EPTThis will be boring, badly written and smelling of elderberries but let's go.
Let's tackle the game design of To The Moon, an indie game praised for it's narratives.
I'll do my best to avoid narrative spoilers.
To The Moon, or let''s play fetch in the memories of an dying client.
The first thing I was taught about game design years ago was to get the core game play right. This game broke this rule, it doesn't make you do anything, so you'd better judge this game as an interactive story. Yet the interaction is so limited, It might be even better to judge this as a movie.
In each "level", you will have to find 5 object that have some memory value for the main character. Like a point and click adventure game, without the collect and combine mechanics. Just click on 5 object. It's the hidden object game with object not hidden. You feel very quickly like a courier boy.
You don't have any side goals or real choices, this is linear. Between levels, you are presented with a very simple challenge, a puzzle that will take 15 seconds to solve and the difficulty won't get harder as the game progress.
On two rare occasion, there was something different, but that only felt random (Won't spoil you the surprise).
Controls were clunky, characters moving along the tile map, only knowing how to move in 4 directions.
The user interface has an inventory, which you will not need to access ever, it contains some random stuff that you will encounter with a very short description.
Sound design was well done, music changed dynamically when scripted event happened and were used well for the immersion.
Immersion is the strong aspect of this game, it won't be hard to go through the game. The lack of challenge + the interesting story keep you hooked but at the same time wondering why are you playing. It's like something that taste good but after eating it, you feel sick.
My simple test to know what you are dealing with:
1. Would you play the game without this story?
In this case clearly no.
2. Would you enjoy the story by itself (As a book, a movie...)?
Yes
3. Did the game enhanced the story?
No
As a conclusion: a clumsy game design with no depth, contrasting with a masterful narrative and music work with lots of depth. Inspired by Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. So when you see reviews that tell you "This game is amazing", read "The story is amazing". I am still glad I play through and tears are guaranteed ( You might get a refund, if you don't cry, that's the whole point of the game).
Here is a play through:
