Now hype is a sensitive subject, and I've got to admit I'm starting to get quite a bit bitter about the way people do it. However there's still those games coming out you just can't help but feel excited for, and that's great if you're willing to be cautious and skeptical. While being still bicker or praise over the overhyped Destiny a trailer slipped in and caught my eye as an amazing thing thankfully coming out of a major successful kickstarter. It was this trailer and the game is called Moon hunters. This is just one of those special moments where I feel like one of my wish list games is fulfilled, something potentially already being done by No Man's Sky. However while No Man's Sky is still full of mystery as to how it'll feel like. Will it feel like an FPS? Will the exploration have walls and limits? Will resources be a big part to add depth, or will it get in the way? And the most important question is how important is that online play, and whether or not I'm capable of enjoying myself without any server connections. MH here has that info covered in a way that both brings in more anticipation, and yet more worries.... so I feel more certain on feeling pressure to watch it become something I'll either love or wait for a sale on (I doubt I'd distrust it more, but it is possible).
A huge part of my fascination with this game comes from its theme and how far it looks like it goes with it. One of the major changes I want gaming to go through in a context/story wise area is religion and spirituality. It doesn't necessarily need to be a legit religion, it can be goofy with it, or make up its own stuff, either way though I want it to take on more of a major game event. Here in Moon Hunters it looks like the clever team has crafted an RPG world where you become a legend that mixes in with the mythological lore and a mysterious problem with the praised moon goddess. You take what is in real time a small randomized journey as a brave hero, and set your path to fame or infamy through your journey. The team sounds like they know a lot about mythology and religion from their kickstarter page, whether it be that "its more than just fighting villains" as they name some examples like what sounds like a Greek tale (a hero going to take retrieve the soul of a love one) and then one that may have come from a couple of Native American tribes (the gift of fire taken from another source). Then there's the fact that they describe the Druid class as a highly adaptable "shapeshifter" in battle. Who knows, maybe its being literal, but shapeshifting is seen as a metaphorical shamanistic term for transforming to your situations, as in highly adaptable and prepared. That's just so awesome! In addition to building up your legend, it seems each trait and piece that will make it on your record is remembered by the very individuals that witnessed it. Heck there's also one trait that can pop up as a "rumor" spreading around. That is amazing on its own merits, and the fact that there's going to be at least 50 of these traits sounds fantastic! It wont go old so easy. All those traits in the pool of possibilities, and defining your character among the stars as a hero or villain of some sort is quite impressive. On top of that there's tribe building, and I can't say for sure I totally understand this but it sounds like part of the process to determining what sort of person you are. For some reason I want to draw comparisons to Robin Hood, in addition to being looked at and pressured to do the right thing in the face of evil you're also bearing in mind the fact that you've got to provide for the more needy. Maybe I'm totally missing the point and the tribe builds more in your honor afterwards, thus they will kind of reflect whatever your last hero did mixed with the generations before that instead of being an entity you care for in the active sense.
My concerns come into play with the RPG combat aspects. The game, dungeons of fayte, they advertise as the base was alright. It had a cool central theme with time and work that tied in with character building, but the combat was just so off putting. It was a 4 piece attack system that was terribly unprecise, and I didn't have fun with that core part until I went ranger... and then it kind of sucked to know I couldn't charge up and slash at somebody. I'm hoping this system is more fluid and responsive, or totally overhauled and more like a 360 attack form of some sort... but it didn't look that way. After that test game I watched the trailer again and sort of saw it a bit, its especially reflected by the character with the red beam firing in one straight direction. Still this doesn't mean its doomed or anything, and heck if it can pull off everything else perfectly I may endure the agony of combat until I perfect its flawed system anyways just to use the magnificent myth features. However... what if it doesn't turn out all that special there either? When does the theme wear thin and it feels like a predictable gimmick with a decent but familiar RPG game at the front? These are my two concerns, especially as a guy that just doesn't get into these RPG games so much. Though with that being said, Torchlight 2 is absolutely incredible, and that's a basic action RPG at heart that just tuned things right. This can do so to, especially with such a powerful theme. Plus in this day and age where my gamer ADD is acting up without warning, it'll be nice to know I don't have to dedicate 40 hours of grinding to see this thing through. More and more I'm thinking if games pace themselves just right and play from a deep pool of features that are contextualized just right, a few hours is all I need to feel like I got something far more. So the journeys that last a few hours kind of feels like a safe bet for me and RPGs. I hope it all works out well.
Between a great art style, a theme I absolutely adore, outstanding music that had me replaying the trailer, and a real time combat system (that I'm keeping my fingers crossed works well) I think I can really look forward to this game along many others in 2015. I wish more games would pick up such a similar theme, it'd be incredible to see this idea expanded and expirmented with. eh, who am I kidding, it'll all be new and fresh with this game and I'm excited to see it this once even if its only once. Please be awesome Moon Hunters.
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