"To the Moon" Review
I realized I've been playing mostly Steam games. Perhaps because I thought I should study English, I came across the English adventure game "To the Moon".
Overall rating: +1 (Recommended)
I can't give a final evaluation until I try the sequel, but I felt it was an excellent adventure game that appeals to everyone. Including two sub-stories, it can be completed in less than 10 hours, so it's perfect for when you want to practice English reading.
Good Points
First, the most notable point is the storytelling style. It takes the unusual form of journeying from the present to the past. This is well-suited for tying up loose ends, making it a pleasant experience as you progress. Reversing the flow of time is quite challenging, but it's been accomplished without feeling out of place thanks to the worldview and tricky settings.
The story itself is well-crafted, giving a sense of completion like finishing a blockbuster movie. Furthermore, there are scattered mysteries, some of which are left unresolved, making it ripe for fan fiction (though I think they're saving some for the next installment).
Seasoned visual novel gamers might get the impression from the PV that "I guess it's just another tearjerker about death," but that's not really relevant to the content.
Moreover, the whole game is brimming with emotion. Not only is the BGM piano-based, but the occasional episodes, the placement of objects, and scene transitions all evoke emotion. The pixel art also adds to this effect. I don't think I can explain this well, so please play it and experience it for yourself.
By the way, it supports 12 languages, but sadly Japanese is not available on Steam. Given its relatively short overall volume, somewhat intricate story, and the abundance of slang and diverse expressions, it's ideal for studying English. However, those who want to purely enjoy the story itself might want to look for a Japanese version somewhere.
Not-So-Good Points
While the story and worldview are excellent, there are some flaws in the system and gameplay.
Perhaps because it was made with an old RPG Maker, the settings options are extremely limited, and you can't even change the screen size or volume. Additionally, the slow walking speed of characters is occasionally stressful.
Also, while the retro atmosphere, including the pixel art, is nice, there were scenes where I felt the limitations of this expression. I would have liked to see the story with richer graphics, but I'll have to look forward to the manga or anime versions (which apparently exist).
The occasional mini-games that are inserted also felt underutilized. It was disappointing that the memento puzzles, which you have to do every time, don't particularly affect the story despite being mandatory.
Other Information
- I actually found the sequel first and cleared this one to play that
- It seems to be available on iOS / Android as well
Overall Evaluation
Despite the systemic drawbacks, the story and BGM are excellent, making it a highly valuable work to play. How about reading a slightly moving story while studying English? If you don't want to study, wait for the Japanese patch.
Bonus - Collection of Difficult English Words and Phrases That Appear
[List of English words and phrases remains unchanged]
