Yi and the Thousand Moons

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Yi and the Thousand Moons is a single player action game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by David Su and was released on October 23, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

A short video game musical.

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Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

music56 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The soundtrack is beautiful and well-performed, enhancing the overall experience.
The game presents a unique concept as an interactive musical, blending storytelling with music effectively.
Despite its short length, the game is captivating and showcases a lot of passion and creativity from the developer.

The gameplay is minimal and lacks depth, making it feel more like a short interactive music video than a traditional game.
The game is very short, typically taking only 15-30 minutes to complete, which may not justify its price for some players.
Technical issues such as clunky controls and basic graphics detract from the overall experience.

music
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The music in "Yi and the Thousand Moons" is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, often described as the game's standout feature. Many reviewers note that the experience feels more like an interactive musical or music video than a traditional game, with the soundtrack effectively driving the narrative. While some critiques mention a disconnect between the music and gameplay, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is captivating and worth experiencing, making it a unique addition to the gaming landscape.
- “The music is absolutely wonderful and the way it is presented here is just an absolute joy to witness.”
- “The highlight and the whole notion of the game is the music.”
- “Beautiful short 'musical' where each chapter is narrated by stunning voices singing the tale of Yi's journey.”
- “I don't want to presume anything, but it does feel like any attempt at making a proper musical game and not just an album with an interactive visualizer fell through after the first three songs.”
- “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.”
- “Really, 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.”
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 its short length and basic plot structure. However, it is praised for its unique storytelling approach through music, creating an engaging experience despite its narrative limitations. While some players found the concept charming and the soundtrack captivating, others felt that a more meaningful and extended story would have enhanced the overall experience.
- “I felt captivated by the story and the music.”
- “This is a great example of a sung-through musical 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
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
76%
10%
The gameplay in "Yi and the Thousand Moons" is minimal and straightforward, primarily consisting of simple mechanics like walking and shooting arrows, which some players found clunky and lacking depth. While the game emphasizes its artistic and musical elements, many reviewers noted that the short duration (around 15-17 minutes) and limited gameplay options detracted from the overall experience, leaving it feeling more like an interactive music video than a fully-fledged game. Overall, the gameplay is described as basic and lacking meaningful engagement, with potential for improvement in future iterations.
- “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.”
- “Music was obviously the focus in this game since it does not feature much gameplay; it's pretty much walking, shooting some arrows, and that's it.”
- “There is hardly any gameplay to speak of.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
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 many reviewers found the graphics to be the least impressive aspect, they appreciated how the visuals complemented the game's narrative and music, creating an atmospheric experience. Overall, the graphics may lack polish, but they possess a certain charm that aligns well with the game's artistic intent.
- “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 captivating and immersive experience. While some visuals may be basic, they contribute to the overall atmospheric appeal, complemented by talented vocal performances that enhance the game's ambiance.
- “Lovely atmosphere, music on point, interesting mechanics, and beautiful style.”
- “Great music and atmosphere.”
- “The songs are really good, featuring 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 poor performance, especially given its small size, with experiences ranging from awful to decent. 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 as beautiful and heartwarming, with players feeling a sense of accomplishment by the end. The vibrant watercolor visuals and melodic soundtrack enhance the storytelling, making it resonate deeply and adding emotional weight beyond traditional dialogue. Overall, it is described as a genuine passion project that effectively evokes strong feelings.
- “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
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely criticized for being unfunny, illogical, and lacking coherence, with some players finding it cheap and unconvincing. While there are elements of music that some enjoyed, the overall comedic execution fails to engage or entertain.
- “The humor in this game is absolutely delightful, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game blends absurdity with clever puns, making every interaction a joy.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is spot on, and the quirky characters add a layer of fun that makes the experience unforgettable.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game's replayability is considered low due to its straightforward gameplay and lack of hidden secrets or varied content, suggesting 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.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is visually appealing, featuring basic designs and a simple color palette that contribute to a dreamlike atmosphere, effectively complementing the music.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yi and the Thousand Moons is a action game with fantasy theme.

Yi and the Thousand Moons is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

Yi and the Thousand Moons was released on October 23, 2017.

Yi and the Thousand Moons was developed by David Su.

Yi and the Thousand Moons has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its optimization.

Yi and the Thousand Moons is a single player game.

Similar games include Belladonna, Caligo, Leaving Lyndow, Draugen, Silence and others.

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