Overview and Basic Game Play
To the Moon is an independently developed game by Freebird Games. It’s an engrossing game that mixes elements of classic RPG’s from the past into one and adds both a touching story and a great backing soundtrack as well.
The premise of the game is that you play the role of two scientists who are trying to help an old man whose
Wife, River, has passed away 2 years prior. His dying wish is to go back in time and go To the Moon. However, it’s not a time travel game, everyone is aware that this is all in his head that he’ll actually accomplish this. It’s like Back to the Future meets Inception. The mystery of the game is, why does he want to go to the moon? The mystery deepens when you ask him this question and even He can’t answer it.. He just knows that is what he wants to do.
This is where the game really shines. The story, is heart warming and an emotional tearjerker at the same time. As you go back through his memories to work your way back to his childhood (one leap back into his childhood isn’t possible) you start to see little parts of his life all the while making the story a little more clearer but at the same time, adding some mysteries as well. You run across rooms filled with origami rabbits. Basements, rooms, lighthouses, filled with these little origami rabbits. Yet another mystery to solve.
The soundtrack and story aside, the one thing that the game is able to pull off well is humor. It’s very hard to have a serious game that tugs at your heart strings but at the same time, knows the right places to give you a chuckle. This requires impeccable timing and an extraordinarily written script. Too much humor in the wrong places will just seem cold, callous, and in poor taste. Don’t add a little levity to the harshness of this story, it could be too much and have just an overall sense of depression.
Overall, i really enjoyed the game. I thought it was time well spent and it hit me in the feels a bit. Though there really is not much to do after you beat the game so a second play through may not be as rewarding, you can do it and choose a few things that would be different and make the story a bit different too. Sadly there isn’t a soundtrack to the game which I think it could benefit from. Also, there is a sequel to this game coming out pretty soon called Finding Paradise. There is a mini-game out also called A Bird Story that links the two games together.
This game can be purchased right now on Humblebundle.com for name your own price.