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There Was the Moon

There Was the Moon Game Cover
92%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere, story
Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, replayability
92% User Score Based on 50 reviews

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PCWindows
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There Was the Moon Game Cover

About There Was the Moon

There Was the Moon is a single player casual simulation game with horror, thriller and science fiction themes. It was developed by Ben Lapid and was released on July 24, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

An atmospheric exploration game. The player is tasked with completing a ritual prescribed by an interspecies pact formed eons ago. Complete puzzles and delve deeper into a bewildering monument.

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There Was the Moon screenshot
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There Was the Moon screenshot
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There Was the Moon screenshot
There Was the Moon screenshot
There Was the Moon screenshot
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Reviews

92%Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews
atmosphere12 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a captivating atmosphere that immerses players in a surreal experience.
  • The puzzles, while not overly difficult, are engaging and complement the exploration of the beautifully crafted environments.
  • The narrative and artistic direction create a unique and meaningful journey, reminiscent of other atmospheric exploration games.
  • The game is quite short, with many players feeling that the experience does not justify the price point.
  • Some puzzles can be obscure or frustrating, leading to moments of confusion and backtracking.
  • Limited replayability due to only having a couple of endings and a lack of additional content to explore.

  • atmosphere

    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    46% positive mentions, 42% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating and unique qualities, evoking feelings of isolation and intrigue through its sound design and environmental storytelling. Many players appreciate the blend of light puzzle-solving with exploration, highlighting the game's ability to create an immersive experience reminiscent of classic atmospheric titles. However, some players noted a discomfort with the game's religious undertones, which affected their overall enjoyment of the atmosphere.

    • “I wish I could have played more, but I would still recommend this game for the atmosphere alone.”
    • “The atmosphere was really good; it managed to inflict a feeling of isolation, even scaring me a few times with strange sound effects.”
    • “Really captivating environment and atmosphere!”
    • “But buying it, I think I failed to understand how religious the atmosphere of the game feels.”
    • “And I wasn't a fan of the religious eerie atmosphere.”
    • “There is some light puzzle solving, but it's mostly just wandering around soaking up the atmosphere.”

  • story

    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    70% positive mentions, 20% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The game's story is described as a surreal and experimental journey that unfolds through environmental puzzles and exploration, creating an enjoyable mystery despite its vagueness. While some players appreciated the psychological twists and atmospheric elements, many expressed a desire for more depth and content in the narrative. Overall, it is seen as a visual storytelling masterpiece that captivates players with its artistic approach.

    • “It truly is a visual and storytelling masterpiece.”
    • “The story had an interesting premise, and I would say the atmosphere of the world was the best part.”
    • “I've always loved these kinds of puzzle game/walking simulators; these surreal, experimental journeys through strange places and structures, piecing together the story through the bits you find, if there is a story to begin with.”
    • “The game drops you in the middle of something bigger than you, and as you travel the mind-bending ambient landscape, performing a ritual through environmental puzzles and exploration that leaves you in mystery, the story unravels in front of you.”

  • gameplay

    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 37% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions

    Gameplay is primarily focused on exploration and solving sequencing puzzles, but many players found the mechanics unintuitive, leading to frustration. While updates improved the experience by clarifying mechanics, some still felt the overall gameplay duration was too short for the price.

    • “I was having trouble with one of the puzzles in the game, but after it was updated, it was much more enjoyable since I could understand the mechanics - but it wasn't too easy.”
    • “I don't know how much development went into the game, so I don't want to undermine the devs' work, but the price feels a bit steep for less than an hour of gameplay.”
    • “Game mechanics weren't super intuitive (at least not to me), and it became unplayable.”
    • “The gameplay consists of walking around and occasionally solving sequencing puzzles.”

  • music

    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    38% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music and sound design in the game are highly praised, with reviewers noting that the soundtrack enhances the overall aesthetic and creates an enjoyable atmosphere. The combination of top-notch art direction and fitting ambient music contributes to a visually and audibly immersive experience.

    • “The art direction and sound/music design are top notch.”
    • “It is a visual treat with a soundtrack that I took pleasure in listening to.”
    • “The sound design and ambient music fits the aesthetic really well.”

  • graphics

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    67% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The graphics are praised for their stunning psychedelic visuals, which enhance the exploration experience. The aesthetic is complemented by fitting sound design and ambient music, creating an immersive atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “Amazing experience, this type of aesthetic is my favorite in exploration games.”
    • “Really cool psychedelic visuals throughout the game, pretty fun.”
    • “The sound design and ambient music fit the aesthetic really well.”

  • replayability

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions

    The game offers limited replayability due to its only two endings, which many players feel is insufficient. Reviewers suggest that incorporating more secrets and achievements could enhance replay value, similar to other games in the genre.

    • “I find that many similar games do well when you add lots of little secrets around the game for replay value, maybe more achievements to support them.”
    • “There are only 2 endings, so there is very little replayability.”
    • “I find that many similar games do well when you add lots of little secrets around the game for replay value; maybe more achievements to support them.”

  • monetization

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game "Ego," as they primarily focus on its potential connection to the game "Naissance." There is no clear information regarding pricing, in-game purchases, or overall monetization strategy.

  • grinding

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, though it is often balanced by enjoyable psychological twists in the story, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

  • stability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only a few reported glitches that do not significantly detract from the overall experience. Players appreciate the beautiful atmosphere and engaging puzzles, indicating that stability issues are minor in comparison to the game's strengths.

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Frequently Asked Questions

There Was the Moon is a casual simulation game with horror, thriller and science fiction themes. Common tags for There Was the Moon include first-person, indie, psychedelic, surreal, psychological and others.

There Was the Moon is available on PC and Windows.

There Was the Moon was released on July 24, 2020.

There Was the Moon was developed by Ben Lapid.

There Was the Moon has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked There Was the Moon for its atmosphere but disliked it for its gameplay.

There Was the Moon is a single player game.

Similar games include Kairo, Dreaming Sarah, The Norwood Suite, Broken Reality, The Alien Cube and others.