Hi - my name is Clive Lawrence aka tmwfa
Some exciting news to help round off June 2026...
It's been 4 weeks since Moonlite - 1975 launched on Steam! In celebration of this fact, you can now grab the free "Day 1 Demo" for Steam (PC). This demo will let you play the launch build/mode - aka Treasure Hunt - but the mission time limit is reduced from 3 days to 1 day (where 1 day = 1 in-game day).
You'll find a shiny new Download Demo button on the games store page:
Moonlite - 1975 - is a retro-inspired lunar-looting exploration-expedition. You play an unnamed astronaut armed with a trusty spacesuit, shovel, hammer and metal-detector as you undertake a time-limited moon mission on a quest for treasure, knowledge and more. The game is presented in a top-down 2D aesthetic and aims to channel some of my favourite sci-fi stories from the days-of-old. A screenshot from the central - B2 (tutorial) - quadrant of the moon is shown below:
The core gameplay has elements of exploration, survival and - most importantly - treasure-hunting. The game is currently in a pre-alpha state (a work-in-progress across the board) and I anticipate this will be in Early Access for at least 6-12 months. The following section gives an overview of getting started …
The game is controlled using keyboard and mouse. To begin with, you can move with WASD and run whilst moving by holding SHIFT. Start by collecting loose treasures and deposit them in the lander recycling box using E. You'll then receive the shovel, requiring you to dig-up treasure from X-marked spots (using Left Mouse Button); then, you'll get the detector - which will lead you to unmarked spots.
If you find yourself low on oxygen or stamina, you can rest inside the lander. Once you clear the tutorial, the ability to launch the lander is unlocked. Steering is like moving except you'll control the acceleration & torque of your vehicle. You're free to head in any direction you like from this point but you'll have to find a spot to land. Keep an eye on your landers own built-in detector to find a suitable space. Below is a recent video showcasing the core gameplay (includes [some] treasure spoilers):
Achievements are unavailable and you may run out of time before seeing all corners of the map. It's hoped, however, that this demo gives you a taste of the current gameplay vibe. The game is currently in a pre-alpha state and is a work-in-progress across the board. I'm keen to know your thoughts on the current gameplay so get in touch with any comments/feedback/bugs/suggestions in the forums:
Moonlite - 1975 General Discussions :: Steam Community
To read more about the main game, you can check out previous news articles here on Steam:
Early Access Launch Article - from 29th May 2026
Covers the Early Access build in more details
Patch Notes - from 25th June 2026
Details recent fixes & tweaks
My previous game - AToM - 1974 - a morse code training toy - is currently 67% off for the Steam Summer Sale. I've recently pushed an update to that game too - and a demo is also available:
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the demo.
Clive Lawrence @ tmwfa