To The Moon

Freebird Games - 2011 - PC

So in the distant future, we apparently have the technology to alter people’s memories. To The Moon focuses on Dr. Neil Watts and Dr. Eva Rosalene, two memory traversal scientists who work for a company that uses memory altering technology to grant dying clients their last wish. Watts and Rosalene are hired by Johnny Wyles, an old man on his deathbed whose dying wish is to go to the moon.

You alternate control between Watts and Rosalene as you travel through Mr. Wyles entire life’s memories while you try to implant a memory of him going to the moon. If you hadn't guessed by the description so far, this is another narrative focused game. Actually the gameplay is somewhat analogous to Gone Home where advancing to the next scene in To The Moon requires examining different objects in the scene to determine if they’re relevant to the story or not. There’s also a few very simple puzzle solving bits in To The Moon, which I felt weren't really that fun and ultimately didn't add much to the game.

But man, the writing in this game was tight. This is a game that really “worked” for me in contrast to Gone Home. I found the characters relatable, interesting and very well defined, and once you get a feel for who all the characters are, the game keeps you interested by teasing you with the mystery of why Mr. Wyles dying wish is to go to the moon. This game conveys emotion with storytelling and music as well as any other game I've played, and it’s use of humor and comedic timing got me to laugh out loud a few times. The game’s tone alternates between humor, mystery and tragedy and touches on the themes of love, life and death. It borders on being overly sappy sometimes, but I found this game to be a pretty interesting commentary on life and human interactions told through a unique perspective of two people viewing a stranger’s life’s memories. I hear the creators are working on a sequel now that should be out soon, which I can’t wait to play.

Summary:
Again, there’s not much “game” to be had here, but if you want an excellent interactive story, check this out. It’s good stuff.