We are currently in something of aMetroidvania godsend . With the writing style reaching efflorescence saturation , new releases — of which there are many — are draw to expand upon the core formula devotee know and love in hopes of standing out . Take the thrillingEnder Magnolia : Bloom in the Mistas an instance , which imbues the Metroidvania with RPG systems and a focus on player builds . Momodora : Moonlit Farewell , on the other hand , conceive that dim-witted is good .
Originally released in January 2024,Moonlit Farewellis the 5th and final entry in developer Bombservice ’s Momodora serial publication . While it might not have any ostentatious additions to the basic Metroidvania pattern , Moonlit Farewell ’s veneration to a slick rendition of the genre ’s core pillars make it a refreshing adventure . The game went under the radar in 2024 but now , with its release on console table , Metroidvania fans have the double-dyed mode to tide yourself over untilHollow Knight : Silksong .
Before you postulate , no you do n’t require to play any of the previousMomodoragames beforeMoonlit Farewell . Sure there are some riposte characters and public lore that fans of the dealership are sure to delight in , butMoonlit Farewellonboards newcomers super well . That ’s partially because the tale is kept pretty simple . The priestess Momo embarks on a journey to save her Greenwich Village from wipeout at the hands of evil . What more do you want to know ? This is also a serial that rightfully exemplifies iterative design . WhileMoonlit Farewellis the oddment , it is also the best place to start .
There are a handful of elements that number to mind when think of Metroidvanias : a sprawl interconnect map , collectible power , impressive boss fights . Moonlit Farewellhas them all . There is no fat on the proverbial off-white here though . When it comes to exploration , the world ofMoonlit Farewellfeels no bigger than it want to be to instill a good sense of scale on the participant . Over the track of its brisk eight hr runtime , players run , double jump , and wheel through a handful of biome each with their own impressive design . Moonlit Farewellreduces the penury to backtrack , as new abilities unlock sprawling new areas that bring players closure to the game ’s termination . you may still research old area but it ’s more in search of collectable than anything else .
Combat and movement might be the most jarring to veterans of the Metroidvania writing style . Not becauseMoonlit Farewelldoes anything particularly new , but because it does quite the opposite . Momo only has two attack throughout the game : one for stuffy - up melee encounter and another for ranged combat . There are no complicated combos or parrying mechanics . Just dodge and make until the enemy is dead . There is a weightiness to Momo ’s action that gives this round-eyed combat an almost strategical feeling . Her action take a little longer than you might ask compared to more tight - paced titles . That have in mind when jump , rolling , or assail timing is still a consideration . If not done properly , apparently well-heeled platforming and fight challenge can quickly go wrong .
That is especially truthful of boss fight . These often hulking monsters with massive health bars can be extremely tricky at prison term , as they can use a large udder of deception than is afforded Momo . Oftentimes success come down to pattern recognition and survival . To make it a small easierMoonlit Farewelldoes bring a little customization to Momo in the form of Sigils , which grant bonuses to her health , attack , and other stats . Mixing Sigils does n’t reinvent how Momo fiddle , it just give players a little more wiggle room .
The cherry tree on top of what is admittedlyMoonlit Farewell ’s thin ice-cream sundae is its gorgeous pixel art . I know that anything with a retro - prompt aesthetic often catch praise for being pretty to look at , thoughMoonlit Farewellis truly deserving of that praise . enemy , allies , and every lilliputian detail of the game ’s various world are render with such tangible precaution . The detail of every pixel brings a tangible complexness to everything actor interact with . Most impressive areMoonlit Farewell ’s dazzling particle effects that deliver leaves and other debris perpetually floating through the wind . This is a 2D reality , yet these flourishes add depth .
The relative simplicity ofMoonlit Farewell ’s take on the Metroidvania is tremendous in that it reduces the genre to its gist pillars . While there are a identification number of more complex takes on what a Metroidvania can be , Moonlit Farewellreminds players that all of these come build upon a substantial foundation .
Momodora : Moonlit Farewellis now useable on PC , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X / S , and Nintendo Switch
