To The Moon Reviewed By Luke "Lukaz" Withoos

Rating: 80% (Ratings Key/Explanation)

Modern day video gaming has changed quite considerably. Most gamers are looking for the next big hit. They are looking for that big kill; that ultimate face to face combat; that multiplayer aspect where they can get their rage out and team up with their friends to shoot people.

While I do like the odd game of Counter-Strike and even the occasional game of Battlefield, I tend to spend more of my time playing things that are interesting; not necessarily a big hit.

Over the last few years, the gaming industry has seen a massive shift in the way titles are made and released. Sure, we still have the big players; such as EA, Activision/Blizzard, Ubisoft, Square-Enix and many others that release AAA titles regularly. However, I have noticed a considerable shift in the way smaller companies are releasing their titles.

Many studios struggle for funding and either go out on a limb to create something great that they hope to sell to gamers and turn to profit. These companies release these games for a price that is often comparable to the level of quality expected from the studio. As these studios have never released a game; you can imagine that these games are pretty cheap.

So is the life of an indie game studio. There are many of them out there; and where there are many that thrive, there are just as many, if not more that fail. For me, indie games give me something that the AAA titles do not; simple, easy fun. I could name a huge list of games that occupy my steam catalog, but I won't. It's just too excessive.

I raise this shift in media to bring emphasis to a game title that I recently purchased called To The Moon. It was on sale through Steam and everyone was talking about it, so I bought the game for myself and a buddy (complete with soundtrack as the proceeds of the soundtrack sales go to charity) so that we could check this game out in our own time.

While only a short game, the game concepts in To The Moon are very simple. To compare this game to a JRPG is simple; just look at the graphic style; but as the game was made by a Canadian studio called FreeBird Games, it is obvious that there are many jokes carried over from western culture that give you a small giggle if you are that way inclined.

The short story that is To The Moon is simply that an old man by the name of Johnny is dying. While this may not seem monumental, it's important to know that you're starting at the end and working your way back.

Leading up to Johnny's death, he arranged for an organisation to come into his home and change his memories. The change was to allow him to make it to the moon. Johhny doesn't know why he wants this to happen, he just does, and it is up to you to find out why and make sure he gets there.

While Johnny's life won't change in reality, it will change in his memories, allowing him to reach his goals and be at peace when he goes.

According to this story, this process is only done upon a person's deathbed as the patient will become a vegetable after the process of reconstructing their memories is complete.

Seems ominous, and it really is. The scientists that are completing this process are fighting against the clock to make sure Johnny's memories are complete in the way that he had asked before he leaves this world forever.

I am always a fan of a great story, but none has dragged me through this many emotional highs and lows as the story unravels itself; while the scientists travel further and further back in time to understand who Johnny is and why he wants this so much.

I will recommend this game to absolutely anybody; and for a purchase of $10.00 it is certainly worth peoples money and time. The soundtrack is brilliant, and for those with a moral compass a portion of the $10 goes to charity.

It's not a very big game or a very long game, but I had fun. I enjoyed every minute and it's a story every gamer should play.