Three years ago, my friend and mentor @Brian Freyermuth recommended that I play “To The Moon”, citing it as an exemplar of narrative game design. At first glance, it’s a pixel art game with somewhat clumsy controls. There’s no epic story, no world-saving quests, just an every day “protagonist” leading a common life. How could this make for a compelling story, let alone a game? I initially began playing, but then something distracted me, causing the game to retreat into the forgotten corners of my Steam library. Recently, I stumbled upon it again and decided to give it a second chance.
Still absent of an epic story and filled with characters that mirror the everyday people we encounter, “To The Moon” presented one of the best narratives I’ve experienced. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, inspires, depresses, and most importantly, it prompts you to think about your life and the choices you’ve made. This tale of love, loss, and regret is profoundly human. The game medium enhances the story, providing an additional layer of interactivity that makes it more immersive and believable. I won’t spoil the narrative here. Instead, I urge you to play it. It’s a relatively short game, capable of being completed in 4-5 hours. I’m confident you’ll love it just as much as I did.
#gamedesign #narrativegames #tothemoon #videogames #gaming #storytelling #indiegames #gamelove #gamerecommendations
