The Moon Sliver
- October 28, 2014
- David Szymanski
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Moon Sliver" is a first-person adventure game that takes place in a surreal, abandoned moonbase. Players must uncover the mystery of what happened to the moonbase and its inhabitants, while navigating through challenging puzzles and a haunting atmosphere. With a focus on exploration and discovery, players will encounter strange machines, cryptic messages, and a striking, minimalist art style.
Reviews
- Engaging and haunting story that unfolds as you explore the island.
- Atmospheric sound design and music that enhance the overall experience.
- Successfully builds tension and a sense of dread without relying on jump scares.
- Very short gameplay, typically completed in under an hour.
- Graphics are simplistic and may detract from the immersion for some players.
- The narrative can be confusing and difficult to piece together without thorough exploration.
- story759 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "The Moon Sliver" is a haunting and melancholic narrative that unfolds through exploration and text snippets scattered across a desolate island. Players piece together a complex tale of isolation, regret, and mystery, often finding the storytelling method both engaging and frustrating due to its non-linear presentation. While some appreciate the depth and atmosphere, others feel the story could have been better served as a traditional short story rather than a game, citing issues with clarity and pacing. Overall, it offers a unique, albeit brief, experience for those who enjoy narrative-driven games.
“The story is difficult to piece together at first, but you slowly reveal more and more of it over the course of the game, and it is surprisingly deep and complex for a one-hour experience.”
“The atmosphere is well set and the story is chilling and engaging.”
“The moon sliver is a beautifully-told story that surprised me with its growing feeling of dread and horror.”
“The story is confusing and never really explained very well.”
“The scattered pieces of plot leave a large amount up to the player to decipher, and this ambiguity was intriguing and surprisingly well written as it attempted to flesh out a world and characters that the developer didn't have the resources to properly show.”
“The story was unclear, I had no idea who anybody was.”
- atmosphere210 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The Moon Sliver" is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively combining sound design, music, and visuals to create a chilling and emotionally engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of loneliness and dread, often comparing its atmospheric depth to that of other narrative-driven titles. Despite its minimalist graphics and gameplay, the game successfully captivates players with its strong sense of place and storytelling, making it a memorable atmospheric horror experience.
“The atmosphere is top notch.”
“The sound design, music, visuals, all create an amazing atmosphere, filled with well-written paragraphs, that come together to give you an experience.”
“The moon sliver effectively creates a dreary, dark, and creepy atmosphere and knows exactly how much dialogue and lore to give to the player to pique their interest and let the imagination run wild.”
“The atmosphere is creepy and the game is well done as far as its art (graphics, sound, story) are concerned.”
“The use of weather and lighting works well to create an eerie and scary atmosphere.”
“In the end, many aspects of the story and game, save for the music and general atmosphere, feel very unfinished and unpolished, and I don't think I'd recommend it, not even at the discounted £0.99 I paid for it.”
- graphics138 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as minimalistic, dated, and often poor, with many reviewers noting a resemblance to older titles or basic Unity assets. However, this simplicity is frequently seen as beneficial, enhancing the game's atmosphere and storytelling rather than detracting from it. While the visuals may not impress, they effectively contribute to a sense of desolation and immersion, aligning well with the game's narrative themes.
“The atmosphere is creepy and the game is well done as far as its art (graphics, sound, story) are concerned.”
“The almost PS1-style graphics add to the very desolate, lonely atmosphere, and I thought that the way in which the story is very slowly revealed worked well.”
“I'm blown away by how the simplicity of visuals, sound, and interaction come together to create a powerful atmosphere that drives this story.”
“The dissonance between the narrative and the visuals is jarring and difficult to get past.”
“The graphics are poor, the overall look of the world feels pretty outdated and you can see that this game wasn't created by a big team of developers.”
“Don't buy this because you want to be dazzled by the graphics - they are as basic as they come.”
- music124 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a haunting and immersive atmosphere, effectively complementing the visuals and narrative. While some reviewers noted issues with looping and a desire for more variation, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack is beautiful, eerie, and integral to the game's emotional impact. Many players recommend experiencing this game alongside its sequel, "The Music Machine," to fully appreciate the interconnected storytelling and atmospheric depth.
“The sound design, music, visuals, all create an amazing atmosphere, filled with well-written paragraphs, that come together to give you an experience.”
“The music is beautiful and complements the atmosphere in the best ways.”
“The music effectively sets the tone and contributes greatly to developing the lonely and unsettling tone of the game, particularly in the last few minutes.”
“The music doesn't quite flow as smoothly as it should; you can hear the moment it clicks back to the start, but it's tonally perfect and foreboding.”
“The ambient sounds and music are apt, but fairly generic.”
“In the end, many aspects of the story and game, save for the music and general atmosphere, feel very unfinished and unpolished, and I don't think I'd recommend it, not even at the discounted £0.99 I paid for it.”
- gameplay119 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *The Moon Sliver* is primarily a walking simulator, focusing on exploration and narrative rather than traditional mechanics or action. Players navigate a desolate island, piecing together a story through minimal interaction and simple puzzles, while a flashlight battery mechanic adds a layer of tension but is often seen as unnecessary. Overall, the game is praised for its atmospheric storytelling, though it may disappoint those seeking complex gameplay or extensive content.
“The gameplay is simple - you move around, you have a flashlight, and you can interact with certain objects to try to piece together the story behind this strange island.”
“The story is amazing, the gameplay is simple yet satisfying, graphics and the soundtrack beautifully contribute to the atmosphere.”
“It's very short, lasting only about an hour, and the gameplay only involves walking around and looking at objects for hints of the story taking place.”
“There's not much 'gameplay' to this game, admittedly; explore, solve a couple very basic puzzles, gather enough pieces of the story and time advances, opening a new area to explore - it's more of an interactive story.”
“From a gameplay perspective there really isn’t much going on, as you walk aimlessly on an island, clicking objects, mostly to gather information about who, what, where, and why.”
“The gameplay is merely wandering and a couple of button combinations you have to enter; it's very simple.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its extremely low replayability, with many reviewers noting that it offers less than an hour of gameplay and lacks engaging content to warrant multiple playthroughs. While some suggest it could be fun to watch a friend play, the consensus is that the experience is largely one-and-done, making it unsuitable for those seeking a game with lasting replay value.
“It's cheap, decently replayable, and most importantly, it's enjoyable.”
“Though with minimal replayability, if one can get this title for a reasonable price, considering the length, I think most people will be satisfied that it absolutely does deliver everything it promises.”
“First off, for those looking for a game with good replay value, this probably isn’t the game for you.”
“On the negative side, it offers less than an hour of playtime (I completed the entire thing in ~40 minutes), and basically no replay value.”
“It's bleak, it's barren, and it holds zero replay value.”
“There isn't any real replay value; the characters are not really engaging or substantial enough to care for, and the premise, while eerie and disorientingly alien with the stark visuals, isn't quite as formidable as it deserves.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful writing and atmospheric depth, which evoke strong feelings ranging from sadness to fear, often leaving players in tears. While some players found the narrative fragmented and character development lacking, many praised the game for its ability to create a hauntingly beautiful experience that lingers long after playing. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant journey.
“Anyhow, the writing and atmosphere were really emotional and drew me in more and more.”
“I cried at the atmospheric dynamism in this game.”
“Atmospheric, beautiful, heartbreaking, and occasionally terrifying, this game is a must-play for those who enjoy thinking and exploring worlds.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mix of tediousness and calmness, with some sections feeling unnecessarily prolonged, such as searching for codes or backtracking for story progression. While the game is short, it can still feel laborious at times, lacking the fast-paced excitement typically associated with gameplay.
“It's extremely short but still somehow ends up feeling tedious.”
“It can sometimes be difficult to find the next piece of the story, or at the least, tedious to backtrack.”
“You're not zipping along at mach speed, but 'trudging' hasn't replaced 'level grinding,' either.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features appealing graphics and a pleasant aesthetic, but it is marred by occasional glitches that detract from the experience. While it may not be the top walking simulator, players can still appreciate the underlying story despite these stability issues.
“The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic; however, there are some ugly glitches here and there that detract from the experience.”
“Not the best walking simulator out there, but when you look through the glitches, there's a good story in 'The Moon Sliver.'”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be engaging and relatable, often leading to moments of self-reflection and laughter at their own reactions to the game's scenarios. The comedic elements effectively enhance the overall experience, making players appreciate the absurdity of certain situations.
“I probably stood staring at the wall for a good fifteen seconds when I reached the chair and the lamp, just laughing at myself because of how much I genuinely didn't want to turn around.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly in graphically intensive scenes. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be adequate but could benefit from further improvements to enhance the experience for all players.
“The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance settings, making it easy to customize for the best experience.”
“The game's optimization ensures that loading times are minimal, keeping the immersion intact and the action flowing.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is notably rich, particularly for characters that players do not directly encounter, which may be a deliberate choice given the ambiguity surrounding the protagonist's identity until the final level. This approach adds depth to the narrative, enhancing the overall experience.
“There's a lot of character development for characters you don't get to meet, but that might be on purpose because, [spoiler] until the final level, it's very unclear which character you play as.”
“The depth of character development is impressive, as each character evolves in unexpected ways throughout the story.”
“I love how the game allows for meaningful character growth, making each decision feel impactful on their development.”
“There's a lot of character development for characters that you don't get to meet, but that might be on purpose because, [spoiler] until the final level, it's very unclear which character you play as.”
“The character development feels rushed and incomplete, leaving many arcs unresolved by the end of the game.”
“I found the character development to be shallow; the characters lack depth and their motivations are poorly explained.”
