Anubis of the Moon's Surface

Lore & Background

Anubis of the Moon's Surface is a sound novel, a term used primarily for Japanese games that rely on graphics and sounds rather than puzzles to tell a story. The game is progressed by pressing controller buttons, and the story changes based on action-oriented choices as well as the player's choice of emotional response. For example, choosing an aggressive option leads to more aggressive and assertive subsequent choices. The protagonist Keisuke, a researcher, travels with a female companion to a lunar base via spaceship, but an accident causes him to wake up with no memory. The game features 12 different endings.

By late October 1995, the game was at about 35% completion, as reported by Famicom Tsūshin, alongside a similar Imagineer title, Zakuro no Aji. Both games were released on December 22, 1995. Anubis of the Moon's Surface makes a reference to Zakuro no Aji's title within the game. Planning and development were handled by System Sacom.

Famicom Tsūshin reviewed the game with a roundtable of four critics. One compared it to the film Alien (1979), while a third felt the story moved briskly but was unsatisfying due to treading familiar territory. Another critic found characters underdeveloped, making it hard to empathize with them. Two reviewers noted insufficient opportunities for the player to choose the narrative direction, with one stating Zakuro no Aji offered more choices and another saying that after playing the other game, Anubis of the Moon's Surface would not feel fresh. Despite this, the 2016 book Perfect Guide to Nostalgic Super Famicom included it on its list of the best horror games for the Super Famicom, describing it as a lesser-known but good horror sound novel.

Reader's Guide

Anubis of the Moon's Surface holds significance as an early example of a sound novel on the Super Famicom, a genre that emphasizes narrative and atmosphere over traditional gameplay puzzles. Its branching system, which adapts based on the player's emotional responses, was a notable design choice for 1995. The game's inclusion in Perfect Guide to Nostalgic Super Famicom's list of top horror games for the system highlights its lasting appeal among enthusiasts, even if it remained obscure. The critical reception from Famicom Tsūshin, while mixed, provides insight into contemporary expectations for interactive storytelling, particularly the desire for more player agency. The game's connection to Zakuro no Aji, released on the same day by the same publisher, and its reference to that title, situates it within a brief wave of horror sound novels from Imagineer. Its legacy is that of a cult title, remembered for its atmospheric horror and innovative choice system, though overshadowed by more popular visual novels of the era.

Did You Know?

• The game was at about 35% completion by late October 1995, as reported by Famicom Tsūshin.
• It was released on the same day as Imagineer's similar game, Zakuro no Aji, and references that game's title within its own story.
• The game has 12 different endings.
• One Famicom Tsūshin reviewer compared the game to the film Alien (1979).