Moonlighter Reviews
Moonlighter is a cute -- if not overly repetitive -- dungeon crawler that puts a unique and much-needed spin on roguelikes.
In conclusion, Moonlighter is a spectacular compromise between procedural roguelike elements and progression mechanics, leading to a wonderful mix which is satisfying on so many levels. It’s a great chance to indulge your inner looter whilst also giving the opportunity to puzzle out prices, and it’s perfectly at home on the Switch. It’s also proof that having a distinct length and a definite end-point isn’t always a bad thing. Yes, you won’t get hundreds of hours from this, but it’s high-quality and I love it.
I can't say that I liked everything about Moonlighter. You have to get a master's degree to manage that inventory, the part of the store, although entertaining and curious to watch, can end up boring the time it takes for people to leave at once and I will add, as a noob that I am, that the game is difficult. Of course, it is not a criticism because if it honors the RPGs of the 80s and 90s, it cannot have a ridiculous difficulty, but I must warn it for those anonymous compatriots of mine. For the rest, I only have good words: neat and beautiful graphics, a consistent and divine soundtrack, and originality in a genre that has seen almost everything like RPG.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Moonlighter's combat, art, quality-of-life fixtures, and addictive gameplay loop make for an easy recommendation.
I've been a fan of Moonlighter since it was first revealed and after having finally played it I can say it delivered. It's a game that fuses two different genres successfully. At one point you're navigating through floors of dungeons in different ways, fighting crazy enemies using a fun combat system. The next, you're growing a peaceful town and selling your earnings the way you want to through the shop you own. The action is fairly competent and constantly makin' cha-ching as a merchant is gratifying. The visuals are beautiful and nostalgic; the same is said for its music. If the idea of feeling stronger and playing smarter intrigues you, and if the choice to handle your earnings fancies you, then Moonlighter is a worthy time sink.
All in all Moonlighter is a refreshing mix of multiple game styles that kept me coming back for more. The dungeons keep changing things up and while they start out intimidating with experience and better gear you’ll begin to become more confident and capable. The shopkeeping aspect may not be nearly as thrilling but the reward of determining the optimum price for each item is its own reward, especially when you’re then able to bring back high-priced items and know you’ll be able to rake in the gold coins that you can then use to further improve your situation. It has a very satisfying loop and has enough diversity in its combat options that it’s likely just about anyone can get sucked into this hero’s adventures.
Every action you take, whether it be in the dungeons collecting materials or in your shop earning gold to spend on upgrades, helps to move you further along towards your end goal. There were a few technical hiccups that cropped up from time to time and the last few upgrades needed a bit of grinding to unlock. But despite that, I constantly found myself falling victim to the classic “just one more run”.
If you want to play a top-down Legend of Zelda game as a rogue-lite while also taking shifts as a shopkeeper then, hey, Moonlighter is about to scratch a distinctive itch for you. It hits a sweet spot somewhere between satisfying swordplay and nitty-gritty economic sim, although some players may feel it gets 'grindy' after a while in its mechanics. Nonetheless, Digital Sun Games has produced a lush work it can be proud of; one that even touches on our humanity in an optimistic way.
Moonlighter is a brilliant game. The loop of action and shop-keeping means that every drop from an enemy feels meaningful and it always feels satisfying. I only feel it doesn’t go quite far enough into its Zelda-like features, with the dungeons being a little too easy ultimately.
A satisfying blend of making a killing, while doing plenty of killing.
Moonlighter is a mixture of dungeon crawling and shop managing games with a unique, randomized dungeon creation principle. It has simple combat mechanics, simple yet important management features and impressively beautiful pixel art-work. However, it is not an action game or an RPG. This game is perfect for people who would like to relax after a stressful day. If you like dungeon crawlers and shop managing games, this game is just perfect for you. However, if you are looking for a more engaging game, you might want to look somewhere else.
Delving into these beautiful dungeons, while repetitive, can be rewarding if players have the skill. Barring that, they will at least learn that a problem can be solved by throwing enough money at it and buying a better sword.
Together with the superb visual style and enjoyable music, Moonlighter provides an experience that is much more than the sum of its individual parts
Moonlighter is a good looking game that mashes up dungeon crawling with shop-keeping, but such combination can tire even most durable player. Going back and forth between shop and other dimensions can be fun, but only in small doses.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Great for bite-sized gameplay, Moonlighter is one of the most polished and well-tuned shop simulator/dungeon diving roguelites we've played in a long time. While the repetitive mechanics can become tiresome if playing for hours at a time, tackling the game in small chunks is a satisfying experience, and we'd recommend it as a casual game for most players.
Moonlighter sells itself as a rogue-lite action RPG with shop management mechanics and some of the most beautiful pixel art around. It’s a frustrating game to review because it both succeeds and fails in many places making it difficult to prioritize what works and what fails.
Some might be bothered by Moonlighter’s grindy nature later on, but I found it to be a fantastic mix of dungeon crawling and a fun store management gameplay that made Moonlighter a treat to experience. Digital Sun crafted a perfect balance of the two main gameplay elements with a forgivable difficulty, and a cute and appealing art design that can appeal to a variety of players.