Mothmen 1966

A straightforward recreation of 1980s computer adventure games through the lens of pulp fiction. Mothmen 1966 is a brief, but enchanting, paranormal experience that has real love for all aspects of its fusion.

80%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, replayability

91% User Score Based on 156 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 13 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.21

Buy NowGet on Steam$8.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

"Mothmen 1966" is a pixel art adventure game based on pulp fiction, set during the Leonid Meteor Shower in 1966. A young couple, a gas station owner, and a paranormal investigator become entangled in a conspiracy involving otherworldly creatures and mysterious men in black. This game is the first in the new Pixel Pulps series, combining exceptional writing with stunning illustrations.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

story54 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features stunning pixel art and a captivating retro aesthetic that enhances the overall atmosphere.
The narrative is engaging, with well-developed characters and a unique take on the Mothman legend, making it a fun and immersive experience.
The gameplay includes interesting mini-games, such as solitaire, and allows for quick retries after failures, reducing frustration.

The game is very short, typically taking only 1-2 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
The puzzles can feel clunky and unintuitive, often relying on trial and error rather than clever design, which detracts from the experience.
The story ends abruptly and leaves many questions unanswered, leading to a feeling of dissatisfaction with the conclusion.

story
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
5%
The story of "Mothmen 1966" is a unique blend of horror and retro aesthetics, featuring an engaging narrative that intertwines cryptid lore with character-driven drama. While many players appreciate its intriguing premise and well-crafted characters, some criticize the abrupt ending and linearity of choices, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is praised for its atmosphere and storytelling, though many express a desire for a longer and more polished narrative.
- “The story is interesting, and it combines the Mothman, men-in-black, the Civil War, and lots of other things.”
- “Mothmen 1966 manages to blend a creepy yet oh-so-fun tale into the visual novel formula, with a sprinkle of choose-your-own-adventure and puzzles to create a retro story that I had a really, really fun time with.”
- “The retro aesthetic oozes charm and helps elevate the story, while the simple puzzles and gaming sections allow players to take a break from reading to become active participants in the story.”
- “The story just abruptly ends.”
- “The characters are all basically unlikable, the relationships are needlessly complicated, and the plot itself is hanging on by a thread.”
- “The story is fine until a specific point near the end, where it takes a completely out-of-nowhere turn that made me say out loud, 'wait, what just happened?' The ending is extremely unsatisfying, and is more a point where the story decides to stop than an actual ending.”
graphics
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
28%
4%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning pixel art and retro aesthetic, which effectively captures the charm of classic gaming while enhancing the narrative experience. Many players appreciate the vibrant color palette and the ability to create striking visuals that complement the story, although some have noted that the retro style can hinder user interface interactivity. Overall, the artwork is described as beautiful and atmospheric, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The graphics here are brilliant.”
- “The best thing about this game is the graphics; beautiful art style, almost like paintings, and the color palette is really captivating.”
- “The visuals are gorgeous, I love the neon greens and the old school comic style.”
- “I admit I wasn't sure about the graphics at first, and there are also some issues with the technical side on an ultra-wide screen (opening the menu froze the pictures and a restart was necessary; after beating the game, the 'exit' option was outside of the view window).”
- “While the aesthetics of Mothman 1966 are charming at first, I found myself disappointed having kept an eye on this game since its original announcement.”
- “The brief interactive interludes do not hold up to the polish of the writing, soundscapes, and graphics of Mothmen 1966, but LCD Game Studio have a chance to update those mechanics when the next episode, Varney Lake, comes out later this year.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
24%
14%
The atmosphere in "Mothmen 1966" is widely praised for its immersive and mysterious qualities, enhanced by its artistic aesthetics, sound design, and minimal color palette. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a chilling and trippy ambiance that captivates players from the start, with engaging visuals and audio that complement the narrative. Despite some minor distractions, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Mothmen 1966 is an interactive graphic novel with amazing, artistic aesthetics, a tense trippy atmosphere, nicely designed characters, well-written dialogues, and cool sound design.”
- “Excellent writing and the art is fantastic, especially with its palette; it really nails the cryptic atmosphere and suspense!”
- “Some sound loops in particular scenes distract from the atmosphere and reading.”
- “What is amazing is how they managed to create such a creepy atmosphere by only using like 5 colors and a few bleeps and bloops.”
- “The mystery had me intrigued throughout and the dev(s?) know how to build atmosphere.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
28%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its retro charm, effectively complementing the pixel art aesthetics and enhancing the overall atmosphere. While some users noted minor volume inconsistencies, the soundtrack is generally described as pleasant, unobtrusive, and fitting for the game's nostalgic vibe. Overall, the combination of music, sound effects, and writing contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music is a perfect vibe for this style of game.”
- “There's a pleasant soundtrack here that is retro-themed and could be described as unobtrusive, the kind that you'll notice while it's playing but will promptly forget when the game's over.”
- “The charm of its lo-fi, old-style graphics, music, and interface can't be ignored either.”
- “My only real criticism is the sound and music, which lean way too hard into the CGA-era PC internal beeper aesthetic.”
- “I noticed a few odd fluctuations of volume (the menu music was too quiet, while the settings slider showed it all the way to the right. Naturally, I turned it up on my computer just to be blasted with sound when the chapter started) – but it’s a minor gripe, nothing serious.”
- “The good: the pixel aesthetic is well done, the music is sparse but effective, and the writing is very good, the story is both creepy and makes you want to read more of it, and all the characters are surprisingly well drawn for such a short game.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging minigame mechanics and D&D-like elements, while others criticize it for being shallow and featuring unimaginative puzzles. Although the game offers a fun and atmospheric experience with a compelling story, many players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and can be frustrating due to mechanics like instant death. Overall, it appeals to newcomers to visual novels but may disappoint those seeking more complex gameplay.
- “It has nice minigame-like mechanics that allow the gameplay to vary, and you can also play a cool solitaire directly from the menu screen.”
- “The D&D-like gameplay is my favorite thing in this game.”
- “This is a perfect, atmospheric, fun pixel adventure with choose-your-own-adventure mechanics, some cool puzzles, and a story that is worth the ride.”
- “On the other hand, gameplay is shallow and its few puzzles are unimaginative and clunky.”
- “The instant death mechanic based on failing a scenario is incredibly annoying.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay fails to be anywhere near as interesting, but the package is not without its charm.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with some describing the puzzles as frustrating and the overall experience feeling short for its price. Additionally, the character interactions can be filled with negativity, which may detract from the enjoyment.
- “On top of that is this mountain of intense character stuff, where there is always at least one person quietly grinding their teeth with absolutely loathing for someone else, with the pettiest, most poisonous thoughts swirling around them.”
- “It's extremely short, to the point that even $9 seems a tad much, and the puzzles were tedious at best.”
- “[occasionally unwieldy controls, tedious puzzles]”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Mothmen 1966 evokes nostalgia and effectively conveys emotional scenes despite its simplicity and limited graphics, demonstrating a thoughtful design that engages players. While it may not be the most profound experience, it successfully entertains and invests players in its various scenarios and outcomes.
- “Mothmen 1966, however, made me feel very nostalgic for the genre and I really enjoyed the handful of different scenarios and outcomes (deaths).”
- “I love the simplicity on the surface, but the ability to convey striking and emotional scenes with such a small amount of graphical power shows a real care for the product and a small but noticeable flexing of the muscles.”
- “Obviously, it's not the deepest or most emotional, but it's enough to entertain and get you invested.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game adds a fun and lighthearted element to the otherwise creepy narrative, making for an enjoyable experience despite the story's predictability.
- “The story obviously isn't going to blow your mind, but it's a fun, creepy, and sometimes humorous ride.”
- “The humor in this game is spot on, making even the darkest moments feel lighthearted.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, players report a smooth experience with no noticeable bugs or performance issues, indicating strong optimization in the game.
- “I didn't notice any bugs or other performance hiccups.”
- “The game runs smoothly on my system, even at high settings.”
- “Optimization is top-notch; I can play for hours without any lag.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users feel that the game offers limited replayability due to its short length, making the full price seem steep for the experience provided.
- “I did enjoy this, but at full price, I think it's a bit steep, given the short length and lack of replayability.”