Moonlighter Switch Review

A Light in the Dark!

Moonlighter has finally hit Nintendo Switch. It is a hack and slash adventure game realised in a gorgeous art style. Moonlighter is inevitably a game that I overlooked when it released on PC and other consoles. It is a game that was also praised in areas and praised not so much in others. It is a game much suited to the Switch more so than other platforms and a game that I won’t forget.

First off the game starts you within a dungeon, teaching you the controls while introducing you to what is a significant part of the gameplay. Once out of there, you find yourself talking to an old geezer who informs you that you have a shop to run. This is essentially the meat and veg of the game. Trundle through dungeons hacking and slashing your way to into peoples pockets with rare gems and other goods items.

You get to choose the price and you get visual feedback from your sometimes annoying customers as they call you out when they can’t afford something, much like those antique dealers you see on television that have to knock the price down a ton before they are happy. This essentially means that while a bulk of the gameplay is indeed challenging and rewarding, the other part is relaxing by selling wares. There are so many items in this game and micromanaging is key especially with such limited bag space, cursed items can also make or break you with some cursing anything around it, even when brought back to the shop.

It’s something that I normally would detest doing but Moonlighter, well, it has that charm. Visually, it is stunning with a mix of 2D and 2.5D objects. Textures pop really well as they are super sharp and vivid on the Switch’s screen and the animations are super fluid too. While there is no voice acting to be had, the text isn’t drawn out like other games in this genre and the soundtrack does well to lift the mood and set the tone in the game. It is certainly a good experience and one that stands out massively amongst Nintendo’s indie store of hell.

There are four or five dungeons to conker if you manage to get through the other four, these get progressively difficult and as you guessed offer better rewards the more difficult they get. These rewards will sell for much more than in the first couple of dungeons, so I would aim to get to the latter as fast as possible. Any money earned can be spent on upgrades both for the town and your shop. Town upgrades are important as they offer a means to purchase better weapons etc.

The killer part of this game, especially on Nintendo Switch, is that I can pick it up and take it with me when I am out and about to continue playing. It just feels at home on the Switch and as a result, I would recommend getting it there before you look at it on other platforms.

Plus the small screen here does wonders for this game, it trule does look amazing with some of the special effects making me smile ear to ear as they do look darn good for an indie game. Little details are scattered everywhere that you as a gamer should sit back and just enjoy.

Verdict

Overall, Moonlighter is a great little game, it certainly doesn’t lack polish and it has a gameplay loop that will keep you hooked. It is a beautiful looking game that seems at home on the Nintendo Switch and I would be absolutely nuts not to recommend it. Moonlighter simply put is great!