To The Moon is a story of two doctors quest to fulfill a dying man's final wish. Using some device that can control memories, they go on a journey through his mind to take him to the moon.
It's a short game which took me a few hours to finish. To The Moon is a well-written, well-paced story filled with mystery and emotions, especially towards its satisfying ending!
Every jump through time
made me reconsider how I view the characters.
Niel & Eva are equally important as protagonists and through the game's story, the player alternates between who to control. While to them, all of this is a job they are kind hearted and want the best for their client. They also make a great comedic combo and I like their remarks on what they see.
The client Johnny, his wife River, and their friends are equally interesting. You get a glimpse of each character personality even if you meet them for a short time.
The way Johnny's story starts from his latest days and goes back gradually into his childhood is brilliant. There are always points that are left unexplained until leaping further in the past. I found that the relationship he has with his wife intriguing and the changes in his personality through time are well-thought-out.
I also like how they make some object in his life important mementos, the light-houses, rabbits and that one stuffed animal only the god knows what it is.
Unexpected for RPG Maker XP Game
The gameplay is similar to many RPG Maker games without combat, but there are some unexpected mechanics for a game made with that engine.
While in memories, you collect mementos which appear as orbs in the bottom of the screen. Moving the mouse cursor to the top of the screen shows where you are in the client's memory relative to their age.
An origami rabbit and a moon.
Reminds me of something.
Another area the game succeeds at is its mini-games. Preparing a memento for a memory jump is a mini-game where you flip squares to complete a picture. There's also a wack-a-mole mini-game which is kind of fun!
Well-paced Emotional Ride!
While there are parts I spent some time trying to find the next plot point. I like the way To The Moon pace its story. It's mostly linear and not long and that makes it easier to connect the dots.
I was like: "that explains a lot," many times through my experience. I thought more than once that the game might not end by sending Johnny to the moon. I also appreciate the small references to literature.
And now I understand why it's called one of the best indie games.