Moons Of Darsalon

This retro-inspired game boasts engaging gameplay, quirky humor, and nostalgic visuals that will become a must-play for fans of classic platformers and puzzle games

78%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

grinding, stability

74% User Score Based on 88 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Moons of Darsalon" is a sci-fi real-time strategy game set in a distant galaxy. Assemble your fleet, manage resources, and conquer planets across multiple moons while battling AI-controlled factions. Its unique blend of strategy and action provides a challenging and immersive experience for fans of the genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+11

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 94 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Moons of Darsalon is a well-made, unique game that combines elements of Lemmings and platforming, offering engaging gameplay and a charming retro aesthetic.
The game features a great mix of humor, innovative mechanics, and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Players appreciate the challenging yet fair gameplay, with a variety of levels that keep the experience fresh and rewarding.

The use of AI-generated art has disappointed many players, with concerns about its impact on the game's overall aesthetic and the developer's transparency.
The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including crashes and inconsistent AI behavior, which can hinder the gameplay experience.
Some players find the level design hit or miss, with certain challenges feeling tedious or poorly executed, leading to frustration.

gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of intuitive mechanics, engaging puzzles, and a unique NPC interaction system reminiscent of classic titles like Lemmings and Abe's Odyssey. While many players appreciate the innovative features, such as terrain manipulation and vehicle use, some criticize the level design for being inconsistent, leading to a hit-or-miss experience. Overall, the game offers a charming and humorous atmosphere, with a satisfying balance of challenge and fun that keeps players engaged.
- “Add on top of all of this a really cool sense of emergent, physics-based gunplay and gameplay, and you've got something that plays nearly as good as it looks.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are intuitive and responsive, allowing for smooth and enjoyable gameplay throughout.”
- “The game has an excellent balance of difficulty and fun, which keeps you engaged throughout the gameplay.”
- “I think this had a lot of potential with its presentation and revisit of these mechanics, but the low quality level design leaves a pretty boring experience overall.”
- “The worst ones are the ones featuring buttons (boring gameplay) and the ones which base themselves around avoiding encounters (digger drones, tanks etc.) where the AI of your darsonauts simply makes it too random to finish and they become a slog.”
- “I've never been a fan of this mechanic in any game.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
41%
14%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many praising its celestial chiptune soundtrack that perfectly complements the retro graphics and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail, noting how the music syncs with animations and enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a must-have for chiptune enthusiasts, adding significant charm and nostalgia to the game.
- “The game's chiptune soundtrack perfectly complements the graphics and adds to the retro feel of the game.”
- “Last but not least, the chiptune soundtrack of Moons of Darsalan is just incredible.”
- “The attention to detail is impressive, and even the post-level screen dance routines are charmingly animated to sync with the music.”
- “The music is also very detailed and very fitting!”
- “The game catches absolutely everything from the music and sound effects of old computers.”
- “Needless to say that the soundtrack is a must buy even if you don't plan to play the game for as long as you enjoy chiptune music!”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
38%
14%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising its vibrant retro aesthetic and masterful pixel art that evokes nostalgia for classic 90s games. However, there are criticisms regarding the inclusion of AI-generated images that clash with the game's established art style, detracting from its unique charm. Overall, the visuals are celebrated for their creativity and integration with the game's audio, enhancing the overall experience for retro gaming enthusiasts.
- “The visual and audio design of the game is masterful, with a pixel art style that is reminiscent of classic games from the 90s.”
- “It is visually stunning with vibrant colors and an immersive aesthetic that will impress any retro gaming enthusiast.”
- “This retro-inspired game boasts engaging gameplay, quirky humor, and nostalgic visuals that will become a must-play for fans of classic platformers and puzzle games.”
- “I'm not even sure if my issue is that it's AI 'art', but that it looks so bad and doesn't even blend in with the tone or art style of the actual game.”
- “The game is a great concept in the spirit of the original Lemmings and actually does a lot of things right - especially the graphics, vehicle implementation, and enemies; however...”
- “Though aesthetically beholden to a time and place, this is a worthy interpretation of a forgotten genre.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its engaging and quirky nature, with players highlighting funny character interactions and clever fourth-wall-breaking commentary. While the humor adds to the overall enjoyment, some feel that repetitive jokes about game difficulty can become tiresome. Overall, the combination of amusing animations, witty lines, and nostalgic visuals contributes to a fun and entertaining experience.
- “In which case, I highly recommend you check out a gameplay video of the game, or even better, try the game yourself: you will see how much fun it is, with its interesting gameplay, constant humor, and many surprises.”
- “The pixel art is great and the animations are really funny (especially the dance at the score screen).”
- “I also really like how comments from the characters are used for guides, tips, and hints, as well as for humorous fourth-wall-breaking commentary.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The story of "Moons of Darsalon" revolves around a scout on a seemingly endless mission to find a mysterious lifeform, blending elements of frustration and surprise. The narrative captures the scout's journey, culminating in a moment of unexpected connection with the elusive cobalt lifeform, which adds depth to the otherwise repetitive quest. Overall, the game presents a unique take on the escort mission trope, making it engaging and memorable.
- “Yes, in some ways, Moons of Darsalon is an escort mission, but somehow, in one of the several heroic feats this game accomplishes, it's a fun, unprescriptive one.”
- “The scout will be frustrated because it's just another mission to find that lifeform, similar to many other missions that have gone before without result. He'll rush through the terrain, and when the cobalt lifeform surprises him and strikes him to the ground, he'll be amazed that it actually came true after all this time. He'll put up his hand in a friendly gesture of greeting, and the cobalt lifeform will do the same before fleeing immediately... and that's the vision from the scout.”
- “The scout will be pissed off, 'cos it's just another mission to find that lifeform, just like so many other missions that have gone before without result, and he'll be rushing through the terrain, and the cobalt lifeform will be surprised and strike him to the ground, and in the scout's amazement, that it actually came true, after all this time, he'll put up his hand in a friendly gesture of greeting, and the cobalt lifeform will do the same and the cobalt lifeform will flee immediately... and that's the vision from the scout.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and uninspired, as it often involves completing repetitive tasks like finding treasures or avoiding damage, which can hinder the desire to progress to more exciting levels.
- “The problem with the levels is that they can be tedious and uninspired.”
- “The issue is that the objectives aren't always score dependent; instead, they require tasks like 'find a treasure' or 'take no damage', which can be tedious when you just want to move on and see the next cool level.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game's stability is inconsistent, with some users reporting significant bugs, such as vehicles launching unexpectedly after pausing. However, others have noted that it runs smoothly on platforms like the Steam Deck, indicating that performance may vary by device.
- “Plays and runs great on the Steam Deck; the game is very fun too, you should pick it up! :)”
- “Still buggy too; if you pause the game on the same saucer for a while and then unpause, my truck flew off the saucer into the sky and exploded.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced multiple glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' frustration over inconsistent mechanics, such as unexpected damage from crates and sudden deaths from falls, which can lead to feelings of anger and disappointment.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
100%
Players find the levels to be fairly replayable, as they can experiment with different strategies, although the need for additional stars is not overly demanding.
- “The levels are quite replayable, allowing for new approaches each time, and the extra stars required are not overly abundant.”
- “I love how each playthrough feels fresh; there are so many different strategies to explore.”
- “The game encourages experimentation, making it easy to jump back in and try something new.”
- “It's a minor gripe though, as levels are pretty decently replayable, especially since you can try new approaches, and the required extra stars will likely not be plentiful.”

85%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews

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