Tag Archives: Momodora

Momodora III (PC)

Developer(s) – rdein

Publisher(s) – rdein

PEGI – Not yet rated (some non-graphic violence)

Released on Steam back in 2014, three years after the release of Momodora II, Momodora III largely reverted back to the basic gameplay structure of the first Momodora. A semi-open world side scroller requiring a small amount of backtracking. But not to the same extent as a traditional Metroidvania game. There were a few new elements synonymous with the series introduced as well as some perpetuated from the first two games. And delivered a fair amount of variety in gameplay. Garnishing generally favorable reviews from gamers and critics. In terms of quality, I would put it second out of the original trilogy. Not quite as good as Momodra II, but much better than the first game.

Graphics – 7.5/10

The first thing to notice when comparing Momodora III to the previous two games is that in terms of concept, it does far better to come into its own and stand out among many other side scrollers. Gone is any trace of science fiction. Or the recycled setting of the second game in favor of more varied landscapes from vibrant and colorful forest lands to snowy tundras and deep underground caves. The next game, Reverie Under the Moonlight would then go on to differentiate itself even more from other games in terms of conceptual design. But the third game is where the series truly started to take on a life of its own.  

Gameplay – 6.5/10

The gameplay compared to the first two games, however, seemed a lot more underwhelming. As there was simply less to do. Taken away were the facilities to discover new weapons from the first Momodora, and like the second game, it was replaced with finding new items that grant new abilities. But the reason why it works worse in this game than it does in Momodora II is simply that the additional abilities aren’t ostensibly needed to complete the game.

It works better on hard mode. But in normal mode, it can simply be rushed through without having to make use of anything else other than the main attack. So the gameplay feature is made quite redundant. The linear gameplay structure also doesn’t help things either. As there is very little cause to backtrack through the game anyway. The third game felt like it needed much more of a boost in terms of gameplay. Which unfortunately it didn’t get. 

Controls – 10/10

As it plays out more or less identical to both of the first two games, there are at least no problems with the control scheme. But at this point, it was to be expected if the developers were simply going to release a game that didn’t make any strong leaps away from its predecessors and added very few new features in terms of gameplay. 

Lifespan – 1/10

Clocking in at around an hour once again, the lifespan of Momodora III is very much below par compared to that of most sidescrollers released either at the time or even back in the fourth generation. For what is supposed to be an ultimately retroactive experience, it does very little to differentiate itself in terms of gameplay. And in turn, the game’s lifespan is abysmal even compared to what was acceptable in days gone by. The hard mode necessitates an additional playthrough for more intrepid players. But completing the game on hard mode offers no incentive, so there’s not much point. 

Storyline – 6/10

The story follows either one of two priestesses depending on which difficulty the player selects. Momo or Dora, who is charged with investigating supernatural goings-on around the land of Koho. For me, the highlight of the game’s story was the encounter with the main character of Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight. Kaho. Apart from that, the game’s story has slightly less substance than that of the second game. But much more than the original Momodora. As there is a lot more text, and a lot more going on. It also has multiple endings, which would also be included in Reverie Under the Moonlight. But overall, the story is fairly generic. 

Originality – 5/10

Although the third game in the series does far better to stand out in terms of visuals, that’s about the only way it does stand out. Gameplay is very typical of a generic 2D sidescroller. And it needed a massive boost in terms of quality in this aspect compared to the first two games. And I don’t think it got it in my opinion. The series would later be taken to its apex with Reverie Under the Moonlight. But the original Momodora trilogy was overall a fairly disappointing experience. And the third game caps it all off in a very boring and dissatisfactory manner.

Niiutral

Overall, Momodora III is a pretty standard 2D sidescroller, which for reasons beyond me, has been touted as one of the best side scrollers on PC. In my opinion, it’s tedious, lacking too much in substance. And only served as a precursor for better things to come; as did the original Momodora trilogy on the whole. 

Score

36/60

6/10 (Average)

Momodora II (PC)

Momodora II

Developer(s) – rdein

Publisher(s) – rdein

PEGI – Not yet rated (Non-graphic violence and some strong language)

Released one year after the original game, Momodora II took a different approach to gameplay, playing out as a Metroidvania as opposed to a linear 2D platformer. And carried on the story almost directly after the events of the original Momodora. Although this game pales in comparison to other classic Metroidvanias, the second game is decisively the best out of the original trilogy that was developed before the release of Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight.

Graphics – 7/10

The graphical quality of the game is just as good as the first. And it seems a lot more cohesive somehow. Gone are the science fiction elements of the first game. Such as guns and aliens in favor of a much more fantastical look. With the second game perpetuating a lot of the common elements found in later Momodora games. Such as the save points and the variety of enemies found throughout. Gone also is the 8-BIT soundtrack in favor of a more orchestral brand of music. Which in all honesty, fits the tableau of the series far better.

Gameplay – 7.5/10

Playing out like a traditional Metroidvania game, there is a variety of new abilities to collect in place of different kinds of weapons. And additional items can be found to give the player additional health. There are also a couple more boss fights thrown in as opposed to the one found in the first game. And although again, it falls way below par of what many other games in the genre have to offer. Such as Blasphemous, the Ori games, and even Xeodrifter, it is still a pretty fun game to play a good few challenges and secrets to uncover along the way. 

Controls – 10/10

Again, like the first game, there are also no issues with the controls. Since they practically play out identical to each other. The second game is almost like an extension to the first in respect to controls. But there are a couple of new mechanics introduced in the form of new types of abilities to wield compared to the previous game to at least keep things relatively fresh.

Lifespan – 1.5/10

Clocking in at around 50 minutes in total, the second game only lasts fractionally longer than the first. And especially as the second game is a lot more open-ended, it seems all the more underwhelming because of that. I can’t help but think that with a little more thought and time put into it that this game could’ve ended up being far more than what it ruined out to be. After all, Blasphemous had a particularly lengthy development cycle before finally seeing the light of day. And turns out to be one of the most critically acclaimed games of the eighth generation. But the developer seemed to prioritize getting the game out as fast as possible as opposed to putting in that little more effort than was needed, unfortunately.

Storyline – 6.5/10

The story of Momodora II, however, is a drastic improvement compared to that of the first game. It follows a young girl who has made a journey into a mysterious lair outside of Koho in order to find and defeat an entity known as the Underworld Queen. Who has been terrorizing the land. There’s a lot more dialogue, and therefore, a lot more story and emotion conveyed throughout. And it has a particularly interesting outcome that again, makes it a much more interesting narrative to experience than that of the first Momodora.

Originality – 4/10

Momodora II does far better to stand out from other Metroidvanias in comparison to the first game. But still, there are a lot of familiar elements that make it seem quite typical of any game in the genre. Eventually, the series would go on to become something much more distinct than what it started out as. But it was a lengthy process that happened over the course of several years. And it was something that could’ve happened a lot sooner if the developers had tried a few new things like new gameplay mechanics or something newer in terms of conceptual design. Some small contribution to that was made here, but not enough in my opinion.

Niiutral

Overall, Momodora II goes leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor, but it is still a fairly generic Metroidvania title compared to others. It may be the best of the original Momodora trilogy, but unfortunately, it is the best of a bunch of below-par games in the lead-up to Reverie Under the Moonlight, which would blow them all out of the water. 

Score

36.5/60

6/10 (Average)

Momodora (PC)

Momodora

Developer(s) – rdein

Publisher(s) – rdein

PEGI – Not yet rated (non-graphic violence)

Released back in 2010 in a very low-key and obscure manner, Momodora went on to develop somewhat of a cult following, spawning two sequels and a spin-off, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight. Which along with Momodora III, saw a full release on Steam. Though this game clearly has its fanbase and did lead the developers to go on and do even greater things, the series had a very slow start in my opinion. Releasing the original two games on Steam would only probably work as a bundle. Along with the other Momodora games with how short they are as well. 

Graphics – 7/10

The visuals are much different from the types of locations and the mythology that the Momodora series would later perpetuate. The game has much more of a science-fiction look to it as opposed to high fantasy or gothic horror. The game bears a striking resemblance to the likes of Metroid, Xeodrifter, and Axiom Verge. Especially as they’re 8-BIT rendered. The soundtrack is also in chiptune. Which would change from Momodora II to a more orchestral soundtrack. But the tracks in the game are quite well-composed. 

Gameplay – 7/10

The gameplay is also fairly entertaining in addition. It’s a linear 2D sidescroller. Whereby the player must collect various different items throughout. And discover new and better weapons to become more effective in combat with a boss fight thrown in at the end. Again, perpetuating a very different style of combat to the rest of the series, players are given guns to use as opposed to swords, bows, and magic spells. It’s obvious that this series was something extremely different at first. And was later envisioned as something else entirely. There are a couple of common elements linking each game. But how it later evolved is very interesting indeed. In terms of gameplay, later entries would also go on to become even more entertaining than the first. But what is here in the way of that is pretty good.

Controls – 10/10

There are also no issues with the controls as expected. It’s even bearable to play this game using a keyboard. And I don’t often think that of platformers exclusive to PC. If it was a more fast-paced platformer, then most likely the controls would’ve been a huge problem. But thankfully, that isn’t the case here. It’s a reasonably paced platformer with no additional complication in terms of its control scheme. 

Lifespan – 1/10

Lasting less than an hour, the game is criminally short. Especially for 2010 when other indie games were being released that could be made too far infinitely longer. It may be easier for fans of the series to simply rate the series as a whole as opposed to rating each installment separately. Especially as in all fairness, each game is relatively cheap, but looking at the first game on its own merits, 40 minutes is a pitiful amount of time to last; not since the mid-80s has less than an hour been the industry standard. 

Storyline – 5/10

The story of Momodora takes place in the land of Koho where a young orphan girl has entered a forbidden land after her mother had been sacrificed. As is customary in Koho. The orphan girl travels to this forbidden land in order to find a hidden power reputed to bring the dead back to life. The closest game I could draw comparisons with in terms of story is Shadow of the Colossus. Albeit regarding concept as opposed to quality. The story sounds good in its basic premise, but there isn’t much, at least until the end, to get players particularly invested in the narrative. And even come to the end, the way the story is closed out is very questionable. It doesn’t challenge players to speculate about what the ending means, but rather it’ll make them question why this was the best ending the developers could come up with. 

Originality – 2/10

The game’s second-biggest problem (second to lifespan), is how unoriginal it is. As I said before, the series would go on to become something far more distinct than what it started out as with the first game, but in every way, it’s possible to draw comparisons with many other games that came before it; some for the right reason, but many for the wrong reasons as well. I can’t help but feel that this was largely a question of trial and error on the developer’s part; a learning curve before building on the series in a far more positive way. 

Angrii

Overall, while the first Momodora game has its merits here and there, it is ultimately a very flat and generic gaming experience that’s screaming out for improvement. It’s fairly fun to play and the graphics are good to look at as well, but there’s simply not enough of any of that to be had with lasting as short a time as it does, and there’s not much separating it from games made of the same ilk. 

Score

32/60

5/10 (Far Below Average)

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One & Switch)

Momodora Reverie Under the Moonlight

Developer(s) – Bombservice

Publisher(s) – Playism 

PEGI – 7

Developed by Brazilian indie outlet Bombservice Games and released on multiple platforms since 2016, Reverie Under the Moonlight is the fourth title in the relatively obscure Momodora series of Metroidvanias. Since the release of the third and fourth titles on Steam, the series began to gain much more momentum after being confined to the itch.io platform and it’s not hard to see why. I was taken aback by just how good this game is and it has made me want to try out the rest of the series. Out of all the Metroidvania games I’ve played, this is one like no other. 

Graphics – 9/10

Making use of traditional 8-BIT graphics and inspired by the medium of Japanese anime, the game’s conceptual design is without a doubt its most wonderful and unique feature. It plays host to a number of unusual creatures scattered across the in-game world. And takes place over a contrast of beautiful and horrifying locations. But it’s the latter that takes precedent. The amount of wonderfully dark and atmospheric locations in this game certainly makes it one of the grittiest Metroidvania games I’ve ever played. Most definitely the scariest. Even scarier than any game in the Castlevania series by some distance. The game’s accompanying soundtrack also adds to the already wonderfully grim atmosphere of this title. Unlike most 8-BIT games, it makes no use of chiptune and relies heavily on traditional orchestral music. And the extremely effective use of realistic background sound effects such as running water. 

Gameplay – 8/10

The fourth Momodora plays out like a standard Metroidvania experience, with players having to discover new abilities to access different areas throughout and uncover hidden secrets to enhance the strength of the player character Kaho. It’s also quite heavily combat-orientated though combat options are slightly more limited compared to other games in the genre. The difficulty of the boss fights also ranges from easy to hard throughout. But the basic structure of each boss fight is very well handled.

And again, some make for very memorable moments within the entire genre. There are also two different endings to unlock depending on the actions of the player. Similar to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It starts out as fairly challenging. But as the player gains new abilities, the difficulty decreases considerably. But better for it to play out like that than having it be too inaccessible. It’s an enjoyable gaming experience with a lot to uncover throughout.

Controls – 10/10

Especially as the developers had had extensive experience in developing this series before the fourth installment, there are no issues with the controls whatsoever. There’s not a great deal you could call unique about the game’s control scheme since it plays out typically of a Metroidvania game. But again, better to do that than take unnecessary risks. The shape-shifting mechanic was quite enjoyable for me, as Kaho gains the ability to turn into a cat in order to reach narrow passageways. I love cats, so it worked for me on a personal level. 

Lifespan – 4/10

The aspect in which the fourth Momodora game didn’t work so well for me, however, was how short the game lasts. To complete it, even to 100%, can be done within 4 hours. And for a Metroidvania game, that’s criminally short. Although the developers would have inevitably been operating on a budget whilst making this game, I’ve played and reviewed longer Metroidvanias made by other indie developers with them having been their first title. And with graphics comparable to this on the technical level. A game as wonderfully unique as this one deserved to last considerably longer in my opinion. 

Storyline – 8/10

The story of the fourth Momodora game involves a young priestess named Kaho hailing from the village of Lun. She has come to Karst City seeking out a queen in order to request protection for her home village. But things take a dark turn for the worst as Kaho ventures across the world to discover what has happened to Karst City and it’s queen. Throughout the game, players will come across a number of tortured characters with much depth to them. Which is another reason why this game deserved to last longer. If it did, there would’ve been far more time to further develop on these individual characters and elaborate on their stories and fates.

Even the boss characters have layers to them, which could’ve been explored more. Although the game’s end boss is obviously the last trial the player must undertake, to me, the last boss isn’t even the most compelling villain. By far, that honor would go to Lubella, the witch of decay. The concept art for the game doesn’t really do her character justice. As she’s portrayed as being a size proportionate to every other character. But in the game, she’s a giant with a lot of power. Which makes her much more menacing. She most definitely steals the show as the game’s best villain. 

Originality – 9/10

As I said before, the game’s conceptual design makes this title much different from any other Metroidvania game I’ve played. Even amongst the many other indie Metroidvanias, I’ve played such as the Ori games, the Alwa games, Dust: an Elysian Tail, and Cathedral. The series’ mythology has been expanded upon with the original trilogy before this. So this fourth title does make me want to explore the series in much more depth. But this is my first experience with this series, and I was taken aback by just how unique a game this was. 

Happii

Overall, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is certainly worth at least one playthrough. I was disappointed with how short a time it lasts and I felt it could have easily been made to last far longer than what it does, but for the time it does last, it’s an enjoyable game with a  wonderfully morbid atmosphere and a lot of emotionally charged moments that players will not soon forget. 

Score

48/60

8/10 (Verdict)