1. werty8472

   10

   I was excited to see this game release from when I heard about it awhile ago. It borrows from the style of the 16-bit video game generation of yore, and shows the story of a man on his deathbed, who signs up for a program that can help him relive his life in order to achieve his wish. His wish? He wants to go to the moon. If you're anything like me, you're going through the first two hours of the game, basically at the brink of bawling like a baby (don't clump me in with those emo kids), with the last thing on your mind having anything to do with the moon. It's a complex story, and the culmination point of it seems farfetched until you let the entire story play before you, and you recognize the beauty of it all. Let me tell you something. Beauty is a perfect word to describe it. The storytelling is masterful, and complex, and charming. The characters are lovable. You play as the two scientists who assist the man in the pursuit of his dream, and often act as the comic relief for emotionally tense situations. Other times, they show as glimpses of characters who themselves have dark and secreted away emotions and struggles. The graphics show how aesthetic and detailed something can be when you focus that graphical attention on a style which is otherwise considered to be outdated. If you can masterfully produce something in 16-bit graphics, then you can see it as masterful as someone who built a complicated 3D system. The difference is that you have a much harder time showing a masterful presentation in 3D that ages well, since the medium is constantly being updated. The odd place of this current-day 16-bit presentation looks easily as masterful as the most detailed presentations of 16-bit classics. In short, I loved it. So, here's the part where I provide some criticism. The game looks very much like an old turn-based RPG classic. It plays like a point-and-click adventure, and much of the actual 'gameplay' is a set of sliding puzzles. The intent, it seems, is to focus much of the attention of the player to be on the story (which, as previously stated, is a strong point worthy of being pointed toward), but after all is said and done, one wonders about how necessary it was to have the title called a 'game'. Could the presentation have survived without the gameplay mechanics? The sliding puzzles, certainly, but one of the best things about a video game over, say, a book or a movie, is that you have the ability to interact with the world to get the most out of the storyline. There were a few things that I admired that could have only been done through use of gameplay- notes which get altered by untrustworthy narrators, and the like, but beyond that much of the exploration is required to progress the game, and the interactivity between the player and the environment is slim. In fact, the game 'reads' much like a visual novel. You do macguffins, and it makes story happen. But they jokingly acknowledged it several times, and clearly made an effort to keep it at a necessary minimum. To be fair, the turn-taking RPG itself stuff itself with macguffin'd tasks and elements. I dare you to tell me that the actual 'gameplay' in a Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior game is good. Enjoying the battle element out of a turn-taking RPG is like liking calculators and Excel spreadsheets for the thrilling gameplay. You do a thing, which makes you feel like you're progressing. But, gamewise, is there a better way to include gameplay into a title which wants to focus as much as possible onto the story? Because of the detective-like elements of gameplay, and the articulation of the scientists would be better utilized with some of the elements which made Phoenix Wright into a game. I mean, sure, I don't know anything more about law than I did when I started playing the games, but I sure as hell felt like a lawyer. Some of the clues to the mystery of the man you are helping might be better solved if a gameplay mechanic forced the player to draw some of the conclusions itself. The end of the game was a clear and complete story of the man whose life you explored. But what is opened to you is a very interesting world, prime with opportunity for further exploration. So long as the charm of the two scientists is not over-explored early on, I expect myself to be able to enjoy the sequels that the game's conclusion certainly seemed to be hinting at. Hopefully I can man the hell up before I play them. Extra Note: I want to give special commendation to the game To the Moon for including a character who has special needs successfully into the story. I won't be too specific, since every single thing about this game should be experienced through the game itself, but all I want to say is that it was amazing to get a realistic human characterization without getting the 'a very special episode' feeling. Bravo.… Expand

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     16 of 16 users said yes
2. thetetter

   5

   More of a Visual novel than a game really. The only reason I think it deserves to be called a game is the really bad puzzles between each "level". The game uses RPG maker or something of sorts, which really makes you think badly about the quality of the game. The music on the other hand is good, the makers made good choices and used a very touching tune that follows you during the game with alterations depending on the place. The one thing that makes the game redeemable is the story, if it wasn't for the story I'm sure no one would even bother playing the game, let alone buy it. I'm really not sure how to rate this game, as a game it lacks everything that makes a game good, but as an interactive movie it does so well I cried 3 times in one session. If I would rate it as a game I'd rate it 4.0, but as a movie I'd rate it 10.0. Since it is a game I have to give it a low score, sorry.… Expand

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     1 of 2 users said yes
3. WinTime

   0

   The game don `t know whether or not it interesting but should not be the first placeon vggn because even she had not won I was not even on the slyhom it weighs a little while in gameplay or what that kind of a classic and still put a minimum otsena would be lower than it three times would put on 7do three so that it is normal vyser maynkraft and SAINT well and ditch Magica better)… Expand

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     0 of 20 users said yes

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