Against the Moon (2020)

Against the Moon is a turn-based roguelike deck builder with gameplay being a blend of Plants vs Zombies and Slay the Spire. As a big fan of Slay the Spire, what did I think? Find out in this Rapid Review. Against the Moon has detailed and complex lore which, to be quite honest, I struggled to comprehend. From what I could grasp, the moon is against you and some of the moon’s friends also stand in your way. To aid in the battle against the moon (see what I did there), there are some powerful heroes called “Ultori” who offer unique abilities and are the last line of defence.

Against the Moon is a challenging deck building strategy game in need of more content.

Against The Moon has unique mechanics, but the execution leaves a little to be desired. Combat, which mixes cards, positioning and strategy, stands out with creative concepts and high difficulty - it is very rewarding to make sacrifices and build synergies to overcome tense situations. Different types of heroes, units and spells allow you to create numerous tactics, and the striking setting complements the experience. Unfortunately the game suffers from notable problems of imbalance, random elements that hinder tactical aspects and limited content. In the end, Against The Moon presents a solid foundation, but it still needs to be polished to reach its real potential.

Against the Moon is full of befuddling design and a shocking lack of content that makes it hard to recommend when so many better versions of this concept already exist

As it stands Against the Moon will likely fizzle out faster than the games that inspired it, with repetition setting in quicker than it really should. Yet, the brilliant upgrade system and solid tactical combat are worth experiencing, and I sincerely hope the game receives more content simply because I want to enjoy the game more.