In an attempt to continue to entertain myself at night in my non-working hours, I decided to check out the brand new release from Developer Little Chicken, Moonlight Peaks. Little did I know, this wouldn’t just fill my gaming hours, but it hasn’t left my mind since I started.
This isn’t a full review because I’m only about 20 hours into the game, which is just the tip of the iceberg. But I had some initial thoughts on my playthrough so far.
Right off the bat, do I think this is just another Stardew Valley rip-off? No, though the name of the game doesn’t really lead one to believe that. Stardew and Moonlight? Valley and peaks? It’s really similar, but worth every minute I’ve played so far.
The game style follows all the other typical farming sims and includes crafting, collecting, DIY projects, and making and spending tons and tons of money. Moonlight Peaks features a supernatural theme, which is one of the main reasons I gave it a chance. Who doesn’t want to be a runaway vampire looking to take over the abandoned family homestead?
The art style and world are utterly adorable. Think Animal Crossing: New Horizons vibes mixed with Monster High. The character customization could use some more love with different styles, but overall it’s not bad. I love the idea that you can purchase outfits from a vendor in town. I haven’t done much shopping because every coin is needed for upgrades, but endgame me is going to be a fashion queen.
Now, I am not an efficient min-max kind of player. I lived that life once playing World of Warcraft and honestly hated it. So I wanted to go into Moonlight Peaks blind and follow the natural progression of the game. Aside from a few quick internet searches when I was completely stuck, I have kept myself in the dark.
Something I really enjoy about the game so far is how fluid it feels. The first 20 hours have been more quest-focused and have introduced game mechanics, characters, story, and expanded the world. There is also a ton of side non-quest things that you can do, like collecting the hidden vampsters, catching bugs and fish, and chasing down all the soul blobs.
I will say that catching soul blobs should be a priority once unlocked. After collecting so many, the game unlocks the ability to change the length of each night in real-world minutes. I don’t like to be rushed, and there are a ton of things to do in the game, so I have it set to the longest setting possible.
And finally, the most important part of a farming/life-sim game – the romance. Of course, Moonlight Peaks has romance. There are a plethora of eligible lords and ladies to romance and marry during your playthrough. It follows the typical style of talking to them, gifting them two times a week, completing quests, and whatnot.
I’ve just hit the point in my playthrough where I am prioritizing gifting throughout the week and actively trying to befriend and romance quite a few different characters. Right now, Saga is at the top of my list to marry, but Elvira is in a close second.
There are fun heart scenes as you progress in friendship, and the dialogue when you talk to them adjusts as well. But something I really enjoy is the ability to be able to hug them after you reach so many hearts. It’s so simple, yet so adorable. My other goal in-game is to get the ability to hug Death every day.
Moonlight Peaks is a game that will encompass several hundred hours of my life, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. I almost wish I had bought it for my Nintendo Switch 2 so I can take it with me. I might eventually grab it for future playthroughs, but I am determined to hit endgame on my PC save.
I won’t say this is a perfect game at the moment. They have shared that they are working on fixes for the several bugs that have popped up. The only two things I’ve dealt with so far are long loading screens and stuttering during gameplay. Hopefully it stays that way, but thankfully most of the issues I have seen can be fixed.
Overall, my first 20 hours of Moonlight Peaks have been great. There are tons of things to do in the game, the storyline and characters are great, and I’ve just broken the ice. I fully intend to follow this review up in a few weeks to see if more hours helps to hurts my initial thoughts. But right now, I’m just excited to dive back in.
Moonlight Peaks is available now on PC through Steam and the Nintendo Switch.
Julia Writes Nerdy 
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