To the Moon

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1509 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,322 out of 1509
  2. Mixed: 119 out of 1509
  3. Negative: 68 out of 1509

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  1. Aunvre
    Nov 26, 2012
    3
    Giving this game a full score seems like it has become a sort of hype. I understand that the game tries to achieve some level of deepness however it fails miserably by trying to do so. I literally forced myself to see the ending of this game just to be convinced that people were at some point right at praising the game so much. The story is cliche and boring. It lacks originality and theGiving this game a full score seems like it has become a sort of hype. I understand that the game tries to achieve some level of deepness however it fails miserably by trying to do so. I literally forced myself to see the ending of this game just to be convinced that people were at some point right at praising the game so much. The story is cliche and boring. It lacks originality and the humor just doesn't work. If you add lack of gameplay to this formula, you get a very, very frustrating "game". I've payed a very little amount of money for this game on steam and still I regret doing so. Moreover, I want my 3 hours back I've spent on this game.

    If we discuss the cheesy soundtrack, it sounds exactly like what me and my sister used to play when we were 12 years old on the piano. I just do not understand why people pay money to buy this album except for charity. The graphics are actually nostalgic which I liked, until they added the ignoring "flash back / sepia" effect for the rest of the game after the first 15 minutes or so. The colors faded and so as the game. I don't understand why they switched to actual drawings from pixels at important "cinematics" (which I suppose was a way of separating the game from the cinematic parts but that doesn't make sense neither since the game is kind of a movie itself, so why bother?) Sadly, those special scenes were not executed very well either. Some drawings were just plain lazily done. As you all can see, I am actually spending my time to write this long review because this ongoing hype about this game is really disturbing me. The game delivers nothing it tries to stand for so why are all these people praising this game as if they've never seen any better story before? There are plenty of indie games out there with some really "poignant" stories and good gameplay.    … Expand
  2. ndruha
    Jul 9, 2020
    1
    The story is very disappointing. The whole gameplay is not the best, but when I played I was waiting for some magic, some revealing twist to happen in the end. But the end was just gray and boring. It's pity that people even call such products "games".
  3. SmallRedMachine
    Sep 7, 2017
    3
    I am an avid adventure games player and unfortunately I'm just dragging myself to finish this game just because I spent money on this. I initially thought this is kind of an adventure game which totally was not, I was ok with the retro graphics because that usually means in this day and age that the developers focused on the gameplay instead but To The Moon is barely a game so.

    The    I am an avid adventure games player and unfortunately I'm just dragging myself to finish this game just because I spent money on this. I initially thought this is kind of an adventure game which totally was not, I was ok with the retro graphics because that usually means in this day and age that the developers focused on the gameplay instead but To The Moon is barely a game so.

    The humor was really weak, disliked the two main characters, it just came off very childish and I felt being too old to play this game. Definitely overrated when you compare the story telling and gameplay to Telltale games, To The Moon is not the total package and the rating it received is misleading.    … Expand
  4. Prettypinkcloud
    Sep 24, 2014
    0
    A friend recommended this game to me, although I will say now, whenever I use the word "game" here I am referring to "To the Moon" for the sake of simplicity. A Choose Your Own Adventure book involves more gameplay than this did. For this reason (and because it's already overrated here), I give this game a 0.

    The only part of the game where you feel like you're "playing" anything is    A friend recommended this game to me, although I will say now, whenever I use the word "game" here I am referring to "To the Moon" for the sake of simplicity. A Choose Your Own Adventure book involves more gameplay than this did. For this reason (and because it's already overrated here), I give this game a 0.

    The only part of the game where you feel like you're "playing" anything is towards the end when your coworker takes over the memories and it feels a little chaotic, but even then if you take a step back and realize it, there's still only 1 thing to do and that's press the arrow keys toward the rest of the story.

    I feel like To The Moon would have made a somewhat less inconsequential animated feature film considering any interaction the player has with this game is literally just moving from one dialogue to the next. The little requisite puzzles that hinder your progress to the next memory jump offer no meaning, reasoning or challenge. They're just...there.

    ***

    But on to the story. To The Moon's story feels like a slow stroll down a path you've never been but you know exactly where you're going. There are supposed to be a couple of A HA moments, but they're so contrived that I actually chuckled when they happened. I was trying to convince myself that they were too obvious and the story would go a different direction. But it didn't. And anyone who paid attention and has read or watched anything in the last 20 years would know exactly what will be happening.

    And the sad attempts at base comedy are, for some reason, being lauded on many of the other reviews. I'm not quite sure why someone would find kindergarten humor funny. But maybe the joke's on me and i'm actually too old for this game altogether.    … Expand
  5. drh3010
    Apr 29, 2013
    4
    Being a 40 year old gamer, I don't understand why this game is rated so high. I support independent games, many are quite good despite minor flaws, but this one's feeble attempt at humor is particularly groan-worthy. I may let my 7 year old niece play to see if she thinks it's funny. Apart from the poor dialog perhaps lost in translation, the gameplay is ok with only a few nuances and theBeing a 40 year old gamer, I don't understand why this game is rated so high. I support independent games, many are quite good despite minor flaws, but this one's feeble attempt at humor is particularly groan-worthy. I may let my 7 year old niece play to see if she thinks it's funny. Apart from the poor dialog perhaps lost in translation, the gameplay is ok with only a few nuances and the story is nice so I give it a 4 for that.… Expand
  6. Egres
    Oct 27, 2014
    4
    It's is no game at all. It is cartoon, book, whatever, but not the game. 95% of 'game' time is not interactive and 95% of these 5% can be changed to "press any key". I can't explain these high ratings myself. I think the game must have something more than good plot, but not in this case, apparently.

    P.S. The story itself is very touching and interesting enough.
  7. mmmMatto
    Apr 24, 2014
    3
    Totally disappointed.

    The story is bland, not the eloquent tearjerker everyone says it is. It tries to be moving and thoughtful, but it's at the complexity level of a 7th grade creative writing assignment, and I found the comic relief segments irritating. Playing through to the end was a chore, and the finale wasn't worth the effort. I had to play in short sessions because it became so    Totally disappointed.

    The story is bland, not the eloquent tearjerker everyone says it is. It tries to be moving and thoughtful, but it's at the complexity level of a 7th grade creative writing assignment, and I found the comic relief segments irritating. Playing through to the end was a chore, and the finale wasn't worth the effort. I had to play in short sessions because it became so tedious. A 4-hour game took me a couple weeks to finish up.

    There isn't much to the game play. There's no challenge, no puzzles. You wander around locating the people and items needed to progress the story and they're only there to give you something to do.

    I believed the hype and was let down by Gone Home, and wasn't surprised to find hundreds of user reviews sharing my sentiment. This time I payed attention to the hundreds of 9s and 10s from users rather than critics and now I'm baffled by the responses. I really do want to find a game with a moving, emotional story with characters I can get to know on an intimate level and empathize with, and I just can't seem to find it.

    I'm 30-something. If I had played this game in 5th grade I might have been more moved. I think someone that age might get more out of it than I did. Show it to some kids and see what they think.    … Expand
  8. Tritten
    Jan 8, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It might be because I actually have the condition River has and I was able to tell what was going on right from the moment Isabelle mentioned 'neurotypical', but I found the game to be incredibly boring. I did play it through to the end, but I was getting more and more frustrated as it was turning out that nothing major was going to happen.

    The puzzles are extremely easy, there's one spot that is not intended to be difficult to get over but it is (the end of the horse-riding scene) and the rest of the game play consists of running around the screen finding places where the cursor changes shape, then clicking them. That's it.

    Also, I've found the dialogues of the two doctors very annoying towards the end. They just keep talking and talking.

    Overall, it's really nice that someone out there made a game featuring Asperger's (although it's never directly mentioned), but I still think the game sucks.

    Major spoiler: River died because she demanded that her husband use the money for her treatment to finish the house that she won't be able to live in and keep the lighthouse (which she named Anya) company? Really??? WTF!? The ending was, for me, 'meh', so the only tears I'm crying right now are of frustration over spending an afternoon playing this game.    … Expand
  9. MightyThor
    Aug 27, 2013
    3
    It's all about the story! The problem is it's extremely overrated. When I read reviews of people who played this game who say they were so touched tears came to their eyes I think they need to get a life outside their computer. Trying not to spoil it, the resolution in the end is stupid. It *might* have worked as a movie where real actors could interject human emotions, but ultimately it'sIt's all about the story! The problem is it's extremely overrated. When I read reviews of people who played this game who say they were so touched tears came to their eyes I think they need to get a life outside their computer. Trying not to spoil it, the resolution in the end is stupid. It *might* have worked as a movie where real actors could interject human emotions, but ultimately it's a video game about dreams and memories... the premise is basically "your mind and memories can be manipulated to make you happy, just like a video game." Stupid premise because it's not meaningful at all. In the end I was like uh what was the point of all that? The guy just got played.

    I will admit some of it was very compelling. There's a lot of breadcrumbs and allusions/foreshadowing where I couldn't put it down because I was dying to know what came next but in the end was let down. There was no plot defining twist, all pretty predictable. I did think the dialogue was clever and fine though. I did like the music but it wasn't like oscar worthy as many would make you think. It's just catchy little piano pop songs. Nothing special, but enjoyable.

    The gameplay is awful. Clicking was very not responsive. Controls are bad. I don't mind a full story driven game with little game play, but this game should've just been an E book/video game animated movie because the game play gets in the way of the story and becomes an annoyance. Gameplay is also non consistent. Some plot points require you to do a bunch of mundane junk while others breeze right through with cutscenes (my preference).

    Thankfully the game is short and cheap. I'm not upset I played it, more upset at the lavish praise it's getting because it's simply not deserving.    … Expand
  10. dlddr
    Sep 10, 2013
    3
    People seem to be very impressed with this game, especially the story.

    First of all, the story in this game is not sad/tragic/beautiful. I think the amazing storyline hype comes from few people overreacting to mediocre storyline and rest just hopping on the train tossing their thinking caps out the window. If you've read more than 5 books or are older than 15, you probably heard/read    People seem to be very impressed with this game, especially the story.

    First of all, the story in this game is not sad/tragic/beautiful. I think the amazing storyline hype comes from few people overreacting to mediocre storyline and rest just hopping on the train tossing their thinking caps out the window. If you've read more than 5 books or are older than 15, you probably heard/read sadder stories or have experienced much more tragic events than this game has to offer. Story is a very generic "love story" with repressed memory playing a major role. While the game can take you about 4 hours, you can accurately guess how the story will pan out after about 20 min of play. I can see how some people might find this story really sad and beautiful but I assume these are the same people who would break down sobbing if they ever saw a roadkill. I admit, the story is slightly better than typical fps shooters that seem to dominate the market but this isn't really saying much for a game that supposedly has an amazing storyline.

    The gameplay is a very simple 16-bit game that you might find in your gameboy but with more details and vibrant colours.. Most of gameplay is talking to significant characters and solving a series of very simple puzzles. No fights and no real puzzles to get you thinking. Searching for items and solving puzzles are mostly there to give you small breaks throughout the game. Also, the game is story-driven and is very linear. You cannot go back to place you visited earlier for check for foreshadowing or re-read some lines to clarifies some details.

    Sound has always been very important aspect of game for me and I was mildly intrigued by the soundtrack and bought it off the main website. After thoroughly listening to them all for a while, only one track is decent/memorable enough that I will occasionally look back on it. The track is called 'For River' and feels like a mix of 'Thousand Words', 'Tifa's Theme' and one more track from FF series I can't remember.

    Recommended if you've never played a game with a decent story and are interested what current gen has to offer. However, if you have experience with sad/tragic/beautiful stories and expect to find it in To the Moon, you will be very disappointed.    … Expand
  11. GRANITsalvo
    Dec 23, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A game that is desperately trying to be deep and moody, is held to the ground and beaten mercilessly by shoe-horned Adam Sandler dialogue.

    Controls: Acceptable
    Music: Good
    Graphics: Decent retro
    Story: Flimsy

    Notes to the creators [If they happen to be reading]:
    - Hospice related workers that are unprofessional and disrespectful toward the client/patient are usually fired.
    - People who make it a job to help others do not treat people they help as burdens.
    - Young children do not all talk like the kids in Talladega Nights.
    - Momentos should have had descriptions of WHY they were important. A little effort here would have really helped the story.
    - The random shouting of "HADOOKEN" during dramatic moments was not acceptable.
    - The Final Fantasy style encounter with the squirrel was not acceptable.
    - Do not use names from Sci-Fi characters to name people in a somewhat modern time.
    - *SPOILER* Building a two story [+basement] stone mansion is not cheap, even though the elderly man did it by hand in two years. So, having the wife demand one built for her stuffed platypus [or she would refuse expensive treatments] is a poor plot when they argue that they could barely afford the treatment.

    FINAL THOUGHT: Stopped playing after 90 minutes. Biggest disappointment for me since Fable 3. Glad it was on sale.    … Expand
  12. fhouse
    Aug 26, 2013
    4
    I think it became a trend to say they cried at this game. I don't get why, they probably haven't played Shadow of the Colossus yet. It was ok, I had some fun with it but I wouldn't ever play it again.
    The dialogues are cheesy, especially the funfair part with those drawings, the music gets annoying after so many repetitions. And the story is the mix of Inception and a Eternal Sunshine of    I think it became a trend to say they cried at this game. I don't get why, they probably haven't played Shadow of the Colossus yet. It was ok, I had some fun with it but I wouldn't ever play it again.
    The dialogues are cheesy, especially the funfair part with those drawings, the music gets annoying after so many repetitions. And the story is the mix of Inception and a Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.    … Expand
  13. lokuspokus
    Mar 20, 2012
    0
    Look, I'm all for games who choose to work on their story-line as one of their main things, but if a game has only story-line and nothing else...it's really just a book. You can't classify this as a video game if all you are really doing is watching but clicking to go forward. I have to admit, I only played the demo since I didn't want to waste any money. And I have to say it's not a goodLook, I'm all for games who choose to work on their story-line as one of their main things, but if a game has only story-line and nothing else...it's really just a book. You can't classify this as a video game if all you are really doing is watching but clicking to go forward. I have to admit, I only played the demo since I didn't want to waste any money. And I have to say it's not a good "game". If this was a book, or some kind of movie I would give it a different score. But the so called "compelling" story-line is not interesting in my opinion, just to be plain old sad with random "funny" moments for no apparent reason. I'm not saying that game's have to have guns-blazing action packed game-play with no story-line, but come on put SOME game-play in it. Anything, I wouldn't care then. Graphics are fine, who cares if it's 16-bit or 3D, graphics don't matter much. But this is not a "masterpiece". It's boring. I really have no idea why everyone is so enthralled by a game that really should have been some new movie that gets all the good reviews.… Expand
  14. the_blueprint
    Dec 9, 2014
    0
    What the hell is this? Basically it's only story. There's practically no gameplay and what there is, is annoying. The graphics are basic at best and there are no animations to speak of. I have no idea why this isn't just a book or graphic novel or something. I continued to read this "book" because I still expected a good story. But the book keeps you in the dark for about 4 hours, doesn'tWhat the hell is this? Basically it's only story. There's practically no gameplay and what there is, is annoying. The graphics are basic at best and there are no animations to speak of. I have no idea why this isn't just a book or graphic novel or something. I continued to read this "book" because I still expected a good story. But the book keeps you in the dark for about 4 hours, doesn't make any sense at any point and the ending is a complete letdown.… Expand
  15. GuntherUltrabol
    Jul 2, 2016
    0
    Folks, this is not a game. This is a short story that could be told in a half hour were it not for the mundane, tedious tasks you are forced to perform before moving on. Imagine reading your favorite book but before turning each page you and to toss 5 pennies into a jar from accross the room? I voted 1. Because this is not a game. Not even close to a game. You can't affect theFolks, this is not a game. This is a short story that could be told in a half hour were it not for the mundane, tedious tasks you are forced to perform before moving on. Imagine reading your favorite book but before turning each page you and to toss 5 pennies into a jar from accross the room? I voted 1. Because this is not a game. Not even close to a game. You can't affect the end, you don't develope your character. You actually at one point play a very poorly rendered version of whack-a-mole so that you can move to the next chapter/paragraph/whatever. By the the time the story ended i was so irritated by the tedium, there wasn't any hope for a sad ending. It was a HAPPY ending for me because it was FINALLY over.… Expand
  16. Alexol
    Mar 7, 2019
    1
    This isn't a game. It's a waste of time with a poor plot that feels like it was written by a "creative" teenager as a first draft, having zero experience with plot building or game design.
  17. ritas666
    Mar 31, 2021
    3
    Была попытка создателей сделать слезовыжимательную историю, но в итоге получилась игрулька для детей начальных классов. История банальная, скорее даже примитивная, а твист в концовке в лучших традициях мексиканских сериалов. Прошел игру до конца, до последнего надеясь на какое-то чудо, которое сможет вытянуть эту пиксельную тягомотину, но его (чуда) так и не произошло. Так что неБыла попытка создателей сделать слезовыжимательную историю, но в итоге получилась игрулька для детей начальных классов. История банальная, скорее даже примитивная, а твист в концовке в лучших традициях мексиканских сериалов. Прошел игру до конца, до последнего надеясь на какое-то чудо, которое сможет вытянуть эту пиксельную тягомотину, но его (чуда) так и не произошло. Так что не повторяйте мою ошибку, не заставляйте себя играть ради того, чтобы посмотреть "че там в конце". Откуда такой хайп мне в принципе понятно. Незамысловатая история любви на фоне псевдофилософских размышлений о памяти, времени и судьбе - идеальная формула для любителей постить пафосные цитаты в ВК и прочих соцсетях. Целевая аудитория этой игры - подростки. Им, может, и стоит в это сыграть. Если вы постарше, а тем более вам за 30 - не теряйте время на To the Moon.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best PC Game of 2011
22
#22 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
16
#16 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    100
    To The Moon is one of those games you instantly fall in love with. With it's simple, but elegant design, incredible writing, and thrilling, heartfelt tale, To The Moon is more story than game, but what a story it is.
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  2. DarkStation
    Oct 23, 2012
    80
    To The Moon's charming sense of humor and unabashed ease with tossing around pop culture references (from Dr. Who and Animorphs down to Dragon Ball Z) kept the serious, and at times quite gloomy overtones from feeling too self-serious. And so, with John and River's tale being told, restructured and sent to the moon in a heartfelt and memorable way; I am able to walk away from To The Moon satisfied, and looking forward to the next installment in this world.
    Read full review
  3. Thunderbolt
    Sep 3, 2012
    60
    If you're into having your tears tugged at, this will definitely be a change from nights spent curling up on the couch spectating those romance flicks that no one else gets. If you're someone who winds up stuck with the aforementioned individual, originally promised beer and tricked into the awkward Kleenex duty, no guilt will be harbored from missing out.
    Read full review
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