Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight does some things well. The combat mechanics are easy to learn, and have a bit of satisfying depth; upgrades come at a good pace and feel meaningful; regions have distinctive visual and audio themes. And the map is a good-enough example of non-linear Metroidvania layout, given how short the game is.

But - despite how short it is - Reverie fails to make a meaningful impression. Its mechanics aren't special, its art style is unremarkable, and its story is threadbare, supported by a handful of impersonal lines and a small cast of incredibly flat characters. Even with NPCs, this game feels deader and emptier than Metroid or Super Metroid.

Without interesting gameplay or narrative stakes, the map itself was the only motivation I had to keep playing. And that isn't a great motivation.

Only one anecdote stands out in my memory, and it isn't a good one. I got to the final boss, killed it, and then ... died, cinematically?, clearly having received a "bad ending." But as I could only muster the slimmest margin of interest, I looked up how to get the "good ending" online, which was to backtrack for a groan-worthy hidden item, then re-fight the boss. It doesn't feel reasonable to me that a needle in a haystack is the only way out of a disappointing ending.

(Granted, even the good ending is pretty bland and unfulfilling.)

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is competent enough in its fundamentals, but just doesn't have anything noteworthy to say for itself. I don't regret the three-and-a-half hours I spent with it, but have no interest in hunting down its secrets -- nor in trying the rest of the Momodora series.

Better than: Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut, if only just.
Not as good as: Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, which wasn't really my favorite, either.
Hard to say if better or worse than: Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition; at least that was memorable, albeit frustrating as shit.

Progress: Got the True Ending, 98% map completion.