The heroes of most RPGs are the adventurers who delve into dungeons to slay monsters. Less numerous are the games like Potionomics that pay homage to the humble shopkeeper. And for players who want to see both sides, braving treacherous labyrinths and emerging with artifacts to sell to local villagers, a new addition to Amazon Prime’s free games lineup is one of the best choices out there.
You begin Digital Sun’s Moonlighter as a down-on-his-luck adventurer who’s just inherited an item shop from his father in the struggling backwater village of Rynoka. After your father’s passing, your grandfather encourages you to use the shop to put Rynoka back on the map, despite your unquenchable desire to complete your father’s work of opening a creepy sealed dungeon in town. Instead of picking one path or the other, you embrace the side hustle lifestyle, delving into dungeons that change their layouts each night and selling the spoils you bring back the next day.
The whacking monsters with swords portion of Moonlighter plays out like a top-down action RPG in the vein of The Legend of Zelda. It’s clear that that series in particular is a huge inspiration for Moonlighter, from the close resemblance of their gameplay and a slew of references to classic Zelda moments thrown in. The game’s combat isn’t the most exceptional example of its genre, but it’s good enough to make each plunge into the depths satisfying as you pursue your true goal — getting filthy rich by selling treasure once you’re topside.
For each trip into the dungeon you can take two weapons, and switching them up is actually vital to taking on the game’s varied enemies. Bosses are a particular test, requiring a mix of pattern recognition and quick reflexes. Keeping your arsenal upgraded is also crucial, which just gives you even more incentive to bring back a full pack of loot with you from every dungeon crawl.
More important than slaying monsters is collecting whatever ancient detritus is lying around that you think you can make a buck off of. Like a flea market reseller, your goal in Moonlighter is to fill your pack with junk, then figure out how much you can get people to pay for it later. For that reason, inventory management is a huge deal in Moonlighter. Dealing with a small inventory and purchasing upgrades can be a hassle in games like Stardew Valley, but in Moonlighter, it’s part of the fun. Deciding which items to keep and which to toss is a nice bit of strategy that feeds into the game’s other risk and reward systems. If you perish in a dungeon, you’ll lose most of your inventory, but you can always pay a heap of gold to teleport out if you’re in danger. Only if you press on and beat that level’s boss will you get to keep your entire haul.
Back above ground, you use all the treasure you gained to make a tidy profit. Starting with just a few tables, you arrange a selection of valuables around your store and set the prices. At first, you’re essentially guessing at what customers will pay for your trinkets, but with more experience, you can learn how to hit the sweet spot. Price an item too high and customers will be driven away. Price it too low and you’ll never make enough to keep your shop afloat. Learning how to adjust prices based on customer reactions feels like acquiring a whole new skill, making what could be a dull part of the experience a delight. As customers shop, you also need to be ready to tackle thieves trying to make off with your loot, and run from table to table restocking and adjusting prices as needed.
There’s no shortage of roguelite action RPGs out there, but Moonlighter’s unique mercantile twist helps it stand out. Neither a full shop simulator nor a hardcore action game, its strengths lie in how well it combined its two halves into a greater whole. More money means you can buy better equipment, better equipment means you can earn pricier loot, rinse and repeat. Anyone looking for a unique combination of two beloved genres ought to give Moonlighter a look — all the better if you’re getting it free through Amazon Prime.
