Moons of Darsala (opens in new tab) it’s that rare kind of gameplay that makes an escort mission fun. Instead of trying to get your man to the end of a level, this 50s sci-fi raygun platformer sees you rescue fellow starships and blast them through a gauntlet of escalating difficulty and complexity.
Darsalon’s free seven-level demo offers a range of initial challenges from the game. It starts with simply getting a handle on the game’s team commands or using a surprisingly versatile flashlight to guide your hapless charges through dark tunnels. but in the end you’ll find yourself fending them off with a laser rifle, keeping the skies clear with a handy jetpack, and even creating terrain for your little ones to jump on.
My demo gives this look at the rich, playful developer of the Dr. toolkit. Kucho! has to build their levels and I can easily imagine the insanity of late game missions that mix and match these mechanics. The game’s trailers also provide a taste of advanced vehicles, such as a space marine dropship that will add plenty of spice to the full game.
I have almost no great strategic mind or anything, so I appreciate the gradations of success in Darsalon’s missions. You just need to get to the end of a level with enough rescuers to get past its security gates (you have to have so many little balls to get through! kind of deals). The added challenge comes from keeping everyone alive, clearing levels quickly, and tackling level-specific challenges like delivering all your little boys to the end at the same time.
I had a point in the demo where I lost an astronaut on a jump Really he should have, but otherwise those guys are just helpless enough to keep his puzzles interesting. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention its impeccable visual style—everything has that classic Trek/Forbidden Planet sci-fi kitsch feel, and Darsalon skillfully mixes expressive pixel art characters (those guys are so crazy!), matte background art in painting styles and 3D renders turned into sprites straight from the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis generation.
Moons of Darsalon is a challenging, charming little puzzle platformer, and I highly recommend checking out its free demo and wishlisting the game on Steam (opens in new tab). Moons of Darsalon is expected to be released in full on April 19.
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