Title: Rainbow Moon
Format: PSN
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: EastAsiaSoft
Developer: SideQuest Studios
Price: $14.99
ESRB Rating: E
Rainbow Moon snuck right under the radar this summer, even with the yearly summer drought. Old school turn based RPG's on the PS3 are very rare to come across, any fans of the genre will be glad to know that, Rainbow Moon is a gem.
Presentation and Story:When you first hear the name of the game, you probably thought it was a new anime coming out(especially if you're an otaku). The name inquiries clears up really quick though. You play as Baldren, your typical voiceless hero that is stranded on a place called Rainbow Moon. You get there via a large dimensional rip in the universe, but alongside of you, thousands of monsters are brought right along with you. The story seems more of an afterthought, seeing how the game really focuses on its grind-heavy gameplay. Don't expect cutscenes other than the opening cinematic of the game. The same goes for voice acting, expect long dialog bubbles for interaction between characters. I kind of wish that the main characters had their own voice, just to add more depth to the characters. The game really makes up for its lack of voice and narrative in the graphics department. It's extremely crisp visuals always impress. The lush environments are bright and filled with vivid colors. There are a few character models that repeat, but each of them are highly detailed. Some of the enemy designs are unique and outlandish, which is great. The music is fantastic, I literally stood still many times in dark caves just to listen to the enchanting, looping track.
Core Gameplay:The gameplay is where Rainbow Moon focuses most of its time on, exploration and combat is where you'll be spending your 40 hours. At its core, its a turn based RPG, featuring random enemy encounters. Another thing I love about the game deals with the encounters, yes they are random, but you can choose whether or not to enter the battles. I wish more games would do this, I always hated walking through a forest and getting thrown into a battle when you don't want too. The battles are played out on a grid like battlefield, with enemy numbers that reach up too 20. You will meet new partners that will accompany you throughout your journey, but you can only have up to three people in your party. Lets face it, you will be level-grinding like crazy in the game, and thats the main reason the game will last so long. As you gain new levels , you'll receive Rainbow Pearls that will be used to raise your Strength, Speed, and etc. Rainbow Coins serves as your currency in the game, allowing you to buy armor and weapons for your characters. You can also buy food for yourself and your partners, yeah you heard me right, your characters will need food. I have yet to let my hunger bar empty out, so I don't know if anything severe will happen to your characters. I'm a little curious to why the developers would even add that into the game in the first place.
Final Thoughts:Rainbow Moon is a lot of fun, and a great game to spend countless hours in. For $15 bucks, the value is all there. The outstanding presentation coupled with addicting gameplay, you shouldn't miss this title.
S&S Rating: 8.5/10
