[EGD] - I Would Fly Up "To The Moon And Back"
To The Moon And Back is a game created by wordigirl
I love a good ol' Savage Garden reference to start the day.
If you ever need a story to lean on, look no further. The Epic Game Drop submission, To The Moon And Back, produces a relentless story of love between two people, and their endeavour to the moon and, well, back. Produced by wordigirl, this has been one of the most anticipated platform games, due to the stellar screenshots that has people hyped out. Now that it is released, will it live up to the expectations?
When it comes to elements of the game, the music selection always seems to be the most neglected component, yet the intricate and beauty of choosing the right music can make or break the aura of a particular game. To The Moon And Back attempts to subvert this notion, however, did it work? ..No, at least not for me. The overall mood of the game seems to be a relentless love story, so there are obviously going to some kick bleep music during the earlier parts of the game. For instance, the introduction of the characters should have song choices that explore each person's personality. This allows the player to feel immersed into the characters, and empathise with the characters as they are introduced. And the later stages should introduce more sorrowful, or uplifting music as the story progresses.
However, it felt daunting and rushed. As a result, there was no mood, nor was there the atmosphere that came out of the game. As a result of this, it felt like a chore to play through, and with the awkward music selection, it didn't feel rewarding to pass each stage.
The game play felt a bit raw, and feels like it's still in its BETA stages. Since the game is heavily story-driven, the game play element felt imbalanced, and coupled with the awkward music selection, there was never any intention for me to continue. Each level's game play felt the same; each level's mechanics felt the same; there was really nothing that stood out for me, and as a result, that felt disappointing as a player.
In saying that, the visuals and effort that is expressed in this game is phenomenal. The graphical components ties the story really well. Each level had its own distinct purpose to progress through the story. The introduction felt unique, and through this unique insight to the story, the characters were well-developed. It was just a shame that the music selection could not match the vibe that the character introduction were giving.
The unique story of relentless love was also a reason to keep going. The narration of the game is done brilliantly, as it gives the player an insight to the game itself, but doesn't shy itself away from delivery. Each level progresses the story, but again, doesn't reveal too much of the story to detract the suspense and tension that it does well.
Where the game succeeds, it also flounders. The insight to the story, coupled with poignant visuals, are heavily outweighed by the monotonous and linear game play, and awkward music choices. If these elements are refitted to better suit the mood and atmosphere that To The Moon And Back attempts to deliver, this will stand far greater than it is at the moment.
Would I have featured it?
...No. It just had too many flaws to call it "feature-worthy", but it definitely has the potential to.
Rating
I don't typically like ratings, because it doesn't mean a lot; it's merely a number. But if I had to rate it, out of ten, for execution, I'd be leaning towards a 5/10, which is not to say it's a "bad" game; it's just flawed.