Moonlighter (2018)

Moonlighter has what I would call a triangular gameplay loop. It combines rogue lite 2d dungeon crawling and combat with inventory management, and finally with the role of running a shop in a fantasy setting.

Each of these parts is done very well. The combat is simple, but the variety of playstyles due to the way that the weapons work means that you can tailor your experience. The enemies are also challenging without feeling unfair. The bosses are also pretty cool. The inventory management might be enjoyable or annoying, depending on what you like in a game. The shop managing mechanics are a lot of fun and the main way that you will be able to gain money and upgrade your gear, buy potions etc. A good part of it involves finding the ideal price for the loot you've retrieved from the 4 main dungeons.

The story is mostly in the background, but the final act goes pretty crazy. The game is also quite repayable and it has new game + and DLC though I have not tried either as of yet.

In short, if you want a unique rogue-lite with other fun mechanics/gameplay outside of the combat/dungeon delving, this game might be for you.

This game has an addictive gameplay loop, which combines shop management and dungeon crawling in a unique and enjoyable way. While the game can be difficult to grasp initially, players can rely on trial-and-error or research to master the mechanics. Dungeon exploration is compared to slow-paced Souls-like games due to its tactical elements, though it's not considered a full RPG. The game keeps things fresh with diverse enemies and constantly changing challenges, even if some sub-bosses are recycled.

The main bosses start out tough but become easier later in the game, which might be a downside for those playing it as a single-player experience. The progression system is simple but rewarding, pushing players to grind for upgrades and enchantments. I'm excited for the sequel, though I may have a preference for the original 2D art style over the new 3D one, a trend seen in other games like Wizard of Legend.

Another standout is the pixel art and OST, which give the game a warm, nostalgic charm without feeling outdated. The town feels cozy and lively as you invest in new vendors and watch it slowly expand, creating a sense of growth tied directly to your success in the dungeons. There’s a satisfying rhythm to spending the night fighting monsters, barely escaping with a full inventory, then returning home to carefully price items and observe customers’ reactions in your shop.

That said, the repetition can start to show after many hours, especially once you’ve optimized your pricing strategy and combat build. Some dungeon layouts and enemy patterns begin to feel predictable, reducing the initial sense of discovery. Even so, the blend of risk-and-reward inventory management and methodical combat remains engaging, making this title a memorable indie experience that stands out for mix two very different gameplay styles.

I definitely enjoyed this game. It took me 25.7hr to finish because I was messing around a lot in the beginning and not paying attention, it could definitely be a shorter game. At its heart, this game is a dungeon crawler meets store owner. That being considered:

• the shop gets more fun as you expand it, but overall I wish there was a little more motivation to make the shop a cooler experience. Like, give me a motivator as to why I should care about charging people fair prices. Most of the time I found myself pressing A mindlessly as people bought things.
• I like the fighting mechanics, and I do think that the levels of the dungeons are scaled really well, requiring you to beef your character up with certain upgrades before passing to the next levels.
• It managed to be quite a cozy game. -The lore did not make a ton of sense to me, but the game didn't pretend that it really needed to in order for it to be fun.
• Had plenty of great moments with bosses and feeling nervous I might not make it, cheering when I did, but still super manageable. -The game doesn't explain a ton about the way things work. For example I never really found out the purpose of the high-value store displays, never really knew what the mustache and top hat meant on customers or weapons icons, etc.
• 4/5 because it wasn't a super taxing game so the shortcomings were rather easy to overlook.

I love the concept and this game is right up my (Stardew) alley. However, the game is about 8-15 hours depending if you take your time or not, with little reason to go back to it (unless you are an achievement fan, in which case there are a lot of them). When you think of the arc of a game like Stardew Valley, or a similar dungeon crawler like Isaac, it's a real shame that the devs couldn't find a way to make the game longer and more compelling.

The shop portion of the game is decent, especially once you start upgrading your shop, however the amount of things to do is super limited. You stop people from stealing, put up items in the expensive section for certain customers, and determine the right price for each item. When you think of similar sim games like Diner Dash, that have so many things to do, it's a missed opportunity.

The dungeon portion is fun, but the amount of secret rooms and different aspects every time you go in feels sub-par when compared to Binding of Isaac for instance. The combat is good, but the different armors and weapons don't really change it that much, so it's fairly repetitive, and there is no real incentive to change styles. The bosses are very easy, and you can only fight them once each.

The village is also a let down, because besides the few shops you unlock (potion and armor especially), you will find that there is very little reason to interact with NPCs. There are side-quests later in the form of customers asking you to get a certain item with a time limit, but they feel tacked on, and are not very compelling.

On the technical side, I like the way the game looks, and the music was good too, although a tad repetitive. I did run into some game glitches near the end, but I assume those will be ironed out, and they weren't game breaking.

I hope they update the game, or make a sequel that address these short comings, because there is definitely the potential for a great game here.

7/10