Moonscars Reviews
If the difficulty didn't go up every time I died or I could activate checkpoints without having to fight a clone afterwards, it might be a different story, but I don't appreciate being punished for doing inevitable things (dying, saving). Did you find Hollow Knight and Blasphemous too easy? If so, Moonscars may give you the challenge you crave. For the rest of us? It has limited utility.
Whether you’re into challenging Soulslikes or sprawling Metroidvanias, there’s a lot to like about Moonscars. Its atmosphere is thick thanks to its moody visuals and soundtrack, while its moment-to-moment gameplay is utterly engrossing once it has its hooks in you. If you’re up to the task and can accept that the experience won’t always feel fair, this is a game well worth sinking some time into.
With so many similar and far superior games out there, it's tough to recommend Moonscars with its tedious game world and annoying gameplay. It does some things exceptionally well, though, but these aspects definitely don't make up for all of its shortcomings.
Moonscars is not a bad game, but it struggles from its mediocracy and overall uninspired nature to find its footing in a genre with many more interesting and noteworthy games to choose from.
I wouldn't call Moonscars a must play game, but I can appreciate that it tries to do a couple of new things with a sub-genre of Souls-like games that has become increasingly popular over the past few years. I think there are better examples of 2D Souls games out there, but Moonscars doesn't overstay its welcome and the combat/exploration is fun enough that I found myself willing to overlook most of the other issues.
While it has visual flair, challenging combat mixed with not-so-great mechanics make it “Souls-like” in more ways than one
Moonscars offers an engaging level of challenge, however it suffers from a few unfortunate bugs and questionable design decisions.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Ultimately a failure to stick in the imagination is my main criticism of Moonscars. Had this game come out a few years earlier I would almost certainly be more favourable to it, but as it stands it feels a little too familiar to other games I’ve played extensively, and with not quite enough going for it to make it shine. It’s a blast to play, and the combat feels great, but when there are so many other games with that and great character, and great story, and great world-building, so there’s just not quite enough to drag me back in.
Minor blemishes aside, I had a thoroughly great time with Moonscars. When all is said and done, Moonscars is an example of what makes indie developers so brilliant. Risks have been taken here, in terms of artstyle and approach, but a masterful understanding of what makes such games engaging makes Moonscars one of the more stand-out titles in this genre.
Moonscars is a great game, but your enjoyment will come down to how much patience you have for its style of difficulty.
Moonscars is an entertaining 2D action game with an approach that mixes soulslike, metroidvania and roguelite elements.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Moonscars tries to do too much making it feel often overburdened with ideas but it also offers some fun mechanics in a desolate and dreary world.
I came into Moonscars thinking that I was about to play yet another soul-like title in a game-scape riddled with them. I also found myself thinking that I’d grow bored with the title resulting in a poor but well-reasoned rating. Instead, Moonscars’ fluid combat mechanics, fun boss battles, and lovely art stylings kept me engaged and made me a believer that there is a lot more enjoyment still to be milled from the souls-like subgenre. Black Mermaid has molded themselves a familiar work of video game art that is also unique in enough ways to stand out as its own thing. It reignited my interest in the genre enough to want to revisit other games of this style, so I’ll take this game as the early Fall blessing that it is.
Moonscars remain an utterly impressive debut outing for Black Mermaid, an entertaining action-platformer that is full of atmosphere and cryptic worldbuilding, and a visual style that showcases just how awesome pixel art continues to be in modern gaming. At about 20-odd hours, it is a game not to be rushed but savoured, and the darkness never looked so enticing.
Moonscars uses agile action to create a good interpretation of the soulslike genre. The fast-paced combat is the highlight and, as usual, the difficulty is intense, but fair. The maps are not memorable and the battle mechanics evolve little over the course of the journey, but the constant frenzy and tension manages to compensate for these imperfections. The dark fantasy universe envelops us with the elaborate visuals and bleak atmosphere, reinforcing the dark themes. The setting is cryptic and thought-provoking, but the excess of obscure dialogue hinders the pace. In the end, Moonscars is a remarkable experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Moonscars is a deep, dark tale about what makes us human in our darkest times and how we persevere. When it works, it really works and was some of the most fun I had playing 2-D souls-like in recent memory. But it is riddled with balancing issues and loses touch on what makes Souls-likes fun in the name of difficulty.
If you are interested in a tough soulslike game where you do, very gradually, become stronger, a soulslike where you really don’t want to be hit because you’ll be pummeled within seconds, and that healing ability also makes you weaker! Then Moonscars is a game for you. It’s tough, it’s bleak, but don’t expect it to be nice to you.
With better game design choices and no hard crashes – Moonscars would be a great addition to the 2D Soulstroidvania genre. It’s hard to enjoy the bleak aesthetics and the rich lore of the world when the game doesn’t let you finish it however. The combat is fresh yet familiar but every mechanic outside of that isn’t really needed. But this may be one to perserve with, if you need that Souls itch scratched.
Tough as nails and unforgiving, but with an incredibly fun & engaging gameplay loop that always dares you to try "just one more time".
Despite how pretty it animates and how unique it looks, [Moonscars] punishing gameplay isn't for everyone.