Beloved indie metroidvania series Momodora ends on a high note with Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
Metroidvania action game Momodora: Moonlit Farewell was released on January 11. Made by Brazilian developer Bombservice, it was released by PLAYISM. Available on PC (Steam) in 11 languages, the game has got off to a good start with a Very Positive status, with praise for the game’s pixel-art graphics, combat and atmosphere.
*Disclosure: The publisher PLAYISM is part of Active Gaming Media, which is also the owner of this website.
Momodera: Moonlit Farewell is the last title in the Momodera series of Metroidvania-style 2D action-exploration games, and is set 5 years after the previous game (Momodora III). The village of Koho suffers its greatest calamity yet when someone rings a bell, summoning a demon invasion. It’s now up to you, as arrow-shooting priestess Momo Reinol, to track down the bell ringer and find sacred Lun Trees in order to save the village.
Gameplay involves exploring intricate stages and fighting the enemies and bosses that appear. Momo can perform close-range melee attacks with her sacred maple leaf that can be chained into combos, and long-range attacks with her bow and arrow. Like in many metroidvania-type games, it is important to dodge enemy attacks well (Momo can roll) and time your own attacks accordingly. Defeating a boss can unlock new abilities, and allows you to explore new parts of the stage that were previously inpassable.
While exploring, you will come across items and Sigils that will strengthen your various stats. Sigils are obtainable from shops. Equipping Sigils allows you to customize Momo’s strengths to match your preferred playstyle. In addition, Momo can also explore the extensive stages with travel companions who provide support.
Momodera: Moonlit Farewell has a Very Positive review rating on Steam at the time of writing, with 90% of the 861 user reviews being positive. Many of these reviews seem to be from fans of Momodora, suggesting that the final game in the series meets their expectations. The beauty and detail of the game’s pixel art graphics and the soundtrack were particularly highlighted, with the gameplay making it a “solid metroidvania all round.” Momo’s ability to pet cats also seems to have gone down well.
Some players said that Momodera: Moonlit Farewell was easier to play in terms of difficulty and gameplay systems compared to the series’ previous titles. However, opinions were divided here, as some reviewers preferred the systems found in other Momodera games. For example, this time the developer did not implement the system where the player could obtain rare items by defeating bosses without taking any damage, as it had been poorly received in other Momodera titles. However, some players have called for this system to be brought back.
The number of concurrent players has peaked at around 1400 so far (SteamDB), far exceeding that of previous games in the series. The developer recently took to X to give thanks for all the support that Momo’s last outing has received.
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is available now on PC (Steam) with a 10% discount until January 19.
Written by. Verity Townsend based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2024-01-15 15:25 JST)
