Moon Hunters

• Title — Moon Hunters • Developer — Kitfox Games • Publisher — Kitfox Games • Platforms — Windows, Linux, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch • Released — * Windows • March 10, 2016 • Linux, OS X • April 1, 2016 • PlayStation 4 • Xbox One • July 19, 2017 • Nintendo Switch • October 26, 2017 • Genre — Action role-playing, roguelike • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer

A co-op, roguelike action role-playing game that is described by the developer as a "personality test RPG", Moon Hunters lets up to four players choose from one of six different characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. They must set out on a dangerous journey to bring the moon back to the fantasy land of Issaria and stop the evil Sun Cult. The game's endings can differ widely depending on the choices the characters make during the journey, and the outcome of the final battle. The areas of the game are procedurally generated and will differ for each playthrough. However, information about past playthroughs is saved in the form of constellations.

One night in the fantasy land of Issaria, the moon does not rise. As the source of all magic and spiritual power, its disappearance imbalanced the world, and the game's heroes must set out to restore the balance again. Without the moon's power, monsters infest the land, causing chaos and spreading danger. The story of the game is non-linear, and changes depending on the actions of players all the way up to and including the ending.

The lead designer of Moon Hunters, Tanya Short, was heavily motivated by the idea of creating a game that used procedural generation to create "personal player narratives". In order to do that, she had to find a way for players to become invested in quests that were randomized. Instead of using traditional good/evil moral duality, the game bases characters' actions around their own distinct personalities. The game uses a campfire system to build the players' bonds with their characters, and focuses on breadth of potential experiences over the depth of the game itself. The game was designed with its ancient Mesopotamian setting in mind. The game's story was influenced by ancient myths from a number of different sources, though sometimes a version of a myth was chosen that better reflected modern egalitarian values. Despite a heavy amount of research, the lead designer regretted not being able to hire an expert on Sumerian history to make the myths more accurate.