A new first-person dungeon crawler recently launched on Steam, offering a strong dose of PS1-era nostalgia. The community response has been "Very Positive" – Lunacid: Tears of the Moon has quickly climbed to the top of the "Trending Free" section and is earning rave reviews.
Marius Müller (translated by Marius Müller), Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Gaming Game Releases
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon is a free-to-play first-person dungeon crawler and a prequel to the 2023 title Lunacid. Built with FromSoftware's Sword of Moonlight toolkit – originally created for the King's Field series – the game channels classic dark fantasy vibes. Players step into the role of the mage Calamis Cerulean, who is haunted by a grim vision: an ancient entity known as the Great Old One is stirring, threatening to bring ruin to the kingdom of Lyria. To stop this nightmare from becoming reality, you'll explore treacherous dungeons, gather powerful spells and weapons, and search for the elusive silver moonlight that might send the creature back into slumber.
The dungeons in Tears of the Moon are anything but linear, packed with hidden paths and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Combat blends tight melee mechanics with strategic spellcasting, where timing plays a crucial role. As you explore, you'll gather gear and upgrade your abilities, steadily growing stronger with each encounter. When things get especially dicey, crystal shards offer a quick escape from danger. Visually, the game leans into its retro charm, echoing the gritty, atmospheric style of the original PlayStation era.
Reviews: Strong retro flair held back by outdated controls and lack of replayability
According to Steam reviews, players praise Lunacid: Tears of the Moon for its authentic retro atmosphere, brought to life by the Sword of Moonlight engine, which faithfully recreates the look and feel of the PS1 era. This nostalgic look is enhanced by a hauntingly melancholic soundtrack, which, together with the game's dark world, fully draws players in. Many describe the experience as deeply immersive, saying they easily lose themselves in its eerie, captivating environment.
Despite the praise, the game hasn't escaped criticism. Players often point to the outdated controls as a major drawback – your character can't strafe, only move forward or backward and turn, which gives the gameplay a tank-like feel. The lack of in-game resolution settings and occasional input lag, especially on the Steam Deck (available on Amazon for around $570), also draw complaints. Additionally, while the atmosphere is widely appreciated, some players feel the game lacks replay value. According to several Steam reviews, there's little reason to return once the handful of dungeons has been completed.
Despite a few criticisms, Lunacid: Tears of the Moon has been well received overall, with 84% of the 225 Steam reviews giving it a positive rating. The game’s popularity is also reflected in its chart position, as it currently holds the top spot in Steam’s "Trending Free" category.
Free to play
Lunacid: Tears of the Moon was developed by KIRA LLC and released on Steam on April 12. The dungeon crawler is permanently free to play, with the only additional content on Steam being the soundtrack, priced at around $4.
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Editor of the original article: Marius Müller - Tech Writer - 1394 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.
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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2025 04 > Free to play: New first-person dungeon crawler with PlayStation vibes tops the Steam charts
Marius Müller,2025-04-14(Update:2025-04-14)
