Moonstone Tavern

About

Moonstone Tavern is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Trevor Jones and was released on May 13, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

With the death of your aunt you have been left the once famous Moonstone Tavern. Unfortunately the tavern has seen better days. With only two functioning rooms, crumbling architecture, and an ever-diminishing reputation there is plenty of room for improvement.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

Skip User Reviews

45%

Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews

story9 positive mentions

gameplay9 negative mentions

Unique blend of tavern simulation and RPG elements with a strong and interesting concept.
Lots of content including tavern management, quests, pet breeding, character classes, and a variety of companions.
Engaging storyline with memorable characters and a day/night cycle adding atmosphere; developer is responsive and has issued patches improving stability.

Severe performance issues including lag, low frame rates, and clunky controls that hinder gameplay enjoyment.
Unpolished execution with awkward UI, poor combat mechanics, limited graphics options, and a lack of meaningful tavern interaction.
Game feels incomplete or abandoned with repetitive quests, lack of progression, missing features, and inadequate developer support after release.

story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
77%
6%
The story is generally regarded as interesting and enjoyable, featuring a main questline with varied characters, engaging events, and multiple side quests that motivate progression. However, some players find the narrative and dialogue weak or repetitive, lacking deeper character development and customization, while others appreciate the plot twists and connection between tavern management and questing. Technical issues and clunky design occasionally hinder immersion, but overall, the storyline adds meaningful context to the gameplay.
- “So this game is built on an awesome concept, and a very enjoyable storyline, (with two plot twists so far that I did not see coming!) There are dozens, and I do mean dozens, of varied characters to meet and interact with, interesting events, and a variety of quests, (from easy to impossible!) altogether I've found it an enjoyable game so far.”
- “There is of course a story, and although it uses some common fantasy tropes, such as a blight spreading across the land, it does so in a way that is new and interesting.”
- “The story is quite good and did keep me wanting to find out more.”
- “There are no instructions or story line in this game right away; the game gives you basic instructions on how to move and that is it.”
- “Finding the main story line is something I have yet to do, probably because it takes forever to travel and get stuff done.”
- “I have tried playing through the story 3 times now, and every time the game glitches at the same point, stopping me from re-entering the human town.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
53%
28%
The gameplay receives mixed reviews, with many criticizing poor combat mechanics, unresponsive controls, repetitive quests, and technical issues like low frame rates and glitches, which hinder the overall experience. However, some players appreciate the attempt at incorporating interesting ideas, classic RPG elements, and an old-school aesthetic, noting potential for improvement with future updates.
- “There are a lot of really cool mechanics, and the concept is something I'm happy to see explored.”
- “If you've played Apocalypse Hotel then you'll be familiar with the gameplay of Moonstone Tavern as well: alternately manage and improve your tavern, and go out on adventures in search of loot and resources to use on the next round of tavern improvements.”
- “The thing I like about this game is that it is simple, you do not need to have big fancy graphics to have a great game, this has the 'old school' graphics with excellent gameplay.”
- “The frame rate and mapping are wack, the controls are unresponsive, the battle mechanics are boring, and it seems the developers have long since abandoned it.”
- “I'll spare lots of details to not be redundant, since many other reviewers have covered them, but it's all true: the terrible game mechanics (combat especially), clunky menus and interface, difficulty in earning money/getting upgrades, and so on and so on.”
- “I can say that while there are problems with the game; the tutorial is fairly useless, the combat mechanics make no sense, the lack of diversity in the battle system entirely, and the bare bones mechanics of understanding your character's status (and the fact you can't even check other party members aside from level).”
graphics
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
13%
The game's graphics feature charming, coherent pixel art with an appealing old-school RPG style that many users appreciate. However, limitations such as lack of full HD support, poor optimization, frequent lag, and ineffective or missing graphics settings detract significantly from the experience, especially on modern hardware. Overall, while visually nostalgic and artistically consistent, the technical shortcomings in graphics options and performance are a major downside.
- “The art style is really pretty and the idea of the game is a neat idea.”
- “Graphically, it has a lot of eye candy, as everything is done in pixel-art style and always looks coherent with the rest of the scenery elements.”
- “The graphics are nice, really pulling you back to those SNES, Secret of Mana age.”
- “As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
- “I like the concept, but the design, optimization, and graphic options are absolutely pathetic.”
- “You can hit a button to bring up audio and graphics options, which launches a Windows options box with check marks and all, but doing so doesn't release the mouse cursor to you to actually have an effect on it, and therefore I haven't been able to click through the menus.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
43%
36%
The music received mixed feedback, with some users finding it decent or fairly interesting but often described as monotonous, overly electronic, or not fitting the setting. Several critics noted issues with volume control and wished for more variety or a better sound options menu. Overall, the music is seen as passable but not a standout feature.
- “The music was pretty good, although I wish there would be more of it.”
- “Pretty designed levels (reminds me of To the Moon), old-fashioned electronic music, but gameplay absolutely different.”
- “The music is fairly interesting too.”
- “Tried several fixes already - still the same garbage, better frame rates but no music.”
- “If monotonous background music and some problems with the settings and the quests are ok for you, it is a decent game.”
- “But I do have a suggestion: it would be a really good idea to add an options menu to turn the game music down, as the music is really, really loud. Options to turn the sound effects down would be awesome as well.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game suffers from significant optimization and performance issues, particularly poor frame rates in busy areas, which greatly impact playability. Many users attribute these problems partly to the game's engine and hardware compatibility, though some hope for future improvements. Overall, despite a promising concept, current optimization shortcomings prevent a smooth experience.
- “As someone already pointed out in a review, performance issues seem to be the only issues with the game so far, and that was taken care of in most cases.”
- “Hey there, if you're being discouraged by the bad reviews note that almost all of them are due to performance issues.”
- “Hopefully it will be optimized a little better here in the near future for people like myself.”
- “Performance tanks in 'busy' areas (places with lots of things).”
- “There have been a number of reports of poor graphics performance, and my laptop has these issues when playing Apocalypse Hotel as well, which I attribute to issues with the RPG Maker engine on this hardware.”
- “I was baited by a good and interesting concept and received one of the worst performances ever.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is mixed, with some users experiencing significant bugs and glitches that disrupt progress, particularly during travel, while others report only minor issues that do not affect gameplay. Overall, stability appears inconsistent, impacting the experience for some players.
- “Traveling is literally awful because the game is buggy and laggy.”
- “I have tried playing through the story 3 times now, and every time the game glitches at the same point, stopping me from re-entering the human town.”
- “Not even worth leaving a review, it's just that much of a buggy mess.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is a mixed experience, with some finding it excessively grindy and reliant on RNG, while others feel the amount of grinding is moderate and manageable. However, a lack of compelling story or motivation may reduce the incentive to continue grinding for some players.
- “It is excessively grindy; although running around the world was enjoyable, there was a lot of RNG involved.”
- “It's been fun for a few hours, but without a deeper story or stronger motivation, there's little incentive to keep grinding.”
- “I hope this will be developed further, but right now it just doesn't feel like enough to justify the time spent grinding.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is appreciated for its entertaining characters, such as funny gnomes and witty guests who add charm and lightheartedness. However, some users found certain aspects, like starting without a class, amusing in an unexpected way. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the experience despite performance issues.
- “You’ll get to meet and interact with cool characters like elves, funny gnomes, brutal orcs and many others.”
- “When I first started, I started without a class, which in all honesty, was funny.”
- “I spoke to my guests and met some new ones; all guests have a funny few things to say – definitely worth talking to.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users perceive the monetization approach as overly aggressive, giving the impression of a cash grab despite understanding the challenges faced by indie developers.