Hey guys, new poster here. I recently downloaded "To the Moon" and finished it last night. First I'd like to congratulate Kan and Freebird Games for developing such an excellent title. Next, I'd like to start a discussion on what everyone would like to see in Episode 2 if it ever sees a release. Feel free to post any thoughts/wishes you may have for a sequel in here. I'm warning those ahead of time that this discussion might include *SPOILERS!*
In my opinion, story wise, "To the Moon" is nearly flawless. Regardless of it's short length, the story was so tightly woven and well written that it was difficult not to be drawn in. Kudos to the writers for pacing the plot and the revelation of clues so expertly.
However, there is room for improvement. While the short length of the game did ensure the story was tightly woven and always impactful, I believe Episode Two could be more a little more ambitious and drawn out. Like many people I talked to, I sympathized with River in the game. One thing I especially disliked was being torn apart from Johnny's memories while hearing Neil and Eva call her problems "none of their business". Yes, I do understand that Neil and Eva are supposed to remain emotionally constant in contrast to ups-and-downs of John's memories. And whilst I understand that changing a persons memories is their 9-to-5 and they should be the experts on their subject of work, there was actually sufficient reason to pay attention to those who John was close to. As they found out later, she was the real reason he wanted to go to the moon. Yes, the story is about John first and foremost. But, the developers could easily develop a strong and interesting group of supporting characters to complement Johnny and deepen the plot. Plus, it can further open the door for thought about whether Johnny's perception of people is different from who they really are.
Also, character development between Neil and Eva was somewhat.. lacking. Especially so because their banter was often very entertaining but lacked any growth. Though I once again understand that we are supposed to see them in their 9-to-5 jobs, I still think the writers were rather conservative with their reactions to Johnny's memories. There were times in the game where I *almost* felt as if they were impacted by Johnny's life, examples being: the time where they stayed in Johnny's memories despite the risk of being hurt by him going into shock, Neil's possible painkiller addiction, and of course Neil trying to stop Eva near the end from being legally correct but morally wrong. Though these moments were good, once they happened they were quickly tossed aside by Neil and Eva (except the ending, of course). That being said, there's ample room for more discussion and growth of their personal character in episode two. And, of course, more banter and random Dragonball Z references =) .
Gameplay wise, there isn't much to be said. In my opinion, either improve the puzzle elements, or get rid of them. While I didn't really mind the easy puzzle you were forced to solve in between each memory jump, I felt it was there much more to remind me I was playing a game rather than to challenge me at all. I think that exploration wise, more could be done in terms of interaction with your environment, choices you could make, and clues you can gather. More interaction between Johnny's memories and the real world could also help deepen the game and its characters (though not too much, as it would ruin the immersive nature of the game.) Also, I thought the menu where you could review clues and incidents was a nice touch; adding on the depth of that for Episode 2 would be interesting. All said, I don't think gameplay really mattered too much in what was, in my opinion, more of an interactive novel than a game.
Btw, I enjoyed "To the Moon" immensely. Easily a 9/10 or better game, and it also set up an opportunity for a sequel perfectly without really damaging the impact of Episode One. I hope to see a lot more from the characters Neil and Eva.
