Moons of Madness

An unsettling and beautiful experience, with a pace that's just too slow. If you can get past the walls of text and all too familiar puzzles though, Moons of Madness is good for a few scares.

75%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

optimization, grinding

77% User Score Based on 2,164 reviews

Critic Score 69%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.69

Buy NowGet on Steam $24.99 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

Moons of Madness is a single player survival action adventure game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by Rock Pocket Games and was released on October 22, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Moons of Madness" is a psychological horror game set on Mars, where you play as an engineer named Shane Newehart, stationed at a research outpost. Your mission is to maintain the facility while waiting for a new team, but a mysterious signal threatens to drive you mad. The game is known for its intense atmosphere and challenging puzzles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,164 reviews

story592 positive mentions

optimization28 negative mentions

Great atmosphere and visuals that effectively create a sense of dread.
Engaging story with Lovecraftian themes that keeps players intrigued.
Interesting puzzles that are mostly well-integrated into the narrative.

Gameplay is linear and lacks depth, often feeling like a walking simulator.
Performance issues with frame rate drops and lack of key remapping options.
Ending feels rushed and some plot points are left unresolved or confusing.

story
1,674 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The story of "Moons of Madness" is a blend of cosmic and space horror, drawing heavily on Lovecraftian themes, but it often leaves players confused due to its fragmented narrative and reliance on reading logs for context. While some find the atmosphere and character backstories engaging, others criticize the pacing and predictability of the plot, noting that it can feel rushed or clichéd. Overall, the game is seen as a visually appealing experience with a decent story, but it may not satisfy those looking for a more cohesive or original narrative.
- “The story is engaging and immersive but the pacing can be slow, and some gameplay elements may feel repetitive.”
- “The storyline is a strong suit of the game, with a well-crafted narrative that slowly unravels the mysteries of Mars while delving into Shane's troubled past.”
- “The story is a wonderfully mad, Lovecraftian tale of cosmic horror that reaches into the protagonist's own past, that to untangle can prove a challenge, especially on the first playthrough.”
- “The story didn't make much sense, and the horror element was poor as well.”
- “What is supposed to be the focus, the story, feels rushed and forced on you; partly because of the short length and because of poor narrative writing.”
- “The story is way too cluttered and derivative.”
gameplay
508 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
69%
10%
The gameplay in "Moons of Madness" is primarily a walking simulator with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving, often described as linear and lacking in depth. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and engaging narrative, many criticize the repetitive mechanics, clunky controls, and minimal challenge, leading to a mixed reception overall. The game is best suited for those who prioritize story and atmosphere over intricate gameplay mechanics.
- “However, if you are into most things (like I am), this is actually a pretty cool game with varied gameplay, some really cool moments, very well-developed animations, and lots of small details to make everything come together.”
- “The gameplay itself was somewhat bland, mostly a lot of walking around and doing puzzles, but there was enough variety in puzzle mechanics that it never got all that boring.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and fluid.”
- “If you expected the challenge or innovative gameplay from this game, this one might not be for you because this game is just a walking simulator with solving puzzle mechanics.”
- “There is very little actual gameplay (it's truly a walking simulator).”
- “The gameplay is very basic and is more of a walking simulator type with a couple of key items to pick up to progress the story.”
atmosphere
446 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The atmosphere in "Moons of Madness" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively blending cosmic horror with a beautifully rendered Martian setting. While many players appreciate the game's ability to create tension and suspense, some note that it lacks consistent scares and can feel linear or repetitive at times. Overall, the game's strong visuals, sound design, and Lovecraftian themes contribute to a compelling atmospheric experience, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in delivering true horror.
- “This game has a unique atmosphere that combines thrill, suspense, and horror with a beautiful scenery of Mars and remarkably decorated futuristic settlement.”
- “The atmosphere is intensely eerie, with enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat.”
- “It successfully marries Lovecraftian horror with the isolation of space exploration, offering players a tense and atmospheric experience that explores the thin line between sanity and madness.”
- “The story, atmosphere, effects, and effort in the 2nd act end up having almost zero relevance or continuity for the remainder of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is creepy most of the time but does get slightly boring when you have to creep forward careful of threats then later walk through the same area backward as you leave the area.”
- “Which brings me to the biggest disappointment about the game, the horror aspect or rather the lack of it, as the game could be described as a walking simulator with puzzles and a few jump scares thrown in - in terms of the atmosphere, the game never really manages to set up that tense horror atmosphere or the fear of the unknown I was hoping it would which is a shame as the setting had an incredible potential for it.”
graphics
402 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The graphics in "Moons of Madness" are widely praised for their realism and attention to detail, effectively creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the Lovecraftian horror experience. Many reviewers highlight the stunning visuals and art direction, although some note inconsistencies in graphical quality and performance issues on lower settings. Overall, the game's aesthetics are considered a strong point, contributing significantly to its narrative and emotional impact.
- “Moons of Madness proves that a horror game can be aesthetically pleasant.”
- “The martian setting is rendered in meticulous detail, and the lovecraftian influences are vividly portrayed through disturbing visuals and surreal landscapes.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the sound design is incredible, the story is captivating and the scares are genuinely effective.”
- “For the severely underwhelming graphics of this release, which were already dated by at least 2-3 years at launch, these issues are unacceptable.”
- “I experienced constant framerate issues throughout most of the game, and lowering graphical settings did nothing to improve it.”
- “With mediocre graphics like this the game should have been much more optimized.”
optimization
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
55%
30%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and glitches, even on high-end systems. While some found the game to run smoothly at times, the inconsistent performance and lack of optimization for mid-tier rigs detracted from the experience. Players recommend waiting for potential fixes or purchasing the game on sale due to these technical shortcomings.
- “Some further optimizations could make this already enjoyable game even better.”
- “I found zero bugs, had zero crashes and performance was pretty good all throughout the game.”
- “The game never crashed and the performance was smooth most of the time.”
- “On the technical side of things, I was distracted by poor performance and optimization, a raft of minor glitches (got physically stuck in the game's geometry on more than one occasion and had to quit to the main menu to reload), and some other QA issues (typos, text/subtitle mismatches, inability to remap controls, etc.). Bad checkpoint placement sensibilities mixed with your character's sluggish movement can make a few parts instantly tedious if you happen to mess up even once.”
- “This lack of optimization causes the game to appear stuttery, and it takes away any and all fluidity.”
- “Be warned, it's unoptimized so it will tax 100% of your CPU cores at certain points.”
music
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The music and sound design in the game received mixed reviews, with many praising the haunting ambiance and effective sound effects that enhance immersion and tension. While some found the soundtrack to be fantastic and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, others described it as forgettable or clichéd, suggesting a lack of originality. Overall, the sound elements were generally considered solid, contributing positively to the gaming experience despite some criticisms regarding their effectiveness in creating scares.
- “I liked the sound design and music, which help you to immerse.”
- “Great sound effects, haunting ambiance, a really chilling soundtrack.”
- “The music is amazing, the sound is top notch, the graphics are pretty good for what is clearly an indie title.”
- “Puzzles were pretty simple, the jumpscares missed their mark as your attention is naturally drawn to other parts of the environment, so the only reason you know they happened was a loud jolting burst of music, which I think is a cheap tactic to get scares.”
- “There are no real redeeming qualities here, and generally I can find a way to fall back to at least the atmosphere and soundtrack, but even that's lacking in this release.”
- “It's an extremely cliché, run-of-the-mill, unimaginative, standard recipe of cosmic 'horror' that's about as scary as a stroll through your own house with all the lights on while listening to some vaguely atmospheric music.”
grinding
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tediousness, with many players finding the puzzles repetitive and frustrating, especially due to poor checkpoint placement that forces them to redo tasks. While some puzzles offer a fun challenge, the overall gameplay is described as lacking, filled with glitches, and often reduced to monotonous scavenger hunts. Despite an interesting story, the mechanics detract from the experience, leading to a sense of boredom rather than engagement.
- “The puzzles are tedious, and if you die, the checkpoints set you back to before you have solved them, making the tedium continue.”
- “There is very little 'gameplay' and what's there is lacking at best, tedious and boring at worst.”
- “The entire first third of the game is spent executing ever more tedious tasks using mechanics that are just profoundly dull.”
replayability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
63%
21%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many reviewers noting its linear structure and limited endings, which significantly diminish the incentive to replay. Most players agree that the game feels more like a one-time experience, akin to an interactive horror movie, and suggest waiting for a sale due to its short duration and lack of replay value.
- “ infinitely replayable (or almost)”
- “Not much replay value but excellent solid piece of puzzle and character gaming that doesn't get in the way of the horror and creep factor.”
- “It is not fun to rewatch a cutscene because of a death, and for consecutive playthroughs it would also help to make the replayability more enjoyable (achievement hunting for example).”
- “The game plays like an interactive horror movie, and since it's quite linear, replayability is low.”
- “There's not really a lot of replay value since there are only two endings and both endings you can get just by reloading the last checkpoint.”
- “While enjoyable, the game was very linear, and doesn't offer much replay value.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various glitches and performance issues, particularly when using a mouse, while others found the experience relatively smooth, especially with a controller. Common problems include character getting stuck, laggy interactions, and minor bugs that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, while some players encountered significant technical issues, others noted that these did not detract from their enjoyment of the game.
- “On the technical side of things, I was distracted by poor performance and optimization, a raft of minor glitches (got physically stuck in the game's geometry on more than one occasion and had to quit to the main menu to reload), and some other QA issues (typos, text/subtitle mismatches, inability to remap controls, etc.). Bad checkpoint placement sensibilities mixed with your character's sluggish movement can make a few parts instantly tedious if you happen to mess up even once.”
- “This game has horrendous performance issues and glitches.”
- “There are a few buggy sequences (I died 20+ times towards the end of the game, completely without warning).”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that "Moons of Madness" struggles to create genuine emotional engagement, with players feeling disconnected from character deaths and forced emotional responses. The narrative is perceived as linear and lacking depth, leading to frustration rather than investment. In contrast, "Soma" is recommended for its ability to deliver a truly unnerving and emotionally impactful experience.
- “If you want a truly unnerving narrative masterpiece that will keep you up all night and shatter your emotional fabric, check out Soma.”
- “Definitely predictable and at times the score tried to manufacture unearned emotional beats, but still, a good game and I'm excited to see something a bit more polished (in terms of direction and writing) from this lot.”
- “Moons of Madness made me feel like the character was on a train track towards the credits without really asking 'why?'”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its poor design and absurd animations, leading players to find amusement in its failures. Many reviewers noted that the game's ridiculous moments, such as the clumsy enemy interactions and exaggerated animations, elicited genuine laughter, making the experience entertaining despite its flaws. Overall, the humor is characterized by a blend of unintentional comedy and intentional jokes that resonate with players.
- “The game is so bad in so many ways that it's funny.”
- “There are these enemies that grab you and smack you down on the ground. You are supposed to be able to run away, but no, they just grab you again and do the worst animation I have ever seen, and you die. It's so bad, it's funny.”
- “The [spoiler] sand worm animation made me laugh my pants off.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
Character development in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the effort put into the story and atmosphere, while others feel it lacks depth and could benefit from a slower pace to foster a stronger emotional connection. Players noted that character insights are primarily revealed through optional content, suggesting that a more integrated approach to character development could enhance player engagement. Overall, while there are elements of character growth, many reviewers believe it falls short of expectations.
- “The developer puts a lot of effort into polishing the story, the character development, and the atmosphere.”
- “I would not mind a slower burn and more character development before things happen, so you feel like you have a reason to care.”
- “0/10 movement, 1/10 controls, 2/10 character development, 1/10 character design, 3/10 art design.”
- “I would not mind a slower burn and more character development before things happen so you feel like you have a reason to care.”
- “Character design: this is regarding all characters present in the game; you will learn about them the more you dive into notes and optional content.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's monetization, stating it fails to meet advertised expectations and is not justified at its standard $30 price point.