In my 25 years as a "gamer," I've come to terms with the thought that despite the many genres of video games that exist, there are ultimately just two types of games. There are games that you "play" and there are games that you "experience." I would have to classify To the Moon as the latter because the game felt more like an in-depth look at the trials and tribulations one person can experience in life rather than a game where you try to score as many points or kill as many enemies as possible. It instead makes you focus on what you have and what you need to accomplish in one life than in the several lives of a video game.
To the Moon is one of the most surreal gaming experiences I've ever had and is one of the few games that made me stop and think about my own life as well as the path I have been on. This game was an emotional rollercoaster, as it displayed: happy and uplifting moments, moments of gut-busting laughter and joy, to overwhelming melancholic and depressing moments. This game makes you experience the moment-by-moment re-telling of one man's life in rewind. As a storytelling mechanic, it is rather unorthodox and not highly recommended...but in this particular case, it worked perfectly and I don't believe this story could be told any other way. At any rate, let's get into the history of To the Moon and how it came about.
A History:
To the Moon was a single-player, point-and-click adventure game officially released in 2011 by an indie game studio called Freebird Games on Windows, but didn't get a MacOS X release until 2014. Freebird Games is a small, Canadian based studio started up by Kan "Reives" Gao and up until the release of To the Moon, had three other games to their repertoire: Quintessence: The Blighted Venom, Do You Remember My Lullaby? and The Mirror Lied. To the Moon, the fourth game by the studio has been and still to this day is considered its biggest hit, receiving universal praise for its story and soundtrack. It even earned GameSpot's 2011 end of year award for Best Story and was nominated for other awards such as Best Soundtrack and Indie Game of the Year. Following this hit game, Freebird Games released another short game in 2014 called A Bird Story (a game we will be talking about later this month) and the studio is currently developing a game called Finding Paradise, an indirect sequel to To The Moon that also ties in to A Bird Story. Freebird Games also produced two downloadable DLC minisodes for To The Moon following its release that act as world and character-building short stories that will "likely" tie into Finding Paradise. That's a brief history on To The Moon and Freebird Games, but for now, let's move on with the review.
Story/Characters: Grade - 30/30 (A+)
One of the major strengths of To the Moon is its incredible story and wonderfully developed characters. To the Moon is set in the not-so-distant future and revolves around a pair of scientists that work for a controversial agency called Sigmund Corp., a company that alters the memories of comatose and near-death patients so that they can experience a lifestyle that they did not get to experience in their lifetimes, as per the request of the patients themselves. While the game itself puts very little emphasis on the company itself, DLC minisodes go into greater detail about the background and the standing of the company. Our two main protagonists of the actual game are Dr. Eva Rosalene, a serious, detail-oriented scientist that focuses on the many intricacies of the case and Dr. Lorenzo von Matterhorn...I apologize, that is an inside joke. His actual name is Dr. Neil Watts and he is what I would consider the "comic relief" of the game as he constantly makes wise cracks and referential jokes during the game, but we learn through the progression of the game that he likes to finish his work swiftly while maintaining an ethical integrity toward the well-being of the patients. The plot revolving around To the Moon is that these scientists must use their technology and psychological expertise to enter the memory of a comatose old man named Johnny Wyles and alter his memory so that in his dying moments, he will remember himself as an astronaut that traveled to the moon, something he never achieved in his lifetime. However, the catch of the story is, he doesn't remember why he wants to go to the moon nor can he reveal his motivation for achieving such a task. Therefore, Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts must leap back moment-by-moment in his memory and piece together his memories to figure out his true motivation for wanting to go to the moon.
I cannot reveal more than that in regards to the story or characters to avoid heavy spoilers, but what I can say is this is one tale that you will not want to pass up. This is one of the most engrossing stories I've ever experienced in a game and for a narrative alone, this is one game I cannot recommend highly enough. On top of its rich story, the characters themselves are all masterfully developed and fit wonderfully into the overall narrative. Each character feels as though they are fully fleshed out, from our main leads to the minor characters such as Lily, Johnny's caretaker to Nick, Johnny's best friend from past memories. I believe it is the likability of the characters that is the driving force behind To the Moon's endearing story. There are very few games that can make me "care" about the characters and their wellbeing and this game executed that task remarkably well. With my reviews, it is quite a difficult feat to receive a perfect grade in the story and characters category, but credit where credit is due, To the Moon does it better than any other indie game I have played thus far.
Gameplay: Grade - 23/30 (C)
While its story and characters were two of the games biggest strengths, I will admit that To the Moon's gameplay was definitely its biggest weakness. To the Moon is not a game I would consider a "fun gaming experience" because I wouldn't necessarily say it's a game you "play." The gameplay itself basically feels like a job or task from beginning to end. The game mostly revolves around your controlled character, which will be Dr. Rosalene or Dr. Watts at any given time in the game as you wander around a 2D overhead area looking for a momento and five memory links that will allow you to hop backward in Johnny's memories. While I am not the biggest fan of the point-and-click genre, I'll admit that this game wasn't as daunting or challenging as some other point-and-click games (such as Finding Teddy and trying to find all of the fireflies, but that's another review for another time). However, I'll also admit that I feel its point-and-click mechanics were too simplistic with not enough challenge finding the necessary items. There is one other minor gameplay mechanic involved in the game, which is a block-flipping puzzle game that you need to complete after you find the momento and all five memory links. This particular mechanic isn't necessarily a bad one either, but my disappointment with it lies in that it doesn't necessarily reward you for doing well on said puzzle. The puzzles give you an ideal counter, which is an indicator for the fewest amount of moves required to solve the puzzle. However, the problem is that if you solve the puzzle in the ideal amount of moves, it doesn't reward you for it. In fact, the game doesn't reward the gamer in either the point-and-click or the puzzle segments. There are no side quests or collectable items (other than what you automatically receive), which is why I prefaced this game as one that feels more like an experience rather than a game. In the entire game, there is just one "optional" item that you can pick up that will subsequently change a sequence of dialogue between Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watson. It doesn't necessarily change the outcome of the story ala. alternate endings, but it does provide a little more of an in-depth look at two of the characters. There are some other choices in the game you can make that slightly alter the dialogue, but I don't think it has as profound of an impact as the previously mentioned scene. If I had to categorize it, I would say To the Moon falls in that "Uncharted" brand of games where it feels like this game has more business being a movie than an actual game. While I wouldn't say the gameplay is necessarily fun, what I will say is it is polished. I didn't have any experience with glitches or freeze-ups, so while the gameplay is rather dull, it is at the very least polished and finished...which is more than what many games released nowadays can claim. Also, with the game being so short (taking approximately 3-5 hours to complete) with no additional content outside of downloadable minisodes, there is unfortunately little replay value to this game other than to re-immerse yourself into the story.
Production: Grade - 28/30 (A-)
Graphically speaking, To the Moon is a rather simple game that was made in RPG Maker, a program made for gamers to create their own games from the comfort of their own homes. While originally designed for gamers, the program has actually led to the creation of independent game designers to start up their own production studios, with Freebird Games being one such example. The mechanics for building a game are simplified so that just one person or a small group of people can develop a game. Due to its 16-bit design, the graphics and animation are extremely limited, however, that isn't to say that there wasn't a great amount of detail put into the game. As you explore To The Moon's 16-bit world, you can understand how much detail Kan Gao put into each area, as each area provides a direct, yet nuanced experience for the gamer. Even in the instances where limitations are quite noticeable, there are subtle references made toward these limitations in-game, which I will say is a nice, little additional quirk. I have to respect a game that mocks itself. Unfortunately, with these limitations comes a closed world that does not allow for exploration, but that should come as no surprise in a game like this. That's not to say 16-bit games can't execute a large world with tons of exploration, because Stardew Valley is a tremendous 16-bit game that managed to do this, but To the Moon is so story and character-driven that building such a large open-world would be counterproductive. Despite this game's graphical limitations, one area where the game overwhelmingly excels is in its soundtrack. To this day, I consider To the Moon the best indie game soundtrack I have ever listened to and is one of the greatest overall soundtracks of any game I have ever played. I can honestly say that I cannot count how many times I have listened to this soundtrack, listening to it everywhere from work, in the car, at home and in bed. While most of the game is strictly orchestral, there are two tracks involving voice work from Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies, Play for Japan). These songs, "Everything's Alright" and "Trailer Theme: Part 2" are two absolutely amazing tracks. Even friends and family who have never played the game have asked me for the soundtrack. It's amazing to think that this incredible soundtrack was produced by just two people. If you have any sort of of love for orchestral music, I cannot recommend To the Moon's soundtrack enough, even if you have no desire to play the game. However, in regards to the game, each track ties in beautifully to each moment of the game. If there is anything I adore in a soundtrack, it is how well it can tie into the moments. Even though the soundtrack is in itself amazing, there is very little else in regards to other sound work other than some sound effects scattered throughout game that are noteworthy. There is no voiceover work, but considering the structure of the game, I believe that leaves more to the imagination of the gamer as I consider that more of a positive than a negative.
Enjoyment/Experience: Grade - 10/10 (A+)
As I've already stated in this review, I cannot stress enough of how wonderful of an emotional experience this game was for me on the personal level. Despite its flaws from a graphical and gameplay nature, the tone of this game is set with its story and its soundtrack as these positives almost force the negatives to be non-factors. I was so engrossed with the story and enamored with the soundtrack that I truly paid little attention to how boring the game was from a gameplay standpoint or the overall "look" of the game. I will admit that this game had made me laugh at a ridiculously boisterous levels at times as well as made me tear up at the emotional moments, which is something not many games have achieved. For a game to call to me on the emotional level, I have to give props to Kan Gao and Freebird Games for being able to master such a craft. Overall, I consider To the Moon to be one of the most impactful gaming experiences I've ever had in my life and it is an experience I will never forget.
Overall Score & Grade: 91 (A-) - Masterpiece
I can assure you right now that VERY few games will receive an A grade out of me and you can expect To the Moon to be just one of a handful to do so. If I were a teacher, I would probably have to grade on a curve because many of the games I'll review will fall far short of an A, even if I consider them "good" games. However, putting my grading on a side, I cannot applaud To the Moon enough and I personally consider it an indie game masterpiece. I want to personally thank Kan Gao and Freebird Games for putting out this gem of a game. There are very few games out there that can make a person reflect on his or her own life choices and moments, but To the Moon is certainly one of them as I consider it a must-play gaming experience.
Next Week:
As per the weekly schedule, I will be taking a break from reviews and will be having the bi-weekly rant. Next week, I will be discussing the building saga that is being built within the "To the Moon" universe that ties together the three games: To the Moon, the To The Moon minisodes, A Bird Story, and Finding Paradise as well as talk about what I'm currently playing. Stay tuned!
References and Recommendations:
1. To the Moon - Steam Page
- You can purchase and download the game on the Steam website here. I highly recommend also purchasing the soundtrack as well as downloading the two available minisodes that come free with the game.
- This is the Freebird Games website, which includes downloadable links to their other games and art as well as info about the company.
- For additional information about the game.
- I highly recommend this review and analysis of the game. This video review does a remarkable job of providing a detailed visual analysis of the game.
- I highly recommend this particular Let's Play on YouTube because I think Markiplier does a remarkable job of capturing the emotional atmosphere of the game. I also believe his LP will also provide a nice preview of what you can expect out of To the Moon.
- If you're looking for an LP a little more relaxed than Markiplier, then I think Cryaotic has an outstanding LP for a more "chill" experience. I don't think Cry's LP is as refined as Mark's, but I still think it captures the tone and spirit of To the Moon a little better.
