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[Axass]

So, I just finished To the Moon, it's a very nice little story (yeah, I cried at the end), but I can't shake the feeling it shouldn't have been a game.

I mean, the only gameplay elements can be summed up to (a) walking, (b) searching memory links and (c) solving tile puzzles. With so little to "play", you'd think at least that would be flawless... yet it all feels tacked on. The tile puzzles are all so basic and easy, moreover they can be solved with how many moves you want, no penalties; searching memory links is a chore, and you get nothing after finding them, also sometimes they are put arbitrarily on weird or unimportant things; even walking doesn't work, the fact that such a simple function is borked left me speechless: there are textures you can't walk on and the mouse pointer doesn't work half the times, the characters seem to wander aimlessly sometimes, instead than going where you want.

They feel more like obstacles to the enjoyment of the well narrated story than anything, none of those gameplay elements felt fun or satisfying. I think To the Moon could've been even better if it wasn't a game at all, just a straight up visual novel. Maybe that way it wouldn't have got all that attention though, so it'd have been less of a success. What do you think?

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I feel the same way. It doesn't feel much like a game at all. Not even like Telltale's games.

 

[Crisium]

But, but, it made an RPG joke that wouldn't have been possible in other media.

Controlling the character wasn't perfect, and the "mini-games" were straightforward, but I liked the pacing of this in game form. And riding the horse with that music playing just seems better if you are controlling the character. Same with wondering around the fair as a kid, it's not much but I just like controlling a character sometimes.

I dunno, I disagree because even if subtle, the gameplay elements gave it some charm to me.

And I cried too. Hooray.

 

[pje122]

I felt that it was extremely overrated.
Not fun to play and a poorly written story.

 

[BronsonLee]

I felt that it was extremely overrated.
Not fun to play and a poorly written story.

I can see the argument for the former, and absolutely cannot for the latter

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

I did have some issues with To The Moon. Most of the gameplay mechanics felt like one-off jokes and weren't fun to play. In addition, the writing was terrible. Every character was written exactly the same and was full of poorly inserted, juvenile pop-culture references.

However, even if the writing was bad, the premise was good and the ideas behind it were decent. But as a game? Not really worth it. Exploration was pointless and by the end of the game, each level was basically handing you the memory trigger objects without having to do anything.

 

[StuBurns]

Riding the horse was wonderful.

It's a story about adults with nostalgia for childhood wonder, framing it in the guise of a 16bit RPG is extremely apt.

 

[Dragon]

So it's a question of labeling then? Call it a visual novel, it's certainly not an RPG by any means.

Riding the horse was wonderful.

It's a story about adults with nostalgia for childhood wonder, framing it in the guise of a 16bit RPG is extremely apt.

There is nothing remotely comparable between To The Moon and something like Chrono Trigger besides graphical look.

 

[Axass]

I did have some issues with To The Moon. Most of the gameplay mechanics felt like one-off jokes and weren't fun to play. In addition, the writing was terrible. Every character was written exactly the same and was full of poorly inserted, juvenile pop-culture references.

However, even if the writing was bad, the premise was good and the ideas behind it were decent. But as a game? Not really worth it. Exploration was pointless and by the end of the game, each level was basically handing you the memory trigger objects without having to do anything.

I noticed that, definitely could've done without those, I don't think the writing was particularly bad though. Also the menù has like 6 tabs but literally no use aside from saving.

So it's a question of labeling then? Call it a visual novel, it's certainly not an RPG by any means.

No, it's not about that. I just feel To the Moon could've been better without the gameplay elements.

Spoiler

Dunno if you're talking with me.

EDIT - To clarify, I think the creators chose the wrong medium to convey their story, which is good but has its impact lessened by tacked on gameplay.

 

[StuBurns]

There is nothing remotely comparable between To The Moon and something like Chrono Trigger besides graphical look.

You don't know what guise means, do you? Oh well.

 

[Various Artists]

I really enjoyed it. It was a nice change of pace compared to everything that comes out now.

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

I noticed that, definitely could've done without those, I don't think the writing was particularly bad though. Also the menù has like 6 tabs but literally no use aside from saving.

A lot of the writing was extremely obtuse and did a poor job at communicating emotion. Nobody talks like people, they talk like static IRC nerds with forced non-humor. And where the characters are all written exactly the same, the characters' actions are all over the place and remove any attempt for character development. The various eras the game travels through are all basically the same, forcing us to rely on a meter on the screen to give us an indicator of where we are.

I felt like playing To The Moon was like reading a script, with simple blocking and basic set design displayed on the screen. But that script needed an editor. In the end I still gave the game a favorable review on Steam, but it's a mixed bag.

 

[Axass]

I really enjoyed it. It was a nice change of pace compared to everything that comes out now.

Sure, AAA games are too samey for me as well. It wasn't my intention to say that, I appreciate it for what it is, a nice little indie gem.

A lot of the writing was extremely obtuse and did a poor job at communicating emotion. Nobody talks like people, they talk like static IRC nerds with forced non-humor. And where the characters are all written exactly the same, the characters' actions are all over the place and remove any attempt for character development. The various eras the game travels through are all basically the same, forcing us to rely on a meter on the screen to give us an indicator of where we are.

I felt like playing To The Moon was like reading a script, with simple blocking and basic set design displayed on the screen. But that script needed an editor. In the end I still gave the game a favorable review on Steam, but it's a mixed bag.

Again, I agree with part of what you said, but I don't think it was that bad. Maybe, since I'm not a native english speaker I didn't fully grasp those problems in the writing.

I must say I tried the game in my native language and the writing was indeed cringeworthy a good deal of times, I thought it was mainly the usual bad translation - we get them a lot - but maybe as you say it was a problem with the original text itself.