Welcome back!
Today I'm going to talk a bit about two of my favorite video games: To the Moon and its sequel, Finding Paradise.
They're essentially interactive stories. There aren't very many traditional gameplay elements, apart from a few minigames, but that hardly matters. What makes these games special is the magnificant way they blend music, art, and dialogue into a story that can make a grown man cry.
In both games, you play as two scientists, Dr. Watts and Dr. Rosaline, who work for a company known a Sigmund Corp. Sigmund's services are rather unique: they help people on their deathbeds pass away peacefully by going into their memories and modifying them to fulfill their dying wishes.
The games progess as you first meet the family of the patient, and then traverse through their memories to see what needs changing and how to do so. In the process, you learn the patient's entire life story, from their early childhood to their twilight years. You learn how they became to be the person slowing dying in front of you: their loves, their losses, and everything in between. Without spoiling anything, this makes the finale for both games all the more heartbreaking.
The serious nature of the games is broken up with brilliant dialogue from the two protagonists. Dr. Watts is silly at times, but truly cares about the patient. Dr. Rosaline often is annoyed at Watts' antics, but plays along when she feels nessecary. The two make an interesting duo, and their interactions add a much-needed lighthearted element to the games. There are also a large number of references to popular culture within both games, making the experience even more amusing.
The art style for the games is 8-bit, but the sprites offer a surprisingly large amount of expression for such a limited canvas, which makes the art all the more impressive.
Last but not least, one of the shining elements of the game is the music. It's whimsically woven into the plot, and adds gravity to scenes that need it and levity to those that don't. The music for most of both games is instrumental, but there is a twist to the style in the closing moments of both games that really drives the finale to the truly sublime.
I would heartily recommend both games, as well as the holiday specials that accompany them, to anyone who loves a brilliant story. The games are only around five hours to play through each, so they're not a huge time commitment either.
Anyway, that's all for now.
See you next time!