Info about Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight:

Official game description:
  
Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight takes the player on a journey through a cursed land on the brink of eradication. Evil spreads, the dead rise, and corruption reigns. Hope is but a faded memory for all but one: a priestess named Kaho from the village of Lun. If only Kaho could somehow gain audience with the Queen, Her Majesty could surely be convinced to lend her power to help save the land and its inhabitants from certain doom―but time is short, and each coming night falls darker than the last...  
Reverie Under The Moonlight is the fourth installment in the Momodora series of side-scrolling action platformers, featuring melee combos, dodge mechanics, and a plethora of items and spells to unleash upon your enemies. Play casually to fully take in and enjoy the rich setting and engaging, mysterious story, or crank up the difficulty to run your reflexes through a truly brutal gauntlet.  
*   Beautifully animated graphics  
*   Exciting action gameplay: pull off impressive combos, dodge attacks, and skewer enemies with arrows  
*   Intense boss battles with challenging patterns and epic scale  
*   Difficulty settings appropriate for all types of players―from story and setting lovers to hardcore action enthusiasts  
*   A breadth of items that can be combined to facilitate new strategies  
*   An amazingly diverse world to explore, filled with secrets and treasures  
*   Eccentric allies and foes with compelling personalities  
*   Mysterious lore and rich backstory woven into events, dialogue, and item descriptions
For this fourth installment in the Momodora series―which actually serves a prequel to the previous games―the primary focus during development was on improvements to the gameplay and art. The combat gameplay has truly evolved since the days of Momo III, and the character sprites are now bigger and better animated.  
We also made an effort to include more tiny details here and there, expand on the world lore, and create more exciting boss battles.  
I believe this is the best Momodora game in the series, and definitely the most polished title so far.  
Most of us at Playism grew up playing video games during the early days of the NES, and throughout the years, action-platformers have been some of the staples in our respective game libraries. Long before “Metroidvania” was a thing, we fell in love with the original Castlevania series, as well as with other Hall of Famers such as the Metroid, Contra, and Ninja Gaiden games. About halfway through the lifecycle of the first-generation PlayStation, sprite-based game development took an unfortunate nosedive, and the sorts of games we loved most and grew up with just weren't being made as frequently or, frankly, with as much love and care as they once were.  
Indie game development really helped to reinvigorate both the sprite-based action-platformer genre and the magic of actual sprite animation. rdein's games combine what we’ve always loved about tight-action 2D gaming with splendid influences from more modern games like Dark Souls. The dedication to your actions necessitated by animation locks; the insane intensity driving the boss fights and how epic it is that this quaint little heroine can tackle these heroic endeavors; the attention to detail in the environments, designs, and animations... all of this stuff is simply stunning and rdein pulls it off to beautiful effect.  
Then there’s also the story itself, which is also a masterpiece in game storytelling: a strange, mysterious world that you inhabit with countless hopeless souls whom you are trying to save. There is painstaking detail in every item, every snippet of dialogue. You find yourself constantly readjusting how you feel about these people. You're trying to save them, but do they even want to be saved? Or should you be more worried about that awkwardly sinister tone in their voices...?  
Momodora: RUTM shouldn’t exactly be categorized as “Metroidvania” or “Souls-like”, but there certainly are elements of both contained within. It's a game of its own, and it’s one of the best entries in the mind-bogglingly expansive genre of side-scrolling action-platformers. We at Playism all love the game, and we can state with absolute confidence that if you’ve bothered to read this far, then you certainly will, too.

Release date: Mar 4, 2016

Categories: Action Platformer, Metroidvania, Soulslike Combat, Exploration, Multiple Endings, Character Progression

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 10; verdict: The Tourist; summary: The primary user complaints focus on navigation inadequacy (missing map markers) and overall unfriendliness, forcing players to rely on external memory aids, maps, or Wikipedia to progress. A minor mention of using external sources confirms a dependency on third-party data, but the dominant barrier is spatial navigation rather than resource farming, inventory management, or complex mechanics.
- Proton/Linux: score 5; verdict: Works Well; summary: Based on the single user review, the game runs on Linux without any reported problems. No negative feedback or workarounds are mentioned, indicating a very low friction level for Proton or native Linux support.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game shows mixed Steam Deck performance. While some users report smooth native play, others face crashes causing save data loss and complain about unpolished controller and UI support. These issues require adjustments but the game remains playable.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $9.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews show a clear split: some players feel $9.99 is fair for the game's quality and art, while others criticize its short length (around 4-5 hours) and recommend waiting for a sale. This tension suggests the community's fair price range lies between a lower sale price and the current full price, with many leaning toward a price closer to $5–$7. The evidence supports a range from $5 (a common sale point) to $9.99 (the price some still consider justified).
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 6.0h
  - Story completion: 4.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 8.0h
  - Reasoning: The main story/campaign completion time is around 4.5 hours based on a direct report of a first playthrough in one sitting. Game completion (typical total time to finish the game with some exploration) is consistently reported as 5-6 hours, with a clear 6-hour streamed completion. Endgame hours are derived from the difference between story completion (~4.5-5 hours) and 100% completion (13 hours), yielding about 8 hours for post-story content, achievements, and higher difficulties. No reliable evidence was found for typical single-session length, so that field is null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game presents a challenging start with instant kills and a confusing map, but many players report that it becomes enjoyable after about 30-45 minutes as they adapt and acquire upgrades, with tight controls and addictive gameplay eventually shining through.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After initial difficulty subsides and upgrades are acquired
  - Time to anchor: 0h 35m
  - Friction: instant kill traps and pits; strict save system with progress loss on death; confusing map presentation; high damage from enemies even in tutorial; clunky or slow movement initially; repetitive combat for some
  - Unlock drivers: acquiring health and upgrade sigils; learning enemy patterns and map layout; adjusting to controls; gaining powerful items like the bow
  - Conditions: playing on lower difficulty if finding hard too punishing; having patience for the learning curve; embracing exploration despite risk; using sigils to customize playstyle
- Player Archetypes:
  - Metroidvania Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Accessible entry into the metroidvania genre
    - Playstyle: Explores areas methodically, learns boss patterns at a forgiving pace, enjoys straightforward progression
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: beginner; casual gamer; metroidvania newbie
    - Reference games: Hollow Knight
  - Difficulty Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Rewarding challenge and mastery of game mechanics
    - Playstyle: Aggressive but controlled play, uses dodge and ranged attacks, seeks optimal builds and secret items
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: veteran; souls-like fan; achievement hunter
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Hollow Knight; Blasphemous
  - Short Session Enjoyer (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoy a concise, aesthetically pleasing game with low time commitment
    - Playstyle: Plays in one or two sittings, explores secrets leisurely, appreciates art and music
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual; art lover; short game enthusiast
    - Reference games: Undertale


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Stunning pixel art visuals. (weight 0.63): Players overwhelmingly praise the game's pixel art, describing it as beautiful, detailed, and alive. The art style is considered a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.
- Excellent soundtrack and atmosphere. (weight 0.35): The soundtrack is frequently highlighted as outstanding and perfectly fitting the game's atmosphere, with special mention of boss music. The atmospheric quality is seen as immersive and engaging.
- Challenging and varied boss fights. (weight 0.34): Boss fights are described as enjoyable, fair, and well-designed with distinctive patterns and unique mechanics. Players appreciate the variety and the challenge they offer.
- Well-designed level and map. (weight 0.26): The level design is praised as clever, interconnected, and well-thought-out, with useful shortcuts and good map design that encourages exploration without hand-holding.
- Short but satisfying experience. (weight 0.2): Many players describe the game as short but sweet, with a well-paced length that is neither too long nor too short. The concise experience is seen as a positive trait.
- Fast and responsive combat. (weight 0.15): The combat system is lauded for being fast, satisfying, and challenging but learnable. Players enjoy the responsive controls and quick-paced action.
- Smooth and polished gameplay. (weight 0.11): Players note that the gameplay is smooth from the start, with responsive controls and no bugs or delays. The overall smoothness contributes to an enjoyable experience.
- Captivating story and narrative. (weight 0.11): The story is described as captivating and interesting, even though it is minimalist. Players appreciate the narrative and how it complements the gameplay.
- Rewarding no-hit boss mechanics. (weight 0.11): Unique rewards for completing boss fights without taking damage add significant replayability and challenge. Players find this system engaging and motivating.
- Good replay value overall. (weight 0.11): The game offers good replayability, particularly for achievement hunting and across different difficulty modes. This encourages multiple playthroughs.

Common complaints:
- Instant death from traps (weight 0.3): Spike traps and other environmental hazards cause instant death, which is considered unfair, especially given high health pools. This is a major frustration point for players.
- Game is too short (weight 0.3): Many players find the game very short, with completion times around 4-6 hours. This is a common complaint across multiple clusters.
- Save points are sparse (weight 0.19): Save points are few and far apart, leading to tedious backtracking and loss of progress upon death. This increases frustration.
- Map lacks markers (weight 0.09): The map does not allow placing markers to highlight locations, making navigation and tracking secrets difficult.
- Death penalty resets progress (weight 0.08): Dying resets progress to the last manual save point, causing loss of significant progress and requiring re-fighting bosses.
- Difficulty is unfair (weight 0.07): The difficulty is considered unfair, especially on harder modes, and even the easiest mode can be too challenging for some players.
- Combat system is simplistic (weight 0.07): Combat is described as simple, one-dimensional, and shallow, lacking depth and variety.
- Generic Metroidvania experience (weight 0.07): The game is seen as a generic Metroidvania with no standout features or mechanics, feeling very basic.
- Story is unclear (weight 0.07): The story is not clearly presented or important, leaving players confused about the narrative.
- NPCs lack depth (weight 0.07): NPC characters have little depth or interesting interactions, making them forgettable.
- Bosses are unmemorable (weight 0.07): Boss fights are considered simplistic, uninteresting, and easy to forget.
- Fast travel is too late (weight 0.07): Fast travel is obtained too late in the game, making backtracking tedious and time-consuming.
- Final boss is too easy (weight 0.07): The final boss is seen as bland and too easy, providing a weak climax to the game.
- Keyboard controls are awkward (weight 0.07): Keyboard controls take time to get used to and can be confusing, affecting gameplay experience.
- Hidden collectibles are frustrating (weight 0.07): Some hidden collectibles are too well hidden without clues, forcing players to use guides, which is frustrating.

Gameplay feedback:
- Classic Metroidvania Gameplay (weight 0.43): The game is widely described as a classic retro-style Metroidvania with influences from Castlevania and Mega Man, featuring exploration, character upgrades, and non-linear progression.
- Soulsvania Genre Blend (weight 0.4): Many reviews highlight the fusion of Metroidvania exploration with Souls-like combat elements, creating a challenging 2D action game inspired by Dark Souls and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
- Mechanics: Leaf and Bow Combat (weight 0.26): Combat primarily uses a leaf for melee attacks and a bow for ranged attacks, with the bow having chargeable levels and a three-hit melee combo.
- Pixel Art Side-Scrolling (weight 0.21): The game features 2D pixel art side-scrolling visuals, reminiscent of classic action-adventure titles and comparable to Hollow Knight.
- Challenging Difficulty and Spikes (weight 0.2): The game is noted for its challenging difficulty, with spike pits causing instant death and some No-hit boss challenges, even on easy mode.
- Exploration with Secrets (weight 0.2): Exploration is encouraged through hidden areas, false walls, and various gimmicks, rewarding players with secrets and No-damage bonuses.
- Multiple Difficulty Modes (weight 0.2): The game offers multiple difficulty options including Easy, Normal, Hard, and Insane, allowing players to choose their preferred challenge level.
- Multiple Endings (weight 0.1): The game features at least two endings, including a bad and a true ending, which adds replay value and narrative depth.
- New Game+ Mode (weight 0.07): The inclusion of a New Game+ mode offers additional replayability after completing the initial playthrough.
- Platforming Elements (weight 0.07): The game includes platforming sections and elements, though they are not the primary focus, blending action and traversal.

Performance notes:
- Steam Deck works well (weight 0.08): The game runs perfectly on Steam Deck according to two users. However, one user reported crashes when changing resolution.
- Crashes on different systems (weight 0.08): Several users report crashing after the second boss, on alt+tab or controller change, or generally. This indicates stability issues on certain configurations.
- Steam Input adds lag (weight 0.03): A user notes that Steam Input increases input lag, which can impact gameplay responsiveness.
- Game launch fails (weight 0.03): A user on a low-end notebook reports that the game fails to launch properly, with only audio playing.
- No ultrawide support (weight 0.03): The game lacks ultrawide monitor support, resulting in a black screen on such displays.
- Bug report solution available (weight 0.03): One user notes that the game may not work on some systems but there is a bug report solution.

Recommendations:
- Great value for money (weight 0.35): The game is frequently described as worth every penny, especially with its low price tag. Many players feel it offers good value even at full price, while others recommend grabbing it on sale for an even better deal.
- Excellent for Metroidvania beginners (weight 0.32): Multiple reviewers recommend this game as the perfect entry point for players new to the Metroidvania genre, praising its simplicity and accessibility.
- Perfect for fans of Metroidvania (weight 0.24): The game is repeatedly praised as a must-play for established Metroidvania enthusiasts, with some calling it a solid entry for those who enjoy the genre's exploration and progression mechanics.
- Highly recommended overall (weight 0.19): Many reviewers give a general strong recommendation to try the game, noting its overall quality and appeal across different player types.
- Ideal for short sessions (weight 0.19): With a playtime under 6 hours, reviewers highlight this as a great choice for players wanting a brief but impactful experience that can be finished quickly.
- Challenging but manageable (weight 0.12): Reviewers note that the game offers a good level of challenge, particularly for fans of difficult platformers. Some advise careful consideration of difficulty settings, with mixed opinions on starting with hard mode.
- Buy without hesitation (weight 0.12): Several enthusiastic reviewers strongly advise purchasing the game immediately, emphasizing it as a can't-miss title for genre fans.
- Great for platformer fans (weight 0.11): Fans of 2D action-platformers and exploration games will find this title rewarding, as it combines tight platforming with Metroidvania elements.
- Worth playing overall (weight 0.07): The game is consistently described as worth the time and effort, even for those who may find the difficulty a bit steep.

Other player notes:
- Played on someone else's account (weight 0.02): The player mentioned they played the game on their boyfriend's account. While this is not a direct critique of the game itself, it could imply the player is not the primary owner or may have limited access to their own experience.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.19): Players frequently report frustration due to instant-death traps (especially spikes) combined with a manual save system that forces long runbacks and loss of progress. Additional causes include unfair difficulty, poor controls (slippery movement, unresponsive jump), lack of checkpoints, and tedious backtracking. Several players also cite bugs, crashes, and missing quality-of-life features like customizable controls and detailed map markers.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.16): Satisfaction stems from the game's polished pixel art, smooth combat, and well-designed exploration that rewards mastery. Players appreciate the balanced challenge, responsive controls, and the feeling of progression when completing areas or achievements. Many found the game a solid value for its price, with a short but fulfilling experience that leaves a positive impression.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): Players enjoyed the fun gameplay, attractive pixel art, and rewarding exploration typical of a metroidvania. The combat is described as addictive and fluid, with good pacing and varied attacks. Many highlighted the charming atmosphere, cute characters, and overall polished experience as reasons for their enjoyment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment primarily comes from the game being too short (around 4-5 hours) and lacking depth in story, boss design, and overall content. Players felt the difficulty was too low, combat repetitive, and endings unsatisfying. Some also noted poor map design, lack of language support, and a sense that the game has untapped potential compared to other metroidvanias.
- Admiration (weight 0.08): Admiration is directed at the game's beautiful pixel art, atmospheric soundtrack, and smooth animations. Many players consider it one of the best-looking games in the genre, praising the detailed enemy designs, evocative world, and the overall high-quality presentation. The combination of aesthetics and responsive gameplay earns strong praise.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement comes from discovering engaging mechanics like the cat transformation, fluid combat with roll mechanics, and challenging boss fights that rival classics like Hollow Knight. Players felt drawn into the world and motivated to explore secrets, complete no-hit challenges, and anticipate sequels. The game's improvement over previous series entries also generated enthusiasm.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation is expressed for the game's solid metroidvania design, good production quality, and appealing pixel art and soundtrack. Players value the non-linear exploration, tough but fair challenge, and unique features like cute enemies and no-damage rewards. The atmospheric world and engaging story also contribute to a positive reception.
- Delight (weight 0.03): Delight arises from the game's cute and well-animated pixel art, fluid gameplay, and relaxing soundtrack. Players were charmed by the cat transformation and the overall aesthetic, finding the exploration fun and the world engaging. Many finished the game in one sitting due to its captivating nature.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is driven by the game exceeding expectations, especially given its low profile or the player's typical genre preferences. Players were impressed by the high quality, unexpected difficulty, and the emotional impact of the world. The contrast between expected gore and actual cute presentation also elicited positive surprise.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance stems from tedious backtracking, lack of map markers, and forced repetition via missable collectibles or achievement grinding. Some players found boss mechanics or control issues (like idle animations breaking immersion) bothersome. The need for external guides to find secrets also contributed to irritation.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love is expressed for the game's overall experience, with particular emphasis on the cute art style, cat transformation, and the way it resonates with players personally. Many describe it as a favorite metroidvania or a game that made them fall in love with the genre. The combination of pixel art, character design, and soundtrack creates a strong emotional attachment.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is directed at overly high difficulty on normal mode, poor controls described as unenjoyable, and cheap enemy placements that lead to unavoidable damage. Technical issues like crashes after boss fights and a pretentious story also fueled negative reactions. The death penalty and lack of forgiveness were common pain points.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia comes from the game evoking memories of classic metroidvanias like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Players appreciated the retro 16-bit aesthetics, CRT display compatibility, and the familiar gameplay loop. Long-term positive memories of previous playthroughs also contributed to this feeling.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is generated by the fun gameplay, cute pixel art, and the adorable cat transformation. Players felt energized by the exploration and perfect movement, with cool boss fights and a charming presentation elevating the experience. The combination of engaging story and appealing aesthetics created a consistently positive mood.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief follows from the game being more accessible than harder metroidvanias like Hollow Knight or Blasphemous, with no instant-death spikes and a manageable map size. Players appreciated the appropriate length and pressure-free exploration, allowing smooth progress. Some felt relief after completing what they considered a bad experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is sparked by absurd yet memorable boss mechanics, like hitting a witch's chest to defeat her, and the character's instant death from spikes despite combat prowess. The ability to turn into a cute sleeping cat and the developer adding ladders specifically for that form also entertained players. Silly deaths and fittingly melancholic soundtrack choices added to the humor.
- Pleasure (weight 0.01): Pleasure comes from the overall enjoyable experience, including beautiful locations and music, well-designed pixel art and level design, and satisfying attack feedback. Players left with pleasant, slightly melancholic memories and felt rewarded by achieving 100% completion. The first playthrough and smooth gameplay were highlights.
- Slight disappointment (weight 0.01): Slight disappointment is expressed about the game being too easy, with coins becoming useless and incentivizing skipping enemies. The story lacks depth and the overall scale feels smaller than larger metroidvanias. Some players wanted more stimulation and content, noting strong homages to classics but less originality.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is evoked by the short length and the melancholic, tragic story where the protagonist sacrifices herself. Players felt the true ending lacked proper closure and that the narrative's emotional beats, while powerful, left a lingering sense of loss. The overall tone is described as a sad night walk retracing a tragedy.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): Relaxation is enabled by the game's low difficulty, calm and chill vibe, and lack of stress. Players found the experience soothing, with gentle exploration and no pressure to perform perfectly. The easy mode and minimal punishment contributed to a relaxing gameplay loop.}