Posted on: January 20, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

The one thing that I feel that the DS has sorely missed in the years since its debut have been first person shooters. However, with the creation of Moon by Mastiff Games, the hole that previously existed has been filled by one of the best titles of the new year for the platform. The first thing that players will notice is that the graphics to speed ratio has been carefully calibrated to the best possible outcome. This injects realism into the game’s storyline, which places players into the shoes of Major Kane, who has been tapped to explore a recently-discovered hatch on a futuristic outpost on Earth’s moon.

Where the graphics themselves push the limits of the DS, the speed ensures that fans of Unreal Tournament or Halo will find something that they can sink their teeth into with Moon. Instead of just being a normal type of FPS (first person shooter), the inclusion of puzzles (unlocking doors through the manipulation of a small robot) ensure that the relay value is high. While there is not a jump option present in Moon, the game does not need it; the intensity and intricacy of the title is not diminished in the slightest, as the designers have put forth a title that is far from a button-masher. The amount of weapons that players can hold (7, including the robot) and the differentiation of said weapons ensures that a sense of strategy is imbued in the title, while the different stages provide enough variation to destroy any monotony that may be present.

Gamers that have been waiting eagerly for the last three months will find that the finished product is well worth the wait. Players that are familiar with Renegade Kid (designer’s) previous title Dementium: The Ward will be familiar with the engine, but anyone lucky enough to pick up Moon should see serious improvement over the earlier title. If you like first person shooters, make it a point to pick up Moon and see what Mastiff (and Renegade Kid) are up to in the new year: they will not disappoint.

Rating: 8.6/10

Moon (DS) / 2009 Mastiff / http://www.mastiff-games.com

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