Moonscars Reviews

you can have awesome visuals and writing if the difficulty is non-existent your soulsvania is worthless

Moonscars is a tale of beauty and brutality, a dark tapestry woven with threads of despair and defiance. It is a game that beckons to those who revel in challenge, who find solace in the shadows of gothic splendor and the clashing of steel against bone. Its world is one of haunting elegance, where every frame is a painting drenched in melancholy, and every step forward is a battle against the encroaching void. Yet, for all its grandeur, Moonscars is not without its thorns—sharp, unforgiving, and at times, maddening. It is a game that demands your patience, your skill, and your resolve. For those who dare to endure its trials, the rewards are as bitter-sweet as they are bitter-hard-won. Tread lightly, for the moon’s scars run deep, and not all wounds heal. ----------- The Good ----------- A World of Shadows and Splendor: The hand-drawn artistry is a feast for the eyes, a grim ballet of gothic beauty. Every character is etched with pain and purpose, every environment a labyrinth of despair. The colors are muted, the tones somber, and the air thick with the weight of a world teetering on the edge of ruin. It is a place where light is scarce, and even the faintest glimmer feels like a betrayal. A Dance of Blades and Blood: Combat is a brutal waltz, a test of reflexes and resolve. The clash of swords, the crackle of magic, the desperate parry that turns the tide—it is a symphony of violence, each note a reminder of your mortality. The game does not coddle you; it punishes your mistakes with a cold, unflinching hand. But when you emerge victorious, the taste of triumph is all the sweeter for the blood you’ve shed. A Tale of Loss and Longing: The story is a labyrinth of its own, a narrative steeped in themes of identity, sacrifice, and the cost of power. It is told not through grand proclamations, but through whispers in the dark, through the fragments of lore scattered like bones across the battlefield. The NPCs you meet are broken souls, each carrying their own burdens, their own secrets. To listen to them is to glimpse the heart of a world that has forgotten hope. A Symphony of Silence and Sound: The soundtrack is a dirge, a mournful melody that lingers in the air like a ghost. It is the sound of a world in decay, of battles fought and lost, of dreams turned to dust. The sound effects are no less haunting—the scrape of steel, the guttural growls of enemies, the faint, almost imperceptible whispers that seem to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. ------------------- The Not So Good ------------------- A Trial of Patience and Pain: Difficulty is a double-edged sword. While it rewards mastery, it also punishes the unprepared with a cruelty that borders on sadism. There are moments when the game feels less like a challenge and more like a gauntlet designed to break your spirit. The enemy placements can feel unfair, the mechanics opaque, and the learning curve steep enough to make even the most seasoned warriors falter. A Repetition of Blades and Blood: For all its beauty, the combat can grow weary. The enemies, though fearsome, often fall into predictable patterns, their attacks as familiar as they are deadly. The boss fights, while epic in scale, can feel like variations on a theme, their grandeur dulled by the repetition of their design. Over time, the thrill of battle can give way to a sense of monotony, a feeling that you’ve danced this dance before. A Path Shrouded in Mist: The progression system is a puzzle, its pieces scattered and its rules unclear. The bone dust and gland mechanics, while intersting, are not explained with the clarity they deserve. It is easy to feel lost, to stumble blindly through the darkness, unsure of where to go or what to do. For a game that demands so much of its players, it offers little in the way of guidance and offers less in rewards. A World of Beauty, but Little Bounty: The world of Moonscars is a sight to behold, but it is also a place of missed opportunities. The rewards for exploration are meager, the secrets few and far between. Backtracking, a staple of the genre, feels less like an adventure and more like a chore, a journey through familiar halls with little to show for your efforts. -------- Verdict -------- No brainer buy for those looking for a challenge.

I wish this game was longer. However, I had a decent amount of fun. The mechanics can be slightly confusing/overwhelming. But overall, the movement and combat felt really good. Some really fun bosses as well. And the OST was really good. A bit on the enemy spam side sometimes, but not enough of a negative to make me not want to have finished the game. If you're looking for a shorter, fun, souls-like metroidvania, I would recommend Moonscars.

If you enjoy Soulsvanias like Blasphemous, then it's definitely worth giving this one a shot. Like Blasphemous and the old Dark Souls games, it does have missable quests (which are a pet peeve of mine), and it also has a punishment-on-successive-death mechanic that's similar to the world tendency system in Demon's Souls (also not a huge fan; your mileage may vary). But all in all, I had a good time with Moonscars and would recommend it.

This game is ALMOST good. I recommend it but get it in a very reduced sale. The game starts very promising but once the gameloop or main quest become apparent, the game just turns into a drag. The game is relatively difficult for a Metroidvania, but it's honestly not that difficult or punishing. I am recommending this game, tho. This game is a couple of tweaks away from being fantastic, but it isnt.

Nice game, but short in time length. A relatively difficult game, but not to the point of giving up. I loved it.

Very good game with unique mechanics like the blood moon. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Harpoon is OP late game

[h3] Do we really have a free will? [/h3] The world of this game is a dark atmospheric experience with old Slavic (in my opinion) visuals and is trying to be emotional bleak narrative. As our character, Grey Irma searches for answers about what happened to the others, or even more important question, what happened to us on that fateful day. We are also searching about how to be free from anything related to that. However, during this search, I am not sure what is our main struggle; is it existential crisis of are we really free with our choices or not balanced gameplay. The game does feature Metroidvania mechanics, yes, and it has little bit “Souls-like" vibe too. I want to say that this is a good game, and in some ways, it is, but at the same time, the platforming mechanics and unbalanced hitboxes really killed my enjoyment many times. Especially near the end of game, I struggled to climb to the top, trying to get through aggressive enemies that dealt tons of damage and were incredibly mobile. A few things were anticlimactic too unfortunately, like the bosses not being as challenging as I hoped. As for the story, I’ve always enjoyed content that philosophically challenges the player. The question of whether every step we take, every option we consider, or every path we choose is truly our own, or if something different has made us choose them, is absolutely perfect concept. In theory, the concept is intriguing, but exploring such a theme is complex, and I’m really glad that the developers managed it without providing any direct answers. It could have been better Metroidvania game, but despite flaws, the game offers a good experience for those who enjoy tough gameplay.