Sometimes a game falls through the cracks. Not because of problems with the game, but the general nature of games journalism. Smaller games get pushed aside for the triple A titles full of coverage and clicks. This isn’t to demonize journo work, it’s hard to make a living in it. This is the context that brings me to Moonrise Fall, a game from solo developer Christopher Mathes. This is a title that didn’t get the coverage that other games had, and we had the key for a month. That feels very appropriate for a game about being lost, so let’s shed some light on this indie game.
After a car crash kills his parents, a young boy finds himself alone in a mysterious forest. With a guidebook for the area, a lantern and a camera, his only option is to explore the woods. There are many interpretations you can make about why this kid is trapped here, but that’s not as vital to enjoying the game as you’d think. It’s less about a strict narrative and more about emotion. Negative emotions run deep, and while morbid content is never shown there is something dark about these woods. It’s beautiful in its sadness, and it soaks in those anxieties and fears. Yet, with that focus on more upsetting emotions, it’s cathartic. As if the game is telling you “Yes, let’s explore being sad. Nothing wrong with that”.
Read the entire review HERE