Games worth discovering

A Mythological Adventure Through the Creation of the World - The Mooseman Review

4K View2022-08-24

Finding purpose isn’t the easiest thing to do. Sometimes it shows up after no more than a good night’s sleep, and sometimes it takes years of searching. I struggle to find meaning in my existence, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling. But living without a firm sense of purpose doesn’t need to mean a life without color. I learned through The Mooseman that purpose comes in many forms, some harder to distinguish than others, and it’s the decisions we make that color our canvas.

The Mooseman is a narrative-driven point-and-click adventure game that explores Finno-Ugric tribe tales about a mysterious world of ancient myth. It’s free-to-play for the first chapter, but those looking to dive deeper into its stories will need to cough up $3.79 for the whole game.

Image credited to The Mooseman | Vladimir Beletskiy

You play The Mooseman, a being with mystical powers who sees beyond the mortal eye into the world of spirits. You are one of seven sons of a god who created the world. As the chosen son, you embark on an adventure to bring the remnant of the sun that's sunk deep into the lower realms of hell back up to the sky to bring light and warmth to the mortal world. In this journey, you’ll encounter mighty animals of folklore and malicious monsters seeking to stop you.

The Mooseman tells many bite-sized tales that all connect toward the end. Every chapter is new, different, and unheard of, at least assuming you’ve never heard of the Perm region of Russia or its pagan mythology, which I certainly had not. The significant points across its storyline are conveyed through cutscenes, with all of the dialogue spoken in Russian with English subtitles.

Although The Mooseman’s narrative felt somewhat challenging to absorb, it follow a similar basic structure to many other mythological tales about the creation of our world. I didn't feel bombarded with information because the game allowed me to learn and enmesh myself one chapter at a time and didn't force me to read the additional lore provided by artifacts that I collected along the way. I completely controlled the speed with which I wanted to deepen my knowledge about this world.

Image credited to The Mooseman | Vladimir Beletskiy

The Mooseman is fairly simplistic in gameplay; you have no more than two or three mechanics to utilize at a time. On your journey, you must tap and drag your screen to walk around and use your supernatural eyesight to see the unknown. Later in the game, after you've found the fragmented sun, you’re also able to use its light to attract and repel mysterious beings. There are some scenarios where you'll need to stop walking or run quicker than the wind, and on most occasions, you will need your sight to manipulate the environment.

For an example of what this looks like, in the first chapter, I encountered a gigantic bear sleeping in the woods. To pass this beast, I had to wait for it to snooze and plan my movements carefully, pausing when the bear bobbed its head up to glance at me. These challenges aren’t the most straightforward, but I was usually able to reason them out after a few minutes of heavy thought.

Image credited to The Mooseman | Vladimir Beletskiy

The Mooseman’s graphics and sound design shine equally bright alongside its narrative. The game uses a hand-drawn art style, with visual effects portraying a sense of emotion throughout each chapter. I was pulled in by the variety of ambiances on display; it was nearly enough to feel transported to this fantastical world.

Some players may be unenthused by The Mooseman’s relatively slow pacing, but that tempo feels necessary to convey the importance of the stories. I don’t think I would’ve acknowledged the beautiful scenery throughout the game if it flowed much faster either. It’s definitely not a game one should play in a hurry, though that’s not to say that it’s particularly long. The Mooseman took me around two hours to complete without reading every tidbit of narrative; it will likely take a bit longer for those who want to take in every last detail of the folklore laid out here.

The Mooseman was a surprise as I didn’t expect to have such a pleasant time playing the game. It’s rare that a game impacts how I view my own life. But The Mooseman is a beautiful indie title that, in some unique way, helped me understand my purpose in this ever-expanding universe just a little more.

SCORE: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

• The Silent Age. If you enjoy point-and-click adventure games with interesting and challenging scenarios like The Silent Age, you might love The Mooseman. Feel free to read my review on The Silent Age too.

• Figment. If you’re charmed by beautiful visuals and sound, and an irresistible storyline like that of Figment, you may be enchanted by The Mooseman. Feel free to read my review of Figment.

💬 Have you played The Mooseman? If so, let me know what you think in the comments. And if not, what’s your favorite mythological tale? Leave a reply, and I’ll be sure to respond!

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