System: PC, XBOX one, PS4, Switch | Publisher: Wired Productions
Developer: KeokeN Interactive | Reviewed On: XBox One
Diving straight into this one…Absolutely inspiring.
At first glance, this game may leave something to be desired and on initial impressions, the thing was very nearly uninstalled. The mere fact that I cannot resist anything remotely sci-fi kept me going and you’ll see why…
Deliver Us The Moon, tells the somber story of a near-future Earth, who’s natural resources have been depleted and where humans have turned to the stars in search of alternative fuel sources. The moon, as lady luck would have it, has an abundance of Helium 3, and thus caters to the dwindling Earth like a loving sibling. An occurrence, the details not yet known to the inhabitants of Earth or the player, interferes with the MPT (microwave power transmitter) and therefore the supply of fuel from the Moon, and it is your job to remedy whatever situation has unfolded up there. This story premise alone was enough to keep me engaged through the inertia.
From the outset, it becomes apparent that you are a lone astronaut backed by a small group of scientists who have managed to cobble together a space shuttle, with only one mission – bring the moon back online and avoid extinction. Your first steps are actually on Mother Earth right before you are jetted up to the main backdrop of lunar brilliance to sleuth out the particulars of the interrupted supply, and fix it – or leave humanity to wither into nothingness, your choice.
Kidding! you don’t have a choice. You are one man who will save the world, and you’ll bloody well enjoy yourself whilst you’re doing it!
So, the mechanics of this game aren’t that dissimilar to No Man’s Sky in the sense that you’re able to run the gauntlet in both first and third-person with a handy cutting laser tool to cut your way through obstacles. If you enjoyed NMS game-play, then you won’t be too far from comfort controlling your character on Deliver Us the Moon. A little cumbersome to begin with, the movement difficulties are soon dispelled by familiarity as you progress through the game.
As you work through the lunar stations towards the MPT, you are handed snippets of the underlying story via recordings left by the operatives who were there when whatever happened, happened. The idea of drip-feeding the player throughout the game is as it should be and was extremely well received; the tension created by this mechanism is second to none and is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Aside from the suspense-building, underpinning storyline, which is delivered beautifully btw, the developers of the game, KeokeN Interactive, have given you a game that is largely about exploration and problem solving – an engineer’s dream. As an engineer myself, I found myself hooked. Not only that, but you are also given a small floating robot named ASE to help you in your adventure. Being able to use ASE to carry out tasks such as enter rooms through ventilation ducts and operate switches out of reach just adds another delightful texture to the game-play.
Okay, if we’re talking nitty-gritty, it has to be said that the visuals of this game are vividly heart-stopping. KeokeN has used lighting to their advantage and produced something akin to the spectacles seen in the Interstellar movie; categorically awe-worthy and unquestionably beautiful. What’s more, is that these visuals are in-play graphics. It may have been easy for KeokeN achieve, considering the setting of the game with stereotypical space station surfaces and large amounts of black space, but I’d say what they’ve delivered in terms of detail and lighting is a huge accomplishment.
At various points in the game, you are flung into zero-G with no atmosphere, forcing you to attempt tasks and overcome obstacles with your oxygen depleting by the second. Little golden eggs in the form of oxygen canisters are there for you to survive these ordeals, but noticeably, are not abundant, which only adds to the stress factor. This is one aspect of the game which I fell in love with and at numerous times whilst navigating these electrifying scenes I found myself holding my breath! From wandering the corridors of space stations to soaring in zero-G to driving moon vehicles, this game provides enough textures in the right combination to keep the player fully engaged.
A suspenseful story is unraveled before you, which intensifies with every step to a heartfelt crescendo. Unexpectedly I found that a connection between me and the characters was induced, which during the first half of the game I would have thought improbable.Anyway, it transpired, and it got me; Right in the feels. Well done, KeokeN Interactive, and thank you.