Moonscarsis an upcoming 2D soulslike metroidvania from developer Black Mermaid.Hollow Knight,Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night,Ender Lilies,Blasphemous, andSalt and Sanctuaryare among the many examples of metroidvania titles that have tried to harness some of whatmakes soulslikes so popular.Moonscarsis one of the next titles to adopt this approach, and it certainly seems to be differentiating itself with a visually striking art design.
Moonscarswill launch next month, and developer Black Mermaid has released a slew of details alongside publisher Humble Games to get fans excited. It will feature skill-based combat where every death is “a lesson learned,” a concept thatDark Soulsfans will be familiar with. Promising a non-linear 2D world full of mystery and intrigue,Moonscarsis keen to carve out its own identity, despite drawing heavy inspiration to similar titles such asCastlevaniaandDark Souls.
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Moonscars Wears its Inspirations on its Sleeve
It’s almost impossible to talk about the metroidvania genre without bringing up its namesakes, theMetroidandCastlevaniaseries.Castlevania’s 1997 titleSymphony of the Nightin particular pioneered the genre, and laid the groundwork for a multitude of titles that came after it. A deep RPG offering players multiple choices and routes to take,Symphony of the Nightproduced a blueprint thatMoonscarsis just one of the latest games to use.Castlevaniawas also able to capture a gothic, Lovecraftian aesthetic that really added to its intense atmosphere.
Dark Soulshas also spawned its own sub-genre, the soulslike, that left a lasting impact on the industry. Combining raw difficulty with deep, cryptic lore and robust combat,Dark Soulsand its subsequent sequels from developer FromSoftware have sold millions of copies worldwide. Games likeCode Vein,Dolmen, andMortal Shellhave all tried to replicate theDark Soulsformula, with differing results.
The other title that immediately springs to mind when looking at the art design ofMoonscarsis Spanish developer The Game Kitchen’sBlasphemous, which released in 2019. With a plot that revolves around a religious land and cursed inhabitants,Blasphemoushas tough combat and memorable bossesthat clearly had a hand in formingMoonscars' look.
Moonscars has a Promising Premise
Publisher Humble Games has describedMoonscars' world as “unforgiving,” and judging by the look of the grim environments on display, it’s easy to see why. Gamers will play as the mysterious Grey Irma, a “clayborne” made of clay, bone and ichor. Grey Irma must track down The Sculptor, who is responsible for creating her, in an effort to understand why she was brought to be. Similar toDark Souls, players can expect lots of loreto uncover as they make their way through the game. Just what has happened to civilization, why it’s in ruins, and why it is now inhabited by so many monstrous beings are mysteries that the player must uncover.
There is no real way to block, aside from the standard parry mechanic, so the player will need to be aggressive, swinging Grey Irma’s huge sword accurately and efficiently. Players can expect to die a lot, but that is thevery nature of the soulslike genre, so this shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Grey will also have special abilities known as Witchery, which she will be able to unlock and upgrade as the game unfolds; including traversal abilities to revisit older areas.
Moonscarsreleases September 27 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox One.
