Just north of the quaint village of Rynoka, there lies mysterious dungeons filled with various treasures and artifacts, perfect for heroes to explore and discover the ominous past. This is where Moonlighter begins. Expanded off of the base game, 11 Bit Studios has released the largest DLC for Moonlighter thus far – Moonlighter: Between Dimensions.
Starting off, the player begins their adventure as Will, the grandson of the previous owner of the local shop “Moonlighter.” A small shop, known for selling large varieties of different items, Will is now responsible for maintaining and growing the shop, while also curious about the history of his missing grandfather.
Near the village, five cryptic doors are hidden in the hills. Years in the past, residents of Rynoka had decided to block all but one off. With stories of missing adventurers floating around, yet also popular for the large assortment of hidden treasures throughout, Will feels the urge to investigate these dungeons. What secrets do they hide?
However, the DLC kicks in full force at the end of the base game, with a whole new dungeon and story to discover, and several gameplay elements added otherwise.
GAMEPLAY
Moonlighter: Between Dimensions is a rogue-lite dungeon crawler, with the unique addition of shopkeeping factors. While exploring these corrupted dungeons, Will comes across a diverse range of enemies, all with different attacking patterns, depending on the themed dungeon.
Tutorials in this game take more of a hands-off approach, first introducing the player to the controls in the form of pictures carved into the walls. This does force the player to closely examine the pictures to get a translation, but they’re so simple, that it’s easy to learn. When it comes to the shopkeeping aspects, however, this is based off of trial and error. The player doesn’t instinctively know what price to set an item at, so you test out and judge by the reactions of the customers. Too high, and they might be angry and refuse to buy anything. Too low, and they’ll show to you how great of a deal they’re getting, and you’ll know you’re not getting your money’s worth. After experimenting a bit, and making slight adjustments depending on the demand of a specific item, this becomes easier as time goes on.
PROS
The perspective is top-down pixelated 2D, so while simple, the graphics are also incredibly detailed. While exploring a dungeon, you may see a snail crawling across the floor, or glowing eyes staring at you from the dark.
The music adjusts depending on time of day and location. I caught myself several times just taking a second to step back while exploring the village just to listen to the calming, medieval music. Then once you’re in a dungeon, the orchestra picks up, and you feel the intensity grow.
The DLC adds in just enough content; not too much, to where it entirely changes the base game, but just enough to add even more gameplay that you crave. This game is addicting on its own, and the DLC gives fans plenty of reason to come back for more, like the whole new dungeons like I mentioned before, but also new armor, weapons, mini-bosses, and so much more.
CONS
While not necessarily a “con,” in my opinion, there is something to mention: If you’re not a fan of grinding on gameplay loops, this game may not be for you. I personally loved it, also going back for more artifacts to sell to upgrade the Moonlighter or Rynoka as a whole, but some players may feel this is repetitive.
VERDICT
Moonlighter: Between Dimension is a perfectly proportioned DLC to what was already a fantastic base game. Available on PlayStation 4 – where I played – as well as Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, this game is accessible to many. Between Dimensions is available for $6.99, but you must also own the Moonlighter base game, which runs at $19.99. Overall, totally worth the money, for a great game with a DLC for the extra content!
RATING: 9 out of 10
