I learned about moon in the same way I learned about The Silver Case, finding the OST back in like 2008 on Youtube. They were both so mystifying, their styles so unique, and as a kid who couldn't read Japanese, nor understand the plot, I was left to just hope to play them some day.
Eventually the Silver Case got translated, but it would be another 5 years after that until we even got a mere mention of a moon translation. I stalked the Onion Games website from 2019 to 2020, and when it finally came out...I didn't play it.
I had built up the game so much in my head, after years of anticipation, I was just too scared to actually play it. "Gotta be in the right headspace, not now." "Don't want to play it on the Switch." " I want to play it with this person." Excuse after excuse.
Then, a moment of clarity hit me, bought it on Steam, sat down, and played it.
It consumed me, it had my complete attention. It made me feel like a kid again, playing through Chibi Robo, making an agenda, connecting the dots. It's been so long since I've felt that, without any outside noise or motivation. I was playing it because I wanted to be there, I wanted to find everything. Nobody was forcing me to do that damn fishing contest, nobody made me buy all of the CDs and listen to them all in my house. It was all so organic, so natural...
But with that said, the game can be really damn obtuse, thankfully there are plenty of guides that play by the "three strikes" rule, giving you hints before outright giving you the answer. I managed to figure out a lot of the puzzles on my own, but just couldn't figure out the exact timing or way to execute them. But that's half the fun, immersing yourself and noticing new things with every area.
Artistically, it's unmatched. I mean, wow. Everything from the sprites, the backgrounds, even a simple animation like the Birdman's guitar and hat. And to hear the OST in game after all this time, building a playlist just like I did all those years ago, so awesome. Love and charm was put into every facet, you could feel just how much of every team member's heart went into the game, a true melting pot of artistic integrity.
So yeah, it was brilliant, and for Love de Lic to get it so right so early on, managing to make it on par (or even better in some cases) than their later games is astounding.
My main takeaway:
Enjoy life, enjoy its weird intricacies, don't take them for granted. This world is strange, funny, beautiful, sad, scary, frustrating, open, closed, it's all of that. When you're stuck in life, it won't be like that forever. It's only a matter of time before you figure things out, or things figure out themselves. In the meantime, put on some music, meet up with an old friend, or just reflect for a while.
Maybe you'll see something new.
Eventually the Silver Case got translated, but it would be another 5 years after that until we even got a mere mention of a moon translation. I stalked the Onion Games website from 2019 to 2020, and when it finally came out...I didn't play it.
I had built up the game so much in my head, after years of anticipation, I was just too scared to actually play it. "Gotta be in the right headspace, not now." "Don't want to play it on the Switch." " I want to play it with this person." Excuse after excuse.
Then, a moment of clarity hit me, bought it on Steam, sat down, and played it.
It consumed me, it had my complete attention. It made me feel like a kid again, playing through Chibi Robo, making an agenda, connecting the dots. It's been so long since I've felt that, without any outside noise or motivation. I was playing it because I wanted to be there, I wanted to find everything. Nobody was forcing me to do that damn fishing contest, nobody made me buy all of the CDs and listen to them all in my house. It was all so organic, so natural...
But with that said, the game can be really damn obtuse, thankfully there are plenty of guides that play by the "three strikes" rule, giving you hints before outright giving you the answer. I managed to figure out a lot of the puzzles on my own, but just couldn't figure out the exact timing or way to execute them. But that's half the fun, immersing yourself and noticing new things with every area.
Artistically, it's unmatched. I mean, wow. Everything from the sprites, the backgrounds, even a simple animation like the Birdman's guitar and hat. And to hear the OST in game after all this time, building a playlist just like I did all those years ago, so awesome. Love and charm was put into every facet, you could feel just how much of every team member's heart went into the game, a true melting pot of artistic integrity.
So yeah, it was brilliant, and for Love de Lic to get it so right so early on, managing to make it on par (or even better in some cases) than their later games is astounding.
My main takeaway:
Enjoy life, enjoy its weird intricacies, don't take them for granted. This world is strange, funny, beautiful, sad, scary, frustrating, open, closed, it's all of that. When you're stuck in life, it won't be like that forever. It's only a matter of time before you figure things out, or things figure out themselves. In the meantime, put on some music, meet up with an old friend, or just reflect for a while.
Maybe you'll see something new.
NeoKobe
5 months ago