Yi and the Thousand Moons

About

"Yi and the Thousand Moons" is a short interactive musical game featuring original songs and a full cast, including a live band. Players assume the role of archer Yi, tasked by the gods to shoot down the moons despite villagers' warnings that they protect the earth from stardust. The game offers a unique experience of playing through levels that are songs, with seven original compositions and six preludes by David Su.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 111 reviews

music56 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful and captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It's a unique concept that blends storytelling with music, creating an interactive musical experience.
Despite its short length, the game is enjoyable and offers easy achievements for players interested in that aspect.

The gameplay is minimal and lacks depth, making it feel more like a musical than a traditional game.
Technical issues such as poor performance, awkward controls, and visual bugs detract from the experience.
The game is very short, with a playtime of around 15-30 minutes, leading some to feel it is not worth the price.

music
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The music in "Yi and the Thousand Moons" is universally praised for its beauty and emotional depth, often described as the game's main highlight. Many reviewers liken the experience to an interactive musical or music video, emphasizing the seamless integration of storytelling through song. While the gameplay is minimal, the soundtrack and vocal performances are noted as exceptional, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of music and narrative-driven content.
- “The music is beautiful, and the extremely simple gameplay and striking visuals do a great job of highlighting the narrative in the songs.”
- “The highlight and the whole notion of the game is the music.”
- “The music is utterly gorgeous, and the musical transitions between moments are incredibly well done.”
- “All in all, it works as an experimental piece, but unless you're looking for a somewhat primordial story with about half an hour of music within a game environment, you'd be safe to skip this one.”
- “The only aspect I didn't like about the game was the disconnect between the music used for the on-screen narrative text and the wonderful music sung by the characters.”
- “Overall, while the game was not 'bad', I simply cannot recommend it due to the short length and the jarring disconnect between the music and song that plagued the earlier parts of the game.”
story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The game's story is often described as simplistic and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels more like an interactive musical experience than a traditional game. While some players appreciated the unique storytelling approach through music and visuals, they expressed a desire for a more meaningful and extended narrative. Overall, the game is seen as an experimental piece that captivates with its soundtrack but leaves the story feeling underdeveloped.
- “I felt captivated by the story and the music.”
- “This is a great example of a sung-through musical (think Les Misérables where all the dialogue is communicated musically) that conveys good storytelling both musically and visually.”
- “Where Yi and the Thousand Moons shines is in its storytelling via music and breaking new ground.”
- “All in all, it works as an experimental piece, but unless you're looking for a somewhat primordial story with about half an hour of music within a game environment, you'd be safe to skip this one.”
- “The story lacks depth; however, although I enjoyed my time with Yi and the Thousand Moons, I just wished it was longer.”
- “I wouldn't say that 'Yi and the Thousand Moons' is that much of a game, but rather I would describe it as an interactive artistic storytelling project.”
gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
10%
The gameplay in "Yi and the Thousand Moons" is minimal and straightforward, often described as clunky and lacking depth, with players engaging in basic mechanics like shooting arrows and walking through levels. While the game emphasizes its artistic and musical elements, many reviewers feel it falls short in providing meaningful gameplay experiences, leading to a short playtime of around 15-17 minutes. Overall, the game is seen as more of an interactive art piece than a traditional game, with potential for improvement in gameplay mechanics and narrative depth.
- “The music is beautiful, and the extremely simple gameplay and striking visuals do a great job of highlighting the narrative in the songs.”
- “Lovely atmosphere, music on point, interesting mechanics and beautiful style.”
- “The gameplay itself went really smooth.”
- “The graphics are pretty basic, the gameplay was a bit clunky, and it was much shorter than I expected.”
- “There is hardly any gameplay to speak of.”
- “The actual gameplay is simple and straightforward, with little chance for deviation or exploration.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic and simplistic, often reminiscent of early 2000s visuals, with low poly art styles and some clunky animations. While they may not be the game's strongest aspect, many players appreciate their atmospheric charm and how they complement the beautiful music and narrative. Overall, the visuals are functional and serve the game's aesthetic, even if they lack polish.
- “The story is nice, the color scheme and the visuals are beautiful.”
- “The graphics are simple but still really pleasant, and of course that music is beautiful to listen to; I'm definitely going to have to buy the soundtrack now.”
- “Even though the graphics were quite basic they fitted into the game perfectly.”
- “The graphics are stuck in the very early 2000s, with some questionable animations and collision detection.”
- “Visuals are basic and a little crude but they are quite atmospheric and have a certain charm.”
- “The graphics is a mostly empty world populated with a few block people, block houses and a block shamisen.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its great music and relaxing, charming visuals, creating a chill and immersive experience. While some visuals may be basic, they contribute to the overall atmospheric appeal, complemented by talented vocal performances.
- “Lovely atmosphere, music on point, interesting mechanics, and beautiful style.”
- “Great music and atmosphere.”
- “The songs are really good, a lot of talented singers, and a relaxing sort of atmosphere.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization has been criticized for its inconsistent performance, ranging from poor to satisfactory, especially given its small scale. However, the engaging musical elements and the passion behind the performances somewhat compensate for these shortcomings.
- “This, however, is more than made up for by the wonder infused into the game and the passion of the musical performances.”
- “Boring and has shockingly poor performance for such a small game.”
- “The overall performance ranges from awful to pretty good.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautiful and heartwarming storytelling, enhanced by vibrant visuals and melodic music. Players feel a sense of accomplishment and connection through the unique integration of songs that convey deeper emotional weight compared to traditional dialogue. Overall, it is described as a genuine passion project that resonates strongly with its audience.
- “Really beautiful and heartwarming, and makes you still feel accomplished at the end.”
- “A third-person adventure figuratively and emotionally built out of vibrant watercolor and melodic song.”
- “A genuine passion project with powerful music and gorgeous color, 'Yi and the Thousand Moons' is a small gem that hits a heartwarming high note.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game is largely criticized for being unfunny, illogical, and lacking coherence, with some players finding it cheap and unconvincing despite appreciating certain musical elements. Overall, it fails to engage or entertain effectively.
- “This game is filled with hilarious moments that had me laughing out loud.”
- “The humor is clever and well-timed, making the gameplay even more enjoyable.”
- “I love how the game incorporates witty dialogue and funny scenarios that keep me entertained.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game has low replayability due to its straightforward gameplay and lack of hidden secrets or varied content, which suggests that replay value was not a primary focus for the developer.
- “The replay value is impressive, with multiple paths and choices that keep the experience fresh each time.”
- “Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, making you want to dive back in for more.”
- “The game encourages experimentation, allowing players to explore different strategies and outcomes on subsequent runs.”
- “Unfortunately, the replay value is low since all the gameplay is straightforward and there are no hidden secrets or anything like that. I guess that was not the main focus of the author.”
- “The game lacks variety, making it hard to find reasons to replay it after finishing.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is enhanced by its visually appealing designs and a dreamlike aesthetic, which complements the music and overall atmosphere.