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0 Moon Mystery is a sci-fi adventure FPS available now for PC by indie developer Cosmoscouts. It is a steady mix of gunplay, puzzles, and exploration across more than just a moon. Published by indie.io (HumanitZ, Coromon) and successfully backed via Kickstarter in May of 2023, you can pick it up over on Steam today. There are also plans for it to be available via GOG at a later date.
That’s no Moon!
With a title like Moon Mystery, one expects to spend a fair amount of time on the moon. I’m here to inform you that in this game, that is not the case. Are there any games that come to your mind when thinking how a simple title held a larger world than you expected within? I’d have to say this is definitely one of them for me.
Gameplay
In Moon Mystery, you set out to discover a way back home after investigating disappearance of staff on the moon and losing contact with Earth. With an AI companion that still remains always providing guidance and occasional commentary, your journey takes you to seven different planets over 15 levels as you search for answers and encounter remnants of alien life. You’ll experience a mixture of gunplay, vehicles, puzzles and platforming, and collecting as you explore the different biomes it has to offer. On top of those various aspects there is also a basic skill system that allows further customization to suit your playstyle as you progress.
Moon Mystery feels like it presses more on learning as much as possible about the travel technology left behind by another race. Thus far in my playthrough, I have only encountered their various robots that are more than ready to remove you from the area. Given the style of them I am guessing they are also a bipedal, humanoid race. Or maybe even perhaps a version of humanity from the future.
For a bunch of industrial-type robots, they sure seem to be packing enough heat – at least to melt your face if you’re not careful. Part of what I guess I would consider as side content is the finding and collecting of various alien holograms. They don’t appear to directly play into the objectives you’re given – but some do provide nice hints on top of the lore. The entries, once the AI puts them through translation, detail various aspects of the technology and you are encountering and what led the other race to the different locations you visit.
Highs
A few highlights of my time in Moon Mystery thus far are part of the core gameplay. The FPS gunplay works and feels very smooth. The various weapons in the game also seem to feel uniquely different from one another which is always a plus. You are also able to customize a few attachments to better suite your needs or playstyle. The skill point system also helps you focus on the guns you enjoy most.
The vehicle play and movement is also simple but again smooth and gets the job done. I do appreciate a reset button being available for when you easily flip one of those 4-wheel rovers. One thing to tweak though would be how obvious markers stand out in a vehicle. I spent a little more time than I’d like to admit moving about aimlessly because I had no idea where to go.
Lows
Some things more than others particularly stood out to me that could be better in Moon Mystery. First, I don’t like to be told immediately how to solve the puzzle or overcome the task. I’m appreciative of the hint, but not when it comes immediately as I see or approach the problem. Another issue I took with the game was too often finding grenades in loot boxes. For as little damage they seem to do, I really didn’t use them as often as the developer thinks I should. Also, for all the science within the game, I was expecting more complex names than just “Blue Material” and “Red Coal”. If there are more scientific-sounding names somewhere I did not see them or find them yet.
Another aspect I must point out is alien holograms in Moon Mystery. The first few I found I could not pick up due to not having any ability to understand the language on display. After hooking up with the AI companion though you are able to. The problem is, if you miss some somewhere or forget to pick them up you are not able to go back for them.
Realizing that I may not be able to obtain the ones I miss without having to run through the game again is frustrating. Though I suppose this isn’t much of a difference in comparison to collectables found in other games with separate levels. Maybe when finishing the game you are able to hand-pick a level? I think it was primarily those few I found in the beginning that I didn’t think to go back for in time that got me.
Graphics & Audio
Moon Mystery is only available on PC and I didn’t give it a try on my Steam Deck this go around. On PC the graphics are overall very smooth with my 4k resolution monitor. There are only intermittent times when I notice a slight lag where things appear to need to catch up. Thankfully this wasn’t game-breaking or noticeable enough to be a distraction. The models and environments are full of detail and blend well together. The animations, especially for the gunplay, are also on-point.
The audio track in Moon Mystery provides a chill vibe as you explore. As in any other adventure game, combat prompts a more intensive feeling. It also serves as an indicator of still being in combat when the enemy isn’t readily seen. Sound effects within the game also suit it well and are responsive to the player.
Longevity
I’m really not sure right now what sort of longevity Moon Mystery has. After I am done playing through the game I doubt I will return to it. Especially if there’s no way to track which alien holograms I left behind. Or a way to play only those areas instead of running through the whole game again. I also don’t recall if there was a difficulty slider from the get-go. Unless that also unlocks after a full playthrough, I don’t know that I’m that committed to finding everything on top of the Steam achievements.
Final Thoughts
I would love to give Moon Mystery more love. However, I am hesitant to do so without knowing what lies beyond that first complete playthrough. There are also various tweaks that could be made to the game. Mostly just simple quality of life things, that I’ve covered above. Saying that, this is not a bad game at all for Cosmoscouts‘ first release.
Moon Mystery is definitely deserving of the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here.
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