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The Mooseman is the person you’re playing in this game, and it’s a game that I didn’t really understand – in fact, it’d take longer to figure that out and write about it, but I’ll have a go, and in short, it’s a puzzler.
Best to check out some gameplay first, as you’ll walk along all three layers of the universe: the Lower World, where the ocean is, then the Middle World, for mankind, and then the Upper World, where the Ancient Gods reside.
Pressing the space bar will allow you to change back and forth, between what looks like showing objects as either black or white, but when it changes, you’re seeing what’s hidden to the mortal eye, in order to make your way through a landscape whether to avoid a bear, hide inside a rock, climb said rock, avoid baddies who are out to bump you off, and so on. There are other actions to take, but you’ll come across them on your journey.
Along the way, you’ll uncover new texts, as well as hearing an ethereal voice tell you similar things in an ancient language, but all the text and speech comes across like some new-age hippie nonsense, and I really didn’t get it.
The Mooseman – All Artifacts and Missable Achievements – Mindless Walkthroughs
The graphics are purposely minimalistic and almost monochrome, and they’re very much like a drawing at times which is quite cool, while there is a pleasing soundtrack at times, especially if something happens that will trigger a sort-of musical piece… like I’ve tried to get across – it’s all rather odd.
The Mooseman is not particularly difficult. I guess it’s one of those games you either *get* and you love it, or you go through it whilst not fully undestanding it, and also get rather bored at times, and are quite glad it doesn’t go on too long… and I’m in the latter camp. To that end, it also took several attempts to even start this review as I’d not come across something like this before and it wasn’t winning me over. Still, I perservered.
On the plus side, if you need to duck out part-way through – and for those who know how much I love plenty of chapters on a Blu-ray or DVD – there are a whacking 49 chapters in this game, so when you quit out, you’ll always be able to get back in close to where you left it.
On the downside, playing this is very much trial and error, at times, and without help from online videos (above and below, the bottom two being full walkthroughs with or without commentary), it’s difficult to precisely work out how to pass certain sections.
The Mooseman is a difficult game to break down into its usual components when it comes to giving the score, so I’ll just go for an overall one.
Score: 5/10
The Mooseman is out now on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch on all their respective online stores only.
Important info:
- Developer: Vladimir Beletsky, Mikhail Shvachko
- Publisher: Sometimes You
- Players: single player
- Languages: Erm… an ancient language
- Subtitles: English
The Mooseman – Full Game Walkthrough Gameplay & Ending (No Commentary Longplay) – Father
The Mooseman – 100% Full Game Walkthrough
– All Achievements/Trophies & Collectibles (Artefacts) – Maka91Productions
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.