7/24/09

Moon [PS]


http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/lovedelic/moonlarge.jpg

Developer: Love-de-Lic
Platfrom: PlayStation
Genre: Unique-RPG


Welcome to the best parallel universe ever created. Although the game was released in 1997, when I was eight (12 years ago), I still long for this game. I lost it the last time I cleared my stuff, yet I want to play it again. This game is a legend, an absolute tale no one should miss out. For those who still keep their PlayStation, please--please at least try this game whenever get a chance.

Moon outperforms today's games in almost every way, and I dare to guarantee that. It is completely different and very appealing, yet full of charm and fantasy. Forget every RPG you've played, this game offers you something you would never have witnessed before.

Now you might think why this game is so special. First, what do you think of when you see the word 'RPG'? Leveling? Monsters? Of course, there are monsters in this game--plenty of them. And yes you are still involved with monsters, but forget about killing them or leveling. Here, in Moon, you catch them!


The story focuses on a boy who, apparently, is addicted to games (whoa). You start off watching the boy playing his video game which looks like a NES-old school RPG parody. Then you get to play a bit of 'that' game he is playing.

And here comes the final boss! You, as the boy, would be fighting ferociously when your mom walks in and tells you to go to bed. Without resistance, the boy unwillingly turns off his console and goes to bed.

Later that night, the game turns itself back on! I'm not sure whether the boy comes to investigate or he just needs to piss. Either way, once he stops by the TV, it sucks him in. Now you are literally sucked into the land of Moon - here is when real game starts.



comparison between fake moon (above) and real moon (below) world

You would find out that the actual moon world is completely different from what you've been playing. The world is full of weirdness and bizarre, yet astonishing and unique. Your knight hero isn't that appreciated. In face, everyone seems to hate him. Once you found the old cottage owned by generous old lady, who later gave you cloth, you will be commissioned to capture souls - of monsters slain by the 'hero'.

People here are quite deformed and weird, but unique. As you play, you will keep finding more and more bizarre environment, even a bit scary at some part.



GAMEPLAY 10/10

It has to be 10 out of 10. Once you finish dealing with your transparency (getting cloth from old lady), your adventure begins. Every time you go to bed, this weird face appears in your dream and tell you about your progress. Then you go out, finish your quest, capture stray souls, help townspeople out, fishing, etc. This game is full of stuff to do and you won't ever get bored.

However, you have limited time to spend per day. The clock keeps ticking as you play and when it's about to reach the limit, you'll have to come home and get a sleep. Otherwise, game over. To solve this matter, every time you catch monsters or help townsfolk, you will be rewarded with 'heart' which expands your time limit, thus, allows you to stay outside longer.

Capturing monsters seems to be the main part of the game. But you can't just march in and ask them to follow you. You will need to perform something to capture certain monsters, some of them only shows up when a special condition is fulfilled. For example, the music monster. There would be this guy playing guitar, miserably. He also sells records. However, he stops playing immediately the moment you get close to him. Therefore, you will have to keep your distant and spy on him, wait until he finishes his song without a single mistake, then the monster who has been listening shows up! Then it's time to jump in.

Sometimes you will need specific items to see monsters, sometimes you will have to finish the quest first. For another example, the garbage monster. You have to feed it with garbage first! There's also a lot of mini games and side quests.


The game has so much fun. You will laugh, you will cry, you will get annoyed when certain monster won't show up. But trust me, you will be attached to this game once you try it. Strangeness that keeps you playing, effective puzzles that makes you feel overwhelmed, and a lot more. The story portrays a contradicting image of RPG. Here you're not playing a hero, and hero is not being nice as usual! Mystery will be eventually revealed, bit by bit, and it leaves you want to find out what is really going on in this Moon world.


GRAPHIC 10/10

Absolutely perfect. Everything in this game looks nice, vivid, and amazingly charming. The game is full of colors and, as I mentioned, interesting environment - from trees that look like candy to mushroom cave. It is rendered in 2D with some part rendered in 3d stop-motion-like. Even though this game didn't use polygon technique like many other games that time, it still has the best graphic ever. It's new, and unique, and completely different from every other RPG as you enter this 'world'.


Effects are good, animation is even better. Love-de-Lic develops very efficient games. Unfortunately, they stopped after releasing three qualified games.

I can't explain how beautiful the game was. It's just simply beautiful. It takes you beyond typical plotted role-playing game with its brilliant idea of graphic and intense storyline, although I didn't understand every word of it. No, they don't have english version of this game. Only Japanese version was published, yet I pray they would reconsider about localization this game.



SOUND 10/10

Hahaha, finally I get to give perfect score for sound. Moon has, exactly what you think, 'unique' background music and sound. You will be given a CD player which allows you to choose your own background music. You can buy more songs at the guitar guy in a canyon. Every song is so powerful and they all go along with the scenes. Love-de-Lic also works with people like Ryuichi Sakamoto (who also wrote song for Babel), guaranteeing the quality of music there!

People in this game speaks non-interpretable language, but it's pleasing.

Alright, I can't really come up with any other word to explain how significant this game is. It's still worth to play even these days, highly recommended. If I would say, Moon is one of the best game ever released on PlayStaion.

I still hope for a remake of this game, probably on PSP?


T

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