Moonstone Island

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,457 reviews
  • grinding
  • gameplay
  • story
Moonstone Island Game Cover
Whether you're into tending to crops or collecting adorable monsters, Moonstone Island is a game you really shouldn't miss out on.
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Moonstone Island is a creature-collecting life-sim where you explore 100 islands in the sky, complete Alchemy training through card-based encounters, and build a new home while befriending NPCs and brewing potions. Your goal is to uncover the dark secret of Moonstone Island while forming meaningful relationships and farming for resources.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,457 reviews
gameplay138 positive mentions
grinding771 negative mentions
  • Charming art style and cute spirit designs that evoke nostalgia.
  • Engaging gameplay that combines elements of farming, creature collecting, and card-based combat.
  • Relaxing and low-pressure experience, allowing players to explore and progress at their own pace.
  • Frequent crashes and performance issues, particularly on Steam Deck.
  • Limited character customization and shallow NPC interactions that lack depth.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop with a lack of meaningful progression and story development.
  • grinding776 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Moonstone Island" has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the blend of farming, creature collecting, and card-based combat, some find the farming mechanics tedious and lacking depth, often feeling like an afterthought compared to exploration and combat. Players noted that while grinding can be enjoyable in moderation, it can also become repetitive and frustrating, particularly when leveling up spirits or managing resources, leading to a sense of imbalance in gameplay. Overall, the game offers a unique experience, but the farming component may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional farming sim.

    • “It is very fun to play through, while not being tedious until you start working on 3 of the achievements.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This isn't a huge con if the game itself had an intended fixed story progression, but if you intended to play it in a Stardew-like way where you can keep going hypothetically for years, it just doesn't have the same appeal to me because the main part of the game is taming spirits, not farming.”
    • “Honestly hated this game at first, played seven hours and thought it was extremely grindy and not worth my time.”
    • “Gathering moonstone ore is way too grindy... only appears at night and only 1 or 2 per island feels like a major time-gating of progression.”
    • “Farming feels more like a chore than a means of making money, which would be its only purpose.”
  • gameplay478 mentions

    The gameplay of "Moonstone Island" is a blend of farming simulation, creature collection, and card-based combat, drawing comparisons to titles like "Stardew Valley" and "Pokémon." While many players appreciate the cute art style and engaging mechanics, some criticize the execution as feeling shallow or clunky, with certain systems lacking depth and polish. Overall, the game offers a cozy experience with a variety of activities, though it may require further refinement to fully realize its potential.

    • “The gameplay loop is refreshing and unique.”
    • “The gameplay is currently one of a kind!”
    • “Moonstone Island is a visual treat with addictive gameplay.”
    • “Most mechanics, including the farming parts, feel rather clunky, and because the game lacks sound effects in many areas, the combat feels a bit bland too.”
    • “The developers failed one of the most basic, fundamental requirements of game design: 'show, don't tell.' You'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes.”
    • “The gameplay loop is buggy and still very shallow.”
  • story355 mentions

    The story in "Moonstone Island" is generally perceived as light and somewhat underdeveloped, with many players noting its linearity and lack of depth in character relationships. While some appreciate the cozy and whimsical elements reminiscent of games like "Stardew Valley" and "Pokemon," others feel that the narrative lacks engagement and fails to provide a compelling reason to connect with the characters or the overarching plot. Overall, the game offers a mix of quests and exploration, but many reviewers express a desire for a more intricate storyline and character development to enhance the experience.

    • “The story is engaging without being too pushy with driving you forward, and the sound effects evoke early Zelda in how pleasing to the ear they are.”
    • “Moonstone Island is not just a game; it's a magical, cozy journey that offers the best of both worlds for fans of storytelling and gaming innovation.”
    • “The main storyline is quite small, you can get an idea with a few comments from NPCs and the last boss battle.”
    • “The story is very boring and shallow; it feels like they put maybe a day or two tops into writing the lore and overall story.”
    • “The storyline and character development are as of right now still severely lacking; the dates you can go on with the NPCs don't do much to progress the narrative other than revealing minor personality quirks of each character.”
    • “The main storyline is quite small; you can get an idea with a few comments from NPCs and the last boss battle.”
  • graphics265 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and charming pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles like *The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap* and *Pokémon*. Many players appreciate the vibrant colors, detailed spirit designs, and overall aesthetic, which contribute to a cozy and enjoyable gaming experience. However, some critiques mention issues with graphical glitches and a lack of modern graphical options, which detract from the overall visual experience.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the characters are wonderful, and the gameplay itself is brilliantly fun.”
    • “The pixel graphics are very nice to look at, and the creature designs are very cute.”
    • “Beautiful graphics overall honestly.”
    • “Bad graphics, bad UI, bad, nay, cringey writing... this collects the worst aspects of visual novels and RPG Maker asset flips and combines them all into one (although it is worth noting this wasn't made with RPG Maker... you should still treat it like it was, the quality is no different).”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
  • music178 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its charm and relaxing quality, often compared to the soundtracks of beloved titles like Pokémon and Stardew Valley. However, many players express frustration over the lack of looping tracks and extended periods of silence, which detracts from the overall experience. While some find the soundtrack soothing and fitting for the game's cozy atmosphere, others feel it lacks variety and can be repetitive or unmemorable at times.

    • “The music is lovely (that boss battle theme has no right to go nearly as hard as it does for such a cute game, but I love it), but it's also unobtrusive, so if you want to play the game while listening to podcasts, it is a very good game for that.”
    • “The soundtrack is great and very rarely is the game uncomfortably quiet when exploring different islands.”
    • “The music is calming and nostalgic; the characters are charming and attractive; the gameplay is easy to pick up.”
    • “The title screen, for example, doesn't have a proper settings menu and the game blasts you with loud music from the start, expecting you to start into the tutorial before you can change anything that actually matters like audio volume and accessibility options.”
    • “Bewilderingly, the game doesn't include proper audio controls, so you can't turn off the annoying sound/background music; you'll need to alt+tab out and stop it using the Windows sound mixer.”
    • “My only major complaints are that the game is quiet - not as in 'just turn the volume up, silly' quiet, but the music drops out and you are left with extended periods of silence.”
  • optimization38 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent stuttering and performance issues across various setups, including the Steam Deck. Users noted a lack of customizable settings to improve performance, and while some experienced smooth gameplay, others faced severe lag and frame drops, particularly in busy areas. Overall, the game appears to require further optimization to enhance the user experience.

    • “This game runs smoothly, there are plenty of things to do.”
    • “Little to no stuttering or lag on my computer (which is quite old), charming characters, and of course the spirits are fantastic!”
    • “I feel like this game could be optimized more and some more features could be added for quality of life and just to bulk it out more but I am having a lot of fun with it.”
    • “There are extremely few settings to try and tinker with the game performance, and even though I have much higher specs than what is recommended, I feel as though it's struggling.”
    • “I really want to love this game, but the performance on the Steam Deck is really inconsistent; 60fps at times, then dips to 30 or less in the main town, and on a random empty island it's 40 for some reason... on the daily save screen I once went to 2fps... I thought I'd crash and lost my progression.”
    • “It does have one issue though; it seems to be not very well optimized and has some kind of memory leak, at least on the Steam Deck, that results in the game starting out fairly smooth and only slightly laggy in/around the town, but then becoming more laggy and stuttering more often over time.”
  • humor35 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever puns, quirky character designs, and amusing dialogues, which contribute to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the developers' comedic touch in patch notes and flavor text, enhancing the overall charm of the game. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, the general consensus is that it adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it both fun and memorable.

    • “I can tell the creators are good at writing a story and are freaking hilarious.”
    • “The humor in the flavor text is great.”
    • “It's a nice relaxing game with a quirky sense of humor and it's definitely worth picking up if you enjoy Harvest Moon style games with some creature collecting on the side.”
    • “I guess they're supposed to be funny, but if I'm actually doing well in a game, I don't want to purposely do poorly to get achievements.”
    • “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it more annoying than entertaining.”
    • “I appreciate a good joke, but the attempts at humor in this game just feel out of place and detract from the overall experience.”
  • emotional33 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome and heartwarming nature, with players expressing deep emotional investment in the characters and their stories. Many reviews emphasize the game's creativity, cute art style, and low-pressure environment, creating a cozy experience that resonates with players. However, some critiques mention that certain gameplay mechanics, like the time system, can detract from the overall emotional immersion.

    • “I am emotionally invested in these characters (read: Gaiana and Osono) to a debilitating degree.”
    • “Brought to life with a heartwarming and beautiful art style that fills you with nostalgic love for every nook and cranny of the game, Moonstone Island is truly a beautiful game full of passion and creativity.”
    • “Living on the beach with Tobin and fishing together and going on dates with him has made me feel like Doki Doki for the first time in a game with romance in a very, very long time.”
  • stability28 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and freezes that can disrupt gameplay, particularly on certain platforms like the Steam Deck. While some users have experienced minimal issues and found the game mostly playable, others have encountered significant problems that hinder their enjoyment, suggesting that ongoing patches may be necessary to address these concerns. Overall, the stability of the game appears to be a notable drawback for a substantial number of players.

    • “It's mostly bug-free, with no major issues after several hours of gameplay.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or significant glitches.”
    • “I've experienced consistent performance throughout my playtime, which is impressive.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess.”
    • “Freezes that require a full alt+F4 happen frequently, and are even worse on Steam Deck; it's been known for months and not fixed yet.”
    • “It's graphically nice, but it's riddled with bugs, freezes, and crashes (in my experience), as well as far too casual gameplay that doesn't feel satisfying and instead bores you.”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some characters have intriguing backstories and evolve throughout the narrative, many NPCs lack depth and variety in dialogue, making it difficult to form meaningful relationships. The character designs are generally praised for their aesthetic appeal, but they often reduce characters to simplistic traits, leading to a perception of blandness in gameplay and storytelling. Overall, while the art and sound contribute positively to the experience, the narrative and character development are seen as areas needing significant improvement.

    • “Each character is set apart from the rest, so they do have interesting backstories and character development over the course of these, though there are some that stand out more than others.”
    • “Exciting character design, fun and intuitive controls, dynamic artwork and cozy soundscapes do great to make Moonstone Island one of my favorite comfort games this year.”
    • “Rich story, smooth mechanics, soft audible clicks, beautiful soundtrack, beautiful character designs.”
    • “NPCs lack character development.”
    • “The storyline and character development are, as of right now, still severely lacking. The dates you can go on with the NPCs don't do much to progress the narrative other than revealing minor personality quirks of each character.”
    • “I think the character design is boring, and it is super hard to build relationships in the game.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while the procedurally generated world offers unique experiences with each playthrough, many players feel that the lack of substantial post-story content limits long-term engagement. Some find it charming and more replayable than similar titles like Stardew Valley, while others criticize it for feeling shallow and lacking meaningful replay value. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but it heavily depends on player preferences and the desire for additional content.

    • “The world map is randomly generated each time, which should make for good replay value.”
    • “Great price point, tons of content, and oh yeah, very replayable because it procedurally creates your world which will be unique to you.”
    • “Each playthrough is guaranteed to be unique, as the world is procedurally generated upon creation of your save file, so replayability is practically infinite.”
    • “There are quite a number of things to do in this game and there definitely is quite a bit of replayability, but after finishing the story, there doesn't seem to be much content.”
    • “The game is charming, but I don't feel the same level of replayability as I did for other farming games.”
    • “And frankly, the game has very little replay value.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of Moonstone Island is widely praised for its unique, whimsical charm, often compared to the cozy vibes of Stardew Valley and Studio Ghibli aesthetics. Players appreciate the beautiful art, relaxing music, and engaging environment, which contribute to an enjoyable gameplay experience, despite some criticisms regarding the polish of other game mechanics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is seen as a significant strength, enhancing the sense of adventure and exploration.

    • “I think Moonstone Island has a really unique atmosphere and feel to it that has been very engaging and enjoyable.”
    • “It had wonderful atmosphere, gorgeous art, and fun gameplay and would highly recommend it to anyone even slightly curious about it.”
    • “Amazing combination of Stardew Valley atmosphere with Studio Ghibli vibes.”
    • “Atmosphere is the biggest win, but most of the characters, farming systems, and card mechanics just feel too unpolished or janky.”
    • “I love the art and atmosphere of this game, but my main problem is - none of the features advertised work that well to keep your attention.”
    • “I feel like this has probably taken away a bit of my enjoyment of the game as on PC there is a general atmosphere of cute and cozy audio.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game appears to be minimal, with users noting a lack of advertising despite the game's quality and appeal, particularly in its pixel graphics and farming elements. Overall, players seem to appreciate the game without feeling overwhelmed by ads or aggressive monetization strategies.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

Buy Moonstone Island

Play time

19hMedian play time
26hAverage play time
8-49hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 48 analyzed playthroughs

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