Are you a fan of Stardew Valley looking to branch out into some other indie games? Moonlighter takes the cozy, casual grind and RPG elements of Stardew and puts them in a new setting – running your own store while moonlighting as an adventurer.
Will, the protagonist, lives in a town surrounded by Gates unearthed in an archaeological investigation. These Gates lead to other realms and dimensions, which can be extremely profitable if an adventurer is brave enough to enter. Your shop and adventures feed into each other – financing your exploits into dangerous realms, and then selling the goods you find there.
To do all this, befriend companions in your village and other worlds that may help you in combat, or help manage the store while you’re away. There are always upgrades to purchase and prices to set. You can also interact with villagers who will help craft armor, brew potions, and enchant weapons – all necessities for combat.
In terms of fighting, Moonlighter has a dungeon system similar to The Binding of Isaac or Dark Souls. Each new realm is a series of dungeons with a boss at the end, and the combat is certainly challenging. Level up your combat with advanced weapons, but most importantly, master the environment and fighting style of your enemies.
“The more calm nature of the merchanteer part balances out the more stressful dungeoneering, but in such a way that they tangle together,” Steam reviewer Buffalo Bunny writes. “You end up wanting to go further to see what new items you can get but also keep weary and in mind of dying lest you lose most of it.”
Moonlighter initially released in May 2018 by developer Digital Sun. In the original release, the dungeon mechanics got repetitive – the layouts and boss fights were almost identical. Also, some players on PC pointed out glitches and the inability to bind keys differently. In May of 2020, the developers fixed these issues and released expansive, updated DLC. With new content like room patterns, mini-bosses and weapons, Moonlighter has leveled-up and listened to feedback.
However, many who play the game on PC still report that using mouse and keyboard is difficult – attaching a separate controller or changing keybindings makes it easier. Moonlighter is also available on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
If you’re looking for a charming game like Stardew Valley, complete with fun graphics, soothing music and equal parts grinding difficult bosses and managing resources, Moonlighter is the game for you.
Anna is a senior at NYU studying Journalism. Her work has been featured in GreenWorldAlliance and the Borgen Project, and she hopes to pursue games journalism into the future.In her free time, she loves playing Left 4 Dead with her 60-year-old father, tearing it up in Just Dance, and unnecessarily reorganizing her decks in Back 4 Blood.
