Oh boy, where do I even start with Moonstone Island on the PS5? This game, it’s been on my radar for a while. I even gave the demo a whirl on Steam, you know, just to see what the fuss was about. And let me tell you, I was hooked from the get-go. So, when I saw it was finally hitting consoles, and the PS5 specifically, I knew I had to jump in. I mean, a creature-collecting life-sim with 100 islands to explore? Sign me up!
First off, I grabbed it off the PlayStation Store. I saw somewhere it was going to be 15% off on Steam, and I was kinda hoping for a similar deal on PS5, but no dice. Still, I bit the bullet and bought it. The download was pretty quick, didn’t take up much space on my SSD either. I think it said something like 226 MB to download, and ended up being around 389 MB on the disk. Not bad, not bad.
Once it was installed, I fired it up and dove right in. The game throws you into this beautiful, pixelated world. It’s got this cozy, retro vibe that just makes you want to curl up with a blanket and play for hours. And let me tell you, there’s a ton to do. I started off by exploring my home island, getting a feel for the place, and meeting some of the locals. You can make friends with these folks, which is pretty cool.
Then there’s the whole potion brewing thing. You collect ingredients, follow recipes, and whip up all sorts of concoctions. Some of them give you buffs, others are used for quests, it’s a whole system in itself. And of course, the main draw of the game, the creature collecting. These little guys, called Spirits, are scattered all over the islands. You battle them using a card-based system, which, honestly, took me a bit to get used to. But once I got the hang of it, it was pretty fun.
I spent hours just wandering around, discovering new islands, each with its own unique environment and Spirits. Some islands are all lush and green, others are barren and rocky, there’s even one that’s just a giant mushroom! And the best part? You get to fly around on a broomstick. A broomstick! How cool is that?
Now, I’ve heard some people comparing Moonstone Island to Stardew Valley, and I get it. There’s definitely some overlap in terms of the farming and life-sim aspects. But Moonstone Island really sets itself apart with the creature collecting and the sheer size of the world. It feels way bigger and more open than Stardew, if you ask me. Also, I have to mention the Star Path, apparently the free one costs nothing, and the Premium one costs 2,500 Moonstones. I think there’s an option to buy the Premium one with 100 bonus Scream Canister Tokens for 3,300 Moonstones. I didn’t try it, but it’s worth noting.
My overall impressions?
- The Good: The world is huge and beautiful, the creature collecting is addictive, the potion brewing is deep, and flying around on a broomstick is just plain fun.
- The Not-So-Good: The card-based combat system can be a bit clunky at first, and I wish there was a PS5 discount like there is on Steam.
All in all, I’m really enjoying my time with Moonstone Island on the PS5. It’s the perfect game to unwind with after a long day. If you’re looking for a charming, relaxing, and surprisingly deep experience, I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot. Just be prepared to lose a lot of hours to it!
