Ludography
70/100
Players32 ratings
66/100
Critics3 reviews
More scores
Metacritic23 critic reviews
75/100
Metacritic usersuser score
73/100
GameFAQsTough
3.83/5
Player reviews
82% positive1,229 reviews
Steam Deck
Playable
Runs on
Windows
Price
US$19.99

Where to get it

Moonscars cover

2022 · Black Mermaid · Adventure · Beat 'em up

Moonscars

Push the limits of your combat skills, and master new abilities to progress through an unforgiving nonlinear 2D world. Face off against the relentless darkness that seeks to destroy you. In Moonscars, every death is a lesson learnt—and as you overcome each challenge, new truths will be revealed.

Released
27 September 2022
Platforms
Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox OneXbox Series X/S
Genres
AdventureBeat 'em upHack and slashIndieMetroidvaniaPlatformer
Developers
Black Mermaid
Publishers
Humble Games
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Side view
Themes
Action
Age ratings
CERO DGRAC 15+PEGI 12ESRB TUSK 16ACB M
Languages
Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Spain), Turkish, Ukrainian
Time to beat
8.5hmain story15hcompletionist

About

Moonscars is a 2022 platform game developed by Black Mermaid and published by Humble Games. The game was released on September 27, 2022 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. In the game, players control a warrior named Grey Irma, who searches for her maker, the Sculptor. The game received generally positive reviews on release.

›Story

Under grim moonlight, the fierce clayborne warrior Grey Irma battles, driven by a lonesome purpose: Find the Sculptor, and unravel the mystery of her existence.

Push the limits of your combat skills, and master new abilities to progress through an unforgiving nonlinear 2D world. Face off against the relentless darkness that seeks to destroy you. In Moonscars, every death is a lesson learnt—and as you overcome each challenge, new truths will be revealed.

Before you rise, you first must fall. Mold yourself into a master warrior through a cycle of trial and triumph.

Explore the shadows and secrets concealed in the moonlight of a painterly nonlinear 2D realm marred by desperation and despair.

Sharpen your skills and reflexes in challenging, action-packed combat. Slash and parry with your sword, wield unique special weapons, and command powerful Witchery.

Unearth a strange, dark fantasy tale filled with twists and intricate worldbuilding. Seek the truth of your creation and be rewarded.

Bear witness to tales and memories of betrayal, suffering, and revenge as Grey Irma and her fellow beings of flesh and clay seek truth and purpose.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Moonscars is a 2D Side-scrolling platform game with Soulslike elements. Players take control of Grey Irma, a warrior made of clay and bone, who must track down her maker, a being called the Sculptor. To find the Sculptor, Irma must fight through a world inhabited by creatures made of clay, where most human civilization is in ruins. Irma can defeat enemies by attacking them with her broadsword, which can cut through multiple enemies at once.

Irma can also dodge or parry enemy attacks, with a parry giving the player the opportunity to both hit and push back an enemy. Each time Irma damages an enemy, she gains Ichor, which can be spent to regain hit points. Ichor can also be spent to attack with magical abilities, called Witchery. Each time Irma dies, she is resurrected at the last checkpoint the player used, and the power of enemies is increased.

Reception

According to review aggregator website Metacritic, the PC version of Moonscars has received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 5 and Switch versions have received "Mixed or average reviews". Nintendo World Report rated the game a 5/10, praising the game's art style and options in combat, but criticizing the high level of difficulty and the rarity of the Gland items. Rock Paper Shotgun similarly praised the artsyle and compared the game to Castlevania, but considered the Blood Moon mechanic of increased difficulty to be a punishing addition. Nintendo Life said that the game was reminiscent of Dead Cells and liked how it deviated from other Soulslike games with its combat, but found the game's difficulty to be frustrating.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

Releases by platform
PlatformReleasedRegions
Xbox Series X/S27 September 2022Worldwide
PlayStation 427 September 2022Worldwide
Xbox One27 September 2022Worldwide
PlayStation 527 September 2022Worldwide
Nintendo Switch27 September 2022Worldwide
Windows27 September 2022Worldwide

Title IDsone per regional release, with its latest update

Title ids and disc serials by release
PlatformTitle IDRegionLatest update
Nintendo Switch0100787017A88000—v8
PlayStation 4CUSA35014Europe01.06
CUSA35013North America01.06

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Collections1 collection

Years

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.