The variety and ingenuity of the boss battles somehow reminded me of the boss battles in Dark Souls and that is high praise from me. I also found the difficulty of these bosses to be really well judged, with well telegraphed attacks allowing me to dodge around them learn their movesets with no cheap attacks thrown at you. I won’t spoil these fights but they really are a highlight of the game and some of the best I’ve come across in a 2D game in a while. Every boss brought something new to the table and every fight was different. These ranged from screen filling sprites down to player sized knights, and each one was satisfying to fight. One of the things which stood out for me was the many bosses I came across. This isn’t a game where you’ll go in guns blazing, combat is much more nuanced. Combat feels weighty and purposeful and successful execution of the rolls and dodges feels satisfying and rewarding. To help you on your way you’ve also got a dodge roll, which allows you to roll behind enemy shields or dodge attacks.
![momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart](https://cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/images/10_share_images/games_15/nintendo_switch_download_software_1/H2x1_NSwitchDS_MomodoraReverieUndertheMoonlight_image1600w.jpg)
Using both of these attacks is key to success and the bow is equally as important as your close attacks. Kaho’s weapons of choice are a maple leaf for melee combat and a bow with unlimited ammo for ranged attacks. The world building here is excellent with a strong sense of identity throughout and the different zones in and around the city each manage to look visually different whilst retaining a sense of location with the rest of the game.Ĭombat plays a huge role here and as you are working through the game you’ll be engaging with a range of enemy types. This is a brilliant example of a game working within the confines of a budget to tell a truly interesting tale. The tale is a sorrowful one and the interesting characters you meet along the way add to the tale in a wonderfully enigmatic way, adding a sense of the unknown and hinting at a larger world. Momodora has a very light touch when it comes to the story and this makes the tale being told all the more interesting.
![momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart](https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/031/696/612/large/marta-buitrago-momodora-def-baja.jpg)
The story sees you controlling a priestess called Kaho who is on a mission to see the Queen in order to save her village from an encroaching curse. The map is efficiently designed and I was never at a loss of where to go next, this was probably helped by the small size of the game as it’s not a massive venture by any chance clocking in at around 6 hours or so. Keeping with the genre staples there are also secret walls to uncover and shortcuts to unlock. I’ve found other games of this genre can rely too heavily on back tracking with a lack of any real signposting, and I noticed this in Exile’s End. Most of the game is fairly linear although heavy on the exploration, there is a middle section which requires a bit of back tracking but given the smaller scale of the map this isn’t a concern. Kaho has a double jump to help her get around and later on gains a, brilliantly unusual, ability to sneak into smaller gaps a-la Metroid. Progression through the game is on a screen by screen basis and there is a handy map which looks like something from an early Metroid game to keep track on where you’ve been. In motion there is something mesmerising about the animation in Momodora. It has a charm to it which permeates every aspect of the game, from the loading screen splash art at the start through to the way the protagonist, Kaho, kicks her feet while waiting. From the brilliant background work through to the excellent animation this game looks gorgeous in movement. What Momodora manages to achieve is a perfect balance between simplicity and characterisation.
![momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart momodora reverie under the moonlight fanart](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/d8mKayorabg/maxresdefault.jpg)
I’ve played more than enough 2D games to be aware of the pitfalls of the art style, they can sometimes be too bland and characterless or on the other hand too complex and unclear. Whilst it may be heavily inspired by these games it also brings enough fresh ideas to the table, even taking some inspiration from the combat in Dark Souls to make this worth a closer look.įirst things first the sprite work in Momodora is beautiful to behold. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a game which takes inspiration from the likes of the Metroid and Castlevania, in that it’s a 2D side scrolling platform game with elements of environmental navigation and discovery.
#MOMODORA REVERIE UNDER THE MOONLIGHT FANART PS4#
Main PS4 tagged 2d / art / Charm / metroidvania / Momodora by Steven