Moon Hunters

Lore & Background

Moon Hunters is set in the fantasy land of Issaria, where the moon—the source of all magic and spiritual power—fails to rise. Its disappearance throws the world into imbalance, causing monsters to infest the land and spread chaos. The game's heroes must set out to restore the moon and stop the evil Sun Cult. The story is non-linear and changes depending on the actions of players, including the outcome of the final battle, leading to widely differing endings.

The game's lead designer, Tanya Short, was motivated by the idea of using procedural generation to create 'personal player narratives.' To make randomized quests engaging, the game avoids traditional good/evil moral duality and instead bases characters' actions around their own distinct personalities. A campfire system builds players' bonds with their characters, and the design focuses on breadth of potential experiences over depth. The setting is ancient Mesopotamian, and the story was influenced by ancient myths from various sources, sometimes adapted to reflect modern egalitarian values. The lead designer regretted not hiring a Sumerian history expert to improve accuracy.

Up to four players can choose from six characters, each with strengths and weaknesses. Areas are procedurally generated and differ each playthrough, but information about past playthroughs is saved in the form of constellations.

Reader's Guide

Moon Hunters received mixed critical reception, with an aggregate score of 62/100 on Metacritic for the PC version. Critics praised the game's unique gameplay, graphical style, and storytelling, but criticized its short length and lack of combat depth. Sam Wachter of RPGamer gave the game a 4/5, calling the writing 'gorgeous' and the world 'atmospheric,' while praising the soundtrack and overall gameplay, but noting the lack of online co-op and that it was less fun in singleplayer, as well as being 'too short.' Davis Cox of Kill Screen scored it 65/100, stating it 'nobly aims for the stars' but found the gameplay unbalanced with repetitive and 'overpowered' moves, though the story compensates. Edge Magazine gave it 60/100, commending the ability to 'elope with the final boss' but noting the game ends more quickly than expected.

The game's significance lies in its attempt to use procedural generation to craft personal narratives rather than relying on traditional moral choices. Its focus on breadth over depth and its campfire bonding system represent a distinct approach to storytelling in roguelike action RPGs. The mixed reception highlights a tension between its ambitious narrative goals and the execution of its combat and length.