If you love old-school games and you can remember Lemmings, you’ll probably adore Moons of Darsalon. It is a weird and wonderful game that tests your reactions, logical mindset, and grit. Furthermore, it has a dated appeal that is delightfully retro without being rough around the edges.
This puzzle platformer was developed and published by Dr. Kucho! Games. It is a single-player experience that focuses on a side-scrolling design. Moreover, pixelated aesthetics and basic audio take centre stage. As such, this retro title may not strike a chord with younger gamers.
Moons of Darsalon tells a tale of bravery and honour.
No one wishes to be stranded on an alien moon. However, this is the fate of the hardworking and unfortunate Darsanauts. This bunch of workers have been left isolated and lost on each barren moon. Luckily, a hero steps up to guide each person to the moon base and save the day.
The story is somewhat outlandish. However, it works perfectly with the sci-fi theme. Moreover, the alien backdrop has a distinct 80s edge. As you progress, things become increasingly tough. Aliens wish to destroy you, and spaceships do their best to ruin your day. However, an array of tools is at your disposal to overcome every obstacle.
Guns and terraforming.
Moons of Darsalon has some basic puzzle elements. Effectively, you must create new paths if you wish to rescue every person. Furthermore, there are voice commands to instruct every Darsanaut where to go. Follow me, wait, move left, and move right are the instructions you may use. Accordingly, you need to plan and hope that luck is on your side.
Luck isn’t the only tool at your disposal. A laser rifle, jet pack, torch, and terraforming tool let you carve new paths and overcome obstacles. As you explore each moon, you’ll discover ammo, a collectable, and a host of aliens. You can ignore each alien if you wish, but remember that you must rescue a finite number of survivors if you wish to proceed. This is easier said than done, and death and failure are the consequences of a poorly executed plan.
Moons of Darsalon is impressively dated.
The developer has combined an old-school handheld appearance and pixelated graphics to great effect. Moreover, the simple but impressive stage design is a joy to explore. You must traverse chasms, caves, and platforms as you move from beginning to end. Additionally, learning which surface can be destroyed and which cannot is essential to creating new pathways.
The audio is fantastic. The raspy commands sound perfect against the daunting musical backdrop. The synth soundtrack enhances the dated feel and has a sci-fi quality that matches its impressively old-school influences. Moreover, the sound effects are great even though they are refined.
Excellent controls.
It took a little practice to master Moons of Darsalon. However, once you understand the fundamentals, you’ll adore the excellent controls. Moving each survivor was a joy, and overcoming each problem was a pleasant test. The simple control layout is easy to understand, and swapping your weapons and flying through the air with the jet pack was amazing.
If you love finding secrets and testing your resolve, Moons of Darsalon will appeal. However, replay value is limited, and once you’ve nailed each of the 30 stages, you won’t return for more. Thankfully, every level has a glorious difficulty curve that keeps you coming back for more.
Moons of Darsalon is a well-thought-out game.
The simple mechanics and cheeky stage design make this a great game to play. I loved the interesting puzzles and the genuine eureka moments. Furthermore, it is a visual treat, and the audio has a great old-school edge. Accordingly, it is a well-thought-out game and I recommend buying it here! Can you become a hero and save the day? Destroy the aliens, forge new pathways, and get to the base.
