As Lovecraftian horror, sometimes referred to as cosmic horror, continues to be popularized, we see more and more games coming out that are inspired by the works of the classic king of horror, H.P. Lovecraft. This time the term “cosmic horror” is certainly more appropriate as we play through a story experience that takes place entirely on the surface of the red planet. Taking us to Mars is Rock Pocket Games, teamed up with Funcom, in their latest game Moons of Madness. This game was one that was hard to put down and I enjoyed getting through it in just a couple of long-game sessions, solving puzzles and trying to understand my hallucinations all while trying to survive.

Story

Taking on the role of the Engineer of a small team on a secret mission to Mars, you will be tasked with general maintenance and ensuring everything stays up and running, if not fixing it right as it breaks. However, it isn’t long before you come across some oddities that lead you down a series of events and tasks that get stranger the further you proceed. What is happening to the base? Where did the violent creatures come from?

Gameplay

I would say that this game is easily more sci-fi and puzzle focused than it is a horror game. There are certainly some scary moments, dangerous creatures, and an eerie atmosphere in multiple sections of the game, but anything Lovecraft will have these aspects. Most of your time will be spent venturing through areas, finding key items you need, and completing puzzles in a variety of styles.

With that in mind, I am happy to say that the horror in this game doesn’t deal with jump scares. There are a couple of moments to watch out for, but the horror lies in the fact that you are defenseless. If the creature does appear in the section of the game you are in, regardless of which one it is, you will have to avoid it at all costs. Generally, this just means finding the right path to take and getting through it as fast as possible, but going too slow or making the wrong turn can get you killed. There is only one time that you will fight back against one of these creatures, but it is in a way that is plausible (given the setting) and is done through quick-time events. I did like that it wasn’t the typical quick-time event style though as you had to line up where the attack was supposed to go before you are prompted and all of the time to do this is on the same timer before you are killed.

Puzzles in this game come in the form of tasks or typical duties you would have to do as an engineer on this base. Find the power cores, line up the solar panels, turn the generator back on, fix the pipes to drain the flooded room, but then there are some that go more towards progress through the oddities. These ranged from making a poison, finding higher key cards, returning power to a specific PC to look through files and initiate an action, and so on. There were a few puzzles that were your standard fashion expected, like make a pathway through a mixed-up pipe maze, but they had some unique ones as well which gave the game a unique feeling through the experience.

It was also a nice touch that they didn’t hold your hand through any part of the game. Even when it comes to using your space suit for outdoor sections, you have to watch your own oxygen level and make sure it stays up, change the atmosphere of the room when entering or exiting a base, and so on. They even took this fact a step further when they added a part of the game where you are forced out to the harsh atmosphere of Mars and have to get to a specific door that has the spacesuit you need.

Keeping updated on your current objective is made easy thanks to the wrist monitor you have. It is used for a variety of things, lore-wise, but as for the gameplay aspect, it is your current task list and your inventory. You won’t ever need to actually look through your inventory, but the option is there if you want to check your items out, which is a nice touch.

Do note that there is another section of this game that adds a whole new level of unique atmosphere, puzzles, and even a general style of gameplay that isn’t present in a lot of the game. To explain what this is would be a spoiler on its own and so I will be omitting it. But be warned that when you reach this unmentioned section of the game, you will need to pay more attention to your surroundings than you did during any other part of the game leading up to this point.

Graphics and Sound

While they didn’t go for a realistic look, their graphic style was very fitting for the type of game they provided. It provided a strange atmosphere without being overbearing on the fact that there are also creatures and various oddities throughout the game. The visuals didn’t seem out of place regardless if you were on the base, out in the field, or within a hallucination.

Providing soft music, if not being music-less, during the puzzle sections helped with the concentration, as well as making the music used for the intense moments of the game more prominent. Add that with the sound effects used to bring the atmosphere, creatures, and characters to a level of “real” for the player made their sound an overall job well done.

Replayability

There are two endings to the game, but even if you wait for the credits to finish rolling and then hit resume again you can just make a different final choice to see what that ending is. Other than wanting to relive the experience the game provides or thoroughly reading every note and email, there is no reason to play through the game again.

What Could Be Better

Sometimes when I was grabbed by one of the creatures, for some reason I would fall to the ground and then rise back into their grasp a time or two before it counted the death. I tried moving or escaping after the first time, but I never was able to do so. This leads me to believe this was a glitch and kind of ruined the horror aspect of being grabbed.

Conclusion

Moons of Madness is a crazy, puzzle-filled adventure! By far one of the best Lovecraftian themed horror games I have played. If you enjoy brain-teasing puzzles, venturing through a strange atmosphere, and trying to understand the oddities of a mad man’s journey, then this is the perfect game for you. I highly recommend this for fans of horror, sci-fi, and Lovecraft!