This fact doesn't actually have much bearing on the actual events in Momodora: RUM as the storyline is, at least to my understanding, a prequel to the first Momodora game.
At the very least, this aspect of the game feels like something different in a good way by comparison to other titles, and one I quite enjoyed after realizing there was no right or wrong order to explore the map.Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (I'm abbreviating this as RUM from now on) is actually the fourth installment in an ongoing series that started in 2010.
Most Metroidvania titles require collecting a new weapon or upgrade to advance, but here the upgrades to your arsenal are all optional, just like most items. While this is nice, it is a bit jarring at first to just be set free to do as you wish with no real goals in mind. The map is rather small in comparison to other games in the genre as well, but it can be explored freely for the most part, with only the last area locked behind items.
Players won’t have to worry about that for too long though, as the game took me roughly two hours to complete (there is a new game plus mode for those looking to milk a bit more playtime). The quality of boss fights varies greatly as well, as some can be slain quickly just but crouching and rapid firing arrows at them from afar, while others demand proficiency of the controls which makes for some satisfying fights. Sadly, the later half of the game relies on human bosses which aren’t nearly as visually interesting, and even less unique in combat. The first half of the game has some cool bosses in it like a centipede woman and a giant antlered witch with large breasts that towers over Kaho.
Some enemies require quick dodges to avoid their projectiles, or can only be damaged from the back, meaning players will have to get extremely comfortable with all the movement mechanics, especially to take down bosses. Fighting enemies with a melee attack will potentially stun them in a flinch animation momentarily.
By default, Kaho starts with a double jump, a dodge with invincibility frames, a melee attack with her leaf, and a bow and arrow. Plot aside, the combat is where Reverie shines. For the most part, the entire story is “save the land, kill the bad guy, also we are characters that exist, hello.” I can’t help but feel perhaps I’d have appreciated the different races of characters and grasped the story a bit better if I played the previous games, but I can’t speak on how much focus was given to that aspect in other titles in this series. Aside from that, only a few instances of any type story exist in the game, and mostly through short dialogues with NPCs, which don’t reveal much. It is briefly explained that there is some kind of curse over the land, and you’ve got to do what you can to save the kingdom. It starts abruptly with a priestess named Kaho being led into the woods and given a leaf to use as a weapon. Thankfully, this latest release is the first to come to consoles and requires no prior knowledge of the events of the previous titles.Įven with this relatively fresh slate though, the story of Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight leaves a bit to be desired. The series started with two free indie games before the third became a paid product for PC. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is the fourth title in a series of Metroidvania games most people probably aren’t familiar with, myself included.