Driftmoon
A light-hearted fantasy RPG with a non-linear story.
Driftmoon is a fantasy role-playing game from Finnish developer Instant Kingdom, released in 2013 for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Players explore an open world with a non-linear story, where their choices influence the game's outcome. The game received generally positive reviews.
The plot follows an unlikely group: the player's character, a firefly with dreams of fame, a panther queen with an enormous ego, and a determined skeleton who has lost everything. Together, they set out to stop the dark King Ixal, who is gathering his forces in the enchanted world of Driftmoon.
Critics gave Driftmoon average scores—76.25% on GameRankings and 73 out of 100 on Metacritic. GameSpot praised the writing and humor but found the combat shallow. Destructoid called it a good introduction to RPGs, noting its light-hearted tone, low difficulty on easier settings, and simple combat without a complex skill tree. Reviewers consistently enjoyed the writing.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Driftmoon
- State
- expanded
- Developer
- Instant Kingdom
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, Mac
- Released
- WW · February 26, 2013
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
- Designer
- Ville Mönkkönen / Anne Mönkkönen
- Programmer
- Ville Mönkkönen
- Artist
- Ville Mönkkönen / Johanna Sundström
- Composer
- Gareth Meek
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The beautiful, enchanted world of Driftmoon trembles in the shadow of a forgotten evil, for the dark King Ixal is once again gathering his forces. Hope lies in an unlikely alliance—the player's character joins forces with a little firefly dreaming of stardom, a panther queen with the ego of a moon whale, and a very determined fellow who has lost everything except his bones. This group embarks on a journey to defeat King Ixal.
Gameplay involves exploration of an open world with a non-linear story, where player choices affect the outcome. The combat system was noted as shallow by some reviewers, while the writing and humor were praised. Destructoid described the game as seeming like a perfect introduction to RPGs for newcomers, being light-hearted and not overwhelming with options in combat or a complicated skill tree.
Reader's Guide
Driftmoon holds a modest place in the role-playing game landscape of the 2010s as a Finnish indie title that prioritized story and humor over mechanical depth. Its generally positive reception, reflected in aggregate scores of 76.25% on GameRankings and 73/100 on Metacritic, came largely from praise for its writing and lighthearted tone. GameSpot highlighted the writing and humor while criticizing the shallow combat, and Destructoid similarly enjoyed the writing, noting the game's accessibility for newcomers to the genre. The game's non-linear story and open-world exploration allowed for player-driven narrative choices, but its combat system was not considered a strong point. As a title from a small developer, Driftmoon demonstrated that a focus on character-driven storytelling and a whimsical setting could earn a favorable response, even if its gameplay mechanics did not break new ground. Its legacy is that of a charming, approachable RPG that served as an entry point for players new to the genre, rather than a landmark in role-playing game design.
Did You Know?
- Driftmoon was developed and published by Instant Kingdom, a Finnish video game developer.
- The game was released in 2013 for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Driftmoon?
Driftmoon is a lighthearted fantasy role-playing game created and published by Finnish studio Instant Kingdom. It launched in 2013 and is available on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
Who are the main characters in Driftmoon?
The adventure follows an unlikely trio: a firefly who dreams of becoming famous, a panther queen with a colossal ego, and a skeleton who has lost everything. These three band together to face a common threat across the enchanted world.
Who is the antagonist in Driftmoon?
The dark King Ixal serves as the primary villain, steadily gathering his forces throughout the world of Driftmoon. The player's party sets out specifically to stop him before he consolidates his power.
Is Driftmoon's storyline linear?
No, the game uses a non-linear narrative structure in which the choices you make along the way influence how the story ultimately resolves. Players can approach the journey in different orders and still reach different outcomes.
How did critics receive Driftmoon?
The title earned generally positive reviews upon its 2013 release, pulling a 73 out of 100 on Metacritic and 76.25% on GameRankings. Reviewers tended to praise its charming tone and flexible story design.
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