Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Moon places you directly in Major Edward Kane’s boots, tasking you with investigating an alien hatch on a lunar base. Utilizing the DS’s dual screens and touchscreen capabilities, the game offers precise aiming with the stylus while movement is handled via the D-pad. This control scheme feels intuitive once you adjust, providing a blend of classic first-person shooter mechanics and handheld-friendly design. The shoulder buttons handle firing and weapon swaps smoothly, ensuring that the action remains fluid even in hectic firefights.

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The Renegade Engine’s update shines through in the pacing and responsiveness of the battles. With 24 distinct episodes, each encounter is crafted to feel fresh—ranging from tight corridors teeming with alien grunts to wide-open hangars that let you test the range and recoil of your arsenal. Seven different weapons, from rapid-fire pulse rifles to more powerful energy cannons, keep you experimenting with loadouts. Unlockable bonuses and alternate game modes encourage replayability, giving veteran players reasons to revisit completed levels under heightened difficulty or with new challenges.

Difficulty tiers span from a forgiving “Recruit” mode for newcomers to the brutal “Veteran” and “Lunatic” settings for hardcore fans of the genre. Each level’s enemy placement and health scaling adjust appropriately, meaning veterans of the Quake-style shooters will still find themselves on edge when swarmed by faster, tougher aliens. Health pickups and ammo caches are cleverly placed to reward exploration and skillful play, striking a satisfying balance between punishing runs and victorious triumphs.

Graphics

On the technical front, Moon pushes the DS hardware further than many titles before it. While polygon counts remain modest compared to home-console or PC shooters, Renegade Kid’s artists leverage clever texturing and lighting effects to create atmospheric lunar installations and eerie underground caverns. Dynamic shadows and ambient particle effects—like drifting dust and flickering console lights—add a layer of immersion uncommon on the platform.

The dual-screen setup is also put to good use: the top screen displays your immersive, first-person view of the moon bases, complete with detailed HUD elements, while the bottom touchscreen remains largely uncluttered, allowing room for map overlays or quick inventory checks. Visual feedback—such as muzzle flashes, screen shakes, and blood splatters—is crisp and satisfying, giving each shot a palpable impact. Enemies, though polygonally simple, are animated fluidly, with distinctive movement patterns that signal their threat level before they even get close.

Texture variety is another highlight. From the sterile white corridors of the lunar labs to the rusted pipes of decommissioned sectors, each environment feels thoughtfully constructed. Weathered warning signs, flickering security lights, and the occasional glimpse of Earth in the skybox remind you that you’re far from home. While loading times between episodes can be noticeable, they’re brief enough that they don’t hamper the overall sense of pacing.

Story

Moon’s narrative kicks off in the year 2058, as the Extra-Terrestrial Encounter Organization dispatches Major Edward Kane and his squad to investigate troubling anomalies at newly constructed moon bases. The premise is delightfully straightforward: an alien hatch has been discovered, and it’s up to you to neutralize the threat. This no-nonsense setup recalls late ’90s sci-fi shooters, delivering tension and motivation without getting bogged down in overly complex political subplots.

Story delivery comes through briefings before each episode and occasional in-mission radio chatter. While these snippets are relatively sparse, they effectively build atmosphere and ramp up suspense as you delve deeper into the hatch’s origins. Character development is minimal by design—Kane’s stoic professionalism serves as an avatar for the player’s determination—but allied NPCs and off-screen comrades occasionally add texture with terse dialogue and mission updates.

Despite its lean storytelling, Moon achieves a compelling sense of progression. As you dismantle alien nests and recover data logs, hints of a larger conspiracy emerge, teasing future revelations. The minimalist approach keeps the focus squarely on the action, yet rewards observant players who piece together the fragments of dialogue, environmental clues, and mission objectives.

Overall Experience

Moon is a standout title for DS owners craving a portable first-person shooter experience. By refining the Renegade Engine and leveraging the handheld’s unique control scheme, Renegade Kid has crafted a game that feels both familiar and fresh. The balance between approachable controls and spike-in-difficulty moments ensures that the game caters to both newcomers and genre veterans.

The variety of episodes and unlockable content adds significant replay value. Whether you’re chasing high scores on harder difficulty settings, hunting for hidden weapons, or simply exploring every nook of the moon bases, Moon provides plenty of incentives to keep you engaged. The pacing rarely falters, with each stage building upon the last to deliver a steady escalation of thrills.

Ultimately, Moon’s blend of solid gameplay mechanics, atmospheric graphics, and lean yet effective storytelling make it a compelling purchase for anyone seeking a handheld shooter experience. It may not revolutionize the genre, but it executes its vision with polish and passion, proving that the DS can still surprise us with immersive, action-packed adventures.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10