intrusive ads, detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate that the game's advertisements accurately reflect its content, others feel misled by the initial marketing and express disappointment over the shift towards ad-driven revenue. Fortunately, players are relieved that the game does not include microtransactions, which are often associated with mobile games.

    • “I'm just glad this isn't a phone game with microtransactions because that would've really screwed me over.”
    • “It feels like a mobile app, minus the microtransactions.”
    • “The recent update is trash made to shove ads in our faces every time we play the game.”
    • “I own the game now; this means you already made money off of me, so stop spreading advertisements as a bonus!”
    • “Update: first update in years and it's to add advertisements to the game!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Moonlighter

Play time

13hMedian play time
35hAverage play time
14hMain story
27hCompletionist
6-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 95 analyzed playthroughs

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