Moonscars Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · Published September 27, 2022 · Updated September 27, 2022

For our Moonscars Review we play 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 learned—and as you overcome each challenge, new truths will be revealed.

Moonscars Review Pros:

Beautiful pixel art graphics.
364.4MB download size.
Platinum trophy.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions.
Action RPG souls like gameplay.
Tutorial prompts as you play.
Hack and slash combat.
3 save slots.
Dark and grim locations that look fantastic.
Dark Mirrors are used to Warp (fast travel), learn new abilities, Moon Rite, Clay rite, and weapon rite.
Moon Rite is where you can offer Glands in order to change the Moon between Ravenous (more rewards but harder enemies) and Full moon (easier enemies but fewer rewards).
The witchery skill tree is where you choose your upgrades and abilities.
The map fills in as you play.
Metroidvania elements.
A lot of platforming.
2D side scroller perspective.
Your loadout can house 3 amulet stones, 2 abilities, and a special attack.
Full drag and drop inventory system.
Brutally difficult.
Parry notifications bang-up and successful hits will knock the enemies back.
Graves are left behind when you die and you have the next life to recover them.
Environmental hazards that you can use to kill enemies.
Solid tight combat.
Spite is built up as you kill enemies and when you fill the bar you get a choice of 3 random bonuses, you can build up as many as you like but lose them all if you die, even if you recover the grave.
Special weapons can be obtained and these are different types like hammers, harpoons,s and that. Each type will also have a unique build-up effect like stun or Hex.
Doppelgangers of yourself can be created when sacrificing to mirrors, they will take your special weapon and you must defeat them to get it back.
Enemies are a mixture of ground-based and airborne.
Satisfying once you string your parries.
The Mould workshop is your main hub that can be accessed from any mirror, here you can open up new areas, talk with characters, etc.
Fast healing.
The game oozes a tense atmosphere.
Doppelgangers are basically mini-boss encounters.
The controller vibrates with movement.
Full aerial movement and juggling attacks.
The touchpad is used for the map shortcut.
You can put up to five personal markers on the map.
Wall jumping is used for climbing.
The map design is really intricate with many shortcuts and alternative routes.
You can move the camera around.
Clay statues can be broken and they will house either another enemy or an Ai partner that will fight with you until death.

Moonscars Review Cons:

Brutally difficult.
A lot to take in with many rites and systems at play.
Learning to parry is very difficult.
Any more than one enemy at a time and you have problems.
Recovering graves is a case of pressing and holding up which is less than ideal.
So much going on.
No voice work, just loads of text.
The combat is not as fluid as it needs to be.
The map doesn’t show where you are exactly.
When an enemy charges it is all about timing the parry otherwise you get hit a huge knockback.

Related Post: Blood Waves Review (PlayStation 5)