Create your perfect sculptor with human clay in Moonscars.

Before Final Fantasy IV, before Sailor Moon, before going to a planetarium for the first time, I’ve always been fascinated by the moon. I have no idea why. But, I have been and always will be. Whether it’s as a celestial body in our world or something in a fictitious world, the moon continues to find itself in my purview and in pop culture. Obviously, that has trickled into video games. So, when a game is titled “Moonscars” I instantly gravitate (heh) towards it. Moonscars is a 2D Metroidvania sprinkled with a touch of Souls-like gameplay. Seeing that description filled me with some annoyance and caused my eyes to roll a few times. But, the moon works in mysterious ways. About 15 hours later and with a platinum trophy, I’m here writing a review for it.

Moonscars takes place in a desolate land void of life where the only light comes from the Moon Goddess. It’s unclear how things came to be in such a state. That’s a question Grey Irma wants an answer to. She also wants answers as to why she exists. Grey Irma is a clayborn: a living clay mold created in the image of a human. Her human blueprint was a noble of high acclaim, thus making Grey Irma one of the elite Pristine clayborns. However, she has no recollection as to why she’s been resurrected or the history of her human form. A mysterious voice informs Grey Irma to seek the sculptor Zoran to find these answers. Zoran is the creator of the clayborns and has a lot of explaining to do.

Like the player, Grey Irma is thrown into a bizarre world with little understanding behind the whys. Moonscars is yet another game where players are supposed to fill in the blanks. That’s the bad news. Unlike so many other Souls-likes, Moonscars’ lore is slightly easier to piece together. When you do, it’s clear that the developers at Black Mermaid were going through some stuff. This game is dark and depressing. Grey Irma’s banter with the characters she encounters often lightens the mood, but there is nothing light about the overall narrative and atmosphere. A great script and bleak atmosphere combine into an enjoyable story.

When you gain control of Grey Irma, it’s clear that Moonscars falls into the “easy to learn, but hard to master” territory. Controls are simple and tight. Grey Irma moves swiftly, she can jump, she can dash on the ground and in the air, and she has a standard three-hit combo. There’s also a charge attack which can push enemies. Fun fact: you can push enemies into spikes, and it never gets old. She can also acquire a sub-weapon that can be used to inflict ailments. These are discovered at save points (Black Mirrors) and after boss fights. You can swap between sub-weapons at the cost of items called Glands. My favorite was the spear since it had a long reach and slowed enemies down. As enemies fall, she’ll gain Bone Powder and experience. The powder is used to unlock Witchery (magic abilities) and purchase accessories. She can equip up to three at a time. Gaining enough experience allows her to unlock Spite Abilities. These are randomized and include instant recovery, increased healing, or higher chances for critical hits. Over time, Grey Irma will unlock permanent abilities that will help with navigating the large map and permanent upgrades that boost her damage output, health, and ichor. I’ll cover ichor below.

Another ability Grey Irma has at the start is the parry. The timing is tricky. This might be her most important maneuver because enemies are relentless. All enemies hit hard and fast. All bosses have multiple attacks that require precision to guard/dodge. Grey Irma is a capable warrior, but it’s clear that she’s made of clay because it doesn’t take long for her health bar to fall. Parrying not only opens enemies up for a counterattack, but it also recovers substantial ichor. You restore ichor via melee attacks. Ichor has multiple uses. It allows her to use Witchery, it can turn statues into allies, and it can be transferred to her health. Moonscars features a delicate dance of attacking, attempting to parry, and healing. It’s intense, but it doesn’t take long for it to become second nature.

Naturally, you’ll die. A lot. Death means losing all your bones and Spite Abilities. The powder can be recovered by revisiting the spot she died. Spite, however, will need to be “leveled up” again. So, in a weird twist, the more you die the more difficult the game gets. To add, the moon will turn red after enough deaths which increases the damage regular enemies do. You can undo this by using Glands. The only time things became frustrating for me was during boss battles that felt more like shmups than a Metroidvania. Otherwise, combat and exploration were gratifying.

Moonscars’ look has a lot of browns, grays, black, and reds. The color palette is limited, but it works remarkably well given the game’s setting. I was worried that the muddiness of it would make it hard to play but I was surprised with how well everything came together, especially when the size and scale of the map are considered. The music is haunting and lovely; it feels right at home. Voice acting is limited but works. The sounds are visceral. Hearing the cutting of clay and flesh alike sounds correct.

Others might feel differently, but one of the problems with Moonscars is that it’s easy to miss side-quests and the rewards that come with them. There’s a lot that can be accidentally skipped or overlooked. I had a guide handy, and I was still nervous about messing something up on the way to the platinum. On the other hand, Moonscars can be finished in as little as five hours so quick retries are possible. In some weird way, I’m a little bummed that I saw everything that Moonscars offered because it means there’s little reason for a replay. Moonscars does just enough stuff differently to stand out in a market saturated by a certain sub-genre. Its quick completion time, unique setting, and simple yet elegant combat are a solid package. I realize that there are a lot of games out there that do certain things better than Moonscars, but I still say give this game a glance. Like a clay sculptor, things come together in a way that just works.

Overall, 8/10: The moon is hungry and the clay is malleable. Moonscars delivers a fun, challenging, and interesting 2D adventure.