To the Moon Reviews

[h2]I Don't get It[/h2] I don't think I understand the point of the game. It was investing and enjoyable but I felt confused a lot of the time. The way that the memory time-travel device works doesn't make sense to me. I didn't care about whether it made sense during Act 1, even though the game was trying to explain it to me. But after Act 1 it felt like I needed to get it to understand the story. And at the end I was left doing things that I didn't understand. [spoiler]At first I hated the mechanics and thought the art style was boring, but I got used to them and really enjoyed Act 1. I was invested in the story and found the backwards storytelling interesting. But the story gets taken over by time-travel memory link stuff that was confusing and took away from the weight of the story. Suddenly there was a different "what could have been" plotline that I didn't understand the point of. If the story had ended when I discovered the reason Johnny doesn't remember I think I would have been satisfied. I loved the music, and the story was investing; it could have been simpler though. the movement was annoying but there were many fun and interesting moments. I don't know why the game even tries to explain the logistics of the time-travel memory stuff, especially if I ended up confused anyways. It reminded me of when horror movies try to come up with a supernatural backstory for the monster instead of just letting it exist and be scary. The game could have told me that I need memory links to go back in Johnny's memories and I wouldn't have needed more than that. i don't care about the more complicated function of the machine. I guess the story wouldn't have existed without the explanation. And if the machine was explained as little as I'm suggesting then what is the point of backwards storytelling? It still would have been interesting I feel. So my main complaint is that I don't understand what the game is trying to say about memory. Also Act 1 confused me with the discussion of River's "condition." It seemed important and I thought a major revelation was coming but it was never mentioned after Act 1. I think I know what the condition is. Maybe the point was just representation; I did find River relatable. But the story treats the "condition" in a weird way that gives it so much weight. It is kind of treated like a terminal illness that will change the course of her life and the way everyone around her is able too relate to her when the "condition" is just that she thinks a bit differently from what is considered the norm.[/spoiler] It is hard for me to tell how clever the creators of this game were being. I'm just confused. I enjoyed it though

Played this game a second time about a year+ later and I have to say this game hit all the same This game is extremely short (4~ hours), but dont let that discourage you. This game will make you feel in 4 hours more than you could have felt in 20+ hours of other games 10/10 Would definitely play again

It might not have amazing graphics or the most unique gameplay, but the story made it well worth experiencing!

Great story that doesn't take too long to play, dealing with time travel and memories. Gameplay is not very deep and is mostly light puzzle solving, but this game is more about its story than anything else. Would recommend for people that like science fiction/time travel media and want a game that plays like a movie.

I loved this game so much. I didn't think much of it at the start but it was so much more substantial than I thought it would be and the whole story was just so beautiful. Got me to cry at the end :")

I had some serious doubts some indie RPG with barely any gameplay in basic pixel art could tell an emotionally gripping and fulfilling story that I would actually care about. Those doubts have been put to rest. Really fantastic, superbly written with an amazing OST.

[h1]Worlds Apart[/h1] During the first half, I thought that this game wasn't for me, and having finished it, I was right. However, even though this isn't a game for me, I’m happy that I stuck with it. Let me tell you why. Not many art pieces manage to touch one's heart and soul. To The Moon, while awkwardly, manages to do just that. With its wholesome and lively pixel art and touching soundtrack, it had a great impact on me by the end. It is an art piece made up of two very distinct things. The first one I just mentioned, and the second is an awkward, unnecessary, and superficial video game. The gameplay side of things is abysmal. It all comes down to spamming the interact button to find the needed puzzle piece to continue the story. And don't even get me started on the hilarious jigsaw puzzle sequences between chapters. I don't usually say this about video games, but in this case, a movie or TV adaptation feels like the better fit. So I can't bring myself to recommend To The Moon as a video game. Although I'm sure I won't forget the way this story made me feel any time soon.

I normally never rate games, but this is an exception. Absolute cinema. Nothing has shaken me so deeply as this piece of Master’s work — then again, maybe I’m just too sensitive. Anyway, if you stumbled upon this page thinking of giving it a try, you definitely should. Be prepared to be hurt. Actually, you won’t be prepared.

Beautiful story with amazing music <3 This game is a heartwarming experience.

I picked this one up because it was mentioned in my Video Game Design course quite a few times last year. It was brought up as a positive example of storytelling in games, and how a strong narrative can carry the entire experience without needing much in the way of traditional gameplay. I hadn’t played it before, so I wanted to give it a go. This game is about two doctors travelling through a dying man’s memories to help him fulfil his final wish to go to the moon. You’re navigating through his past, one memory at a time, trying to figure out why that wish matters to him and how to make it feel real before he passes away. There’s a bit of time pressure (on the characters, not the player), which leads to some questionable decisions, which I found pretty shocking in the moment. That's how emotionally invested I was. =) Otherwise the game is charming, sometimes funny, and quietly sad. There is a puzzle element to the game, but it’s very simple. Before you can jump to the next memory, you need to discover and prepare a “memento”. Activating each memento involves solving a small tile-flipping puzzle. They’re quick and easy, not really meant to challenge you as such. They feel more like little breaks between key scenes to slow the pacing and give you a moment to take everything in. The narrative is definitely the focus here, not the gameplay. So if you’re into story-heavy games that lean more toward telling a good story than testing out your hand dexterity (mine's awful anyways), this is a must play. Sometimes I just need to play something super chill like this, even if it might make you a little teary-eyed. It’s not long, but it left a nice impression. I already own a couple of the follow-up games, so I’ll be playing those at a later time.