Title: The Mooseman
Genre: Adventure, Indie
Developer: Sometimes You
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release: July 18
The Moosman is a gorgeous little adventure that opens you up to a wondrous world inspired by Perm animal style. This is something that you probably haven’t seen or heard before, especially in the video game space so if you’re a fan of history and art you’re going to find The Mooseman to be a beautiful experience while it lasts. I loved the project so much that I’m now diving into the world of Finno-Ugric paganism.
But if you’ll notice I never mentioned in my raving that The Mooseman is a game; it isn’t in the traditional sense. This is clearly an art/educational project first which I would normally hate, but in this case it’s a wonderful experience in all aspects because of how well it’s presented.
I played the game on the Nintendo Switch over a weekend while with my parents who don’t much care for or understand video games. What was great was that while playing The Mooseman, both came over to check things out. My father asked what movie I was watching while my mother sat down to watch me play, asking about the game and what it was all about.
This is something special as The Mooseman, at least in my case, transcended the medium of a video game which tend to be nothing more than disposable entertainment. Like a beautiful work of art the game demands to be seen and interpreted in unique ways.
The game itself plays very simply requiring very little from the player. You can move left to right and interact with objects with a single button. You simply move the game character forward to move the story along. The interaction is there to help break up the pace and give the player information on what they are seeing/experiencing.
This is clearly a “less is more” sort of experience where the story is the focus and not the gameplay, of which there is very little. In fact, the game allows you to auto walk to make thing even more basic. You will have to stop to do some minor puzzle solving, but it never gets in the way of the story or poses a serious challenge.
The Mooseman does have a single boss fight in the middle of the game, but it still simply requires you to simply move left to right and active your shield to avoiding danger. There are times when the world changes and you have a weapon, but again, it’s a single button. You can die, but it doesn’t end the experience, only taking you back a little ways to try again.
The real gameplay comes from the two worlds aspect the game goes for. At the press of a button you can shift into the mystical world that resides on-top of the real world. You’ll have to shift between the two to solve the puzzles the game presents and each has a distinct art style, one light and the other dark.
Graphically, The Mooseman is something really special to behold. The 2D styling is done in this hand-drawn chalk style that looks stunning on the screen. I began playing the game in hand-held mode, and that was fine, but on a big television is looks incredible.
The music is also stunning, sounding like something ripped from some major film. The credits indicate that the team pulled an actual vocal choir to provide the game with these beautiful, yet haunting tones that sound amazing through a great sound system.
The story is that of creation. It’s hard to describe here as my entire notion of creation comes from a Western perspective. These Finno-Ugric myths paired with the art style is altogether new to me and because of that it struck a real chord.
It’s the same reason that the Witcher series drew me in because of how strange and magical their local myths are incorporated into the game. The Mooseman does something similar and makes you want to crack open a history text to learn even more.
And while most of these linear games are good for a single play-through (there’s nothing wrong with that), The Mooseman offers up a bit to go back to. The game encourages exploration and repeat playings to collect all the art collectibles there are to find in the game.
These aren’t just objects, but art based on the Perm animal style that each come with background and information. Everything here is sourced from real-world works and books and the game gives you the resources to go digging for more yourself. The Mooseman really is a dream for those gamers out there that are also into art.
The Mooseman is clearly not for everyone, but if you are a fan of art, especially that from a culture altogether new to you, this is an adventure that will resonate with you. It’s a very short experience and luckily the price matches that, so do yourself a favor and experience one of the most unique game of the year.
“The Moosman is a gorgeous little adventure that opens you up to a wondrous world inspired by Perm animal style”
Final Score:
4/5
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