To the Moon

Contrary to what is usual in the gaming industry, it is extremely likely that the story of To the Moon was developed before its gameplay. Nevertheless, by emphasizing the construction of the narrative rather than how its events are controlled or guided by the player, Freebird Games still manages to create a unique and unforgettable experience. In To the Moon, it’s the story that captivates, the gameplay is just a mere tool to help tell it.

The game follows two scientists, Eva Rosalene and Neil Watts, who are hired to realize the dream of Johnny, an old man on his deathbed: he wants to go to the Moon. With the help of a strange machine, the two scientists are capable of entering their client’s subconsciousness and relive their memories, where they must plant the seed of the idea that will lead the client to fulfill their desire. As the client of the day wants to go to the moon, both plan to implant in his childhood the aspiration to become an astronaut, with the only obstacle residing in the fact that they can only move through the memories gradually, always starting with the most recent one. Because of this narrative structure, it can be said that, in a strange cinematic analogy, To the Moon is the love child of a relationship between Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception, and Amnesia – with a pixilated graphic style.

The game uses a simple but efficient formula: Neil and Eva enter a memory, relive it, and then begin to collect fragments of the next – these fragments are symbolized by colored orbs – to be able to break Johnny’s subconscious protection and use a specific object as a door to more distant memories. Controlling one of the scientists by the click of the mouse, the players must investigate the objects in the environments until they can find those that release these fragments. This dynamic, although very basic, is very efficient when used to guide the player, preventing them from getting lost without knowing what to do to proceed. However, to break the “protection” of the object that will carry the scientists to the next memory, the player must also solve, for reasons that even the developers probably can’t fathom, a puzzle in which they must turn columns and rows of pieces that form the frame of that object. Fortunately, none of these puzzles are frustrating and most can be completed in a matter of minutes.

But as stated previously, To the Moon’s greatest strength lies in is its story. It accompanies Johhny’s life backward as both scientists try to understand the reasons behind his wish to go to the moon while witnessing all the stages of his relationship with his wife. Also worthy of praise is the game’s prose, since it manages to make Johnny’s love story feel authentic, especially when it is taken into account that the old man and his wife are two ugly and outdated blocks of pixels. Eva Rosalene and Neil Watts are also not far behind in terms of development, and the dynamic between the two is well-crafted and entertaining, serving as comic relief at numerous times. And, since the two work by invading memories every day, the often cynical and mundane way in which they watch the events unfold is extremely curious; the highlight being Neil’s nerd jokes and the gradual way with which the two begin to construct different opinions about Johhny’s life, which results in a satisfying climax that draws on the great Dumbledore reflection: “It is not because it is happening in your mind that it is not real.”

And if the plot doesn’t catch the player’s attention for any reason, the soundtrack – available on the game’s official website for only five dollars – certainly will. Composed by the director himself, Kan Gao, in partnership with Laura Shigihara, who worked on Plants vs. Zombies, the music, which focuses primarily on the piano, doubles down on the emotional side of the events and is one of the critical elements for the game’s success.

If To the Moon is ineffective at what could be conventionally considered crucial to a game – and the confusion that is one of its final sequences, in which the players need to throw shrubs in zombies while trying to dodge thorns in the hallway of a school, proves that – it matters little, for it excels in what it has truly set out to do: to move the player with its story. Thus, for five hours, players will not only get excited and have fun but will also pause to reflect on the imaginary lives of these characters. Amidst “AAA” games like Uncharted and Skyrim, with their cinematic set-pieces and ever-growing scope, it’s great to have a more restrained and intimate game like To the Moon.

December 04, 2018.

Review originally published in Portuguese on March 11, 2015.