Is Moonstone Island Worth it? | Pokemon Meets Stardew Valley!?

[@studiosupersoft]

Thank you so much for your review, Ed!!! And yeahhh we know about the discard pile bug, we're working on it :D

[@benedict6962]

From my first impressions of what Ed's shown: -The combat looks a little too simple for my taste. I think you can do a lot more with armor than needing dedicated cards to shave it. That said, it would be cruel to demand library of ruina on a mon game that already has a farming sim. -The farming and the mons could mesh a little more together. Have mons supplement or replace tool use, which may require recipes and progression to be more independent of each other. But I really think there's potential in a purely mining alchemist one day, then a purely construction/chopping alchemist another, down to the kinds of mons they carry around.

[@sourcream1671]

hey! your game looks cool, but the design of the monsters seems to clash with everything else (monsters are outlined even though a lot of everything else isn't)

[@martinbat1164]

any plans for mulitplayer?

[@DanPeters182]

I was on the fence a little but will pick it up after seeing this review.

[@bobsiddoway]

Switch ever?!!!

[@Senpirates]

Looks like the perfect Switch title!

[@tweezy5804]

I just want cassette beast 2 already. That game was sooo good.

[@Ss-or1dq]

if you're not into farming, like battling and exploring, and now appreciate the beauty of card style attacks and such, might i recommend Slay the Spire. its a tower based attacker game where you lone ranger into the tower as one of 3 or 4 different character classes (i don't remember how many sorry) and pick a route on the map for each tower level. its got the card style fights with turns and energy levels just like this. this game actually reminds me a lot of Slay the Spire. Also has some crazy combinations like how you mentioned.

[@sgappi8801]

Saw this in a slay the spire bundle on discount and was trying to decide if i should get that, it looks like less good slay the spire combat and promising overall game but lacking depth was the review consensus. Great dev but didnt feel worth it

[@rune9055]

I agree. This game would've been amazing if it had ability animations to the cards. Is the one thing that's killing it for me.

[@exocitus8731]

The only grip I have so far with the game is not being able to customize my character, is not something that would make me not recommend the game or drop it but is a little of a let down (even if they never promised that and I already knew about it before going into the game).

[@toodleloos]

same, the lack of customization for the character was a big problem for me too, and i almost didn't buy it. i still like the game well enough as a time-waster but that was a pretty big con for me honestly

[@1trevor30]

The reason they didn't add any customization was because of the writer and the creator's massive agenda for identity politics. I mean you can see it written all over the game.. with the pronouns being abundant along with certain dialogue and the inability to even choose a male or female. Basically, they wanted to make sure the player was non-binary. Any added customization would have gone against what they were forcing down your throat. @@toodleloos

[@Chris-wj6pn]

Ed, I really love and respect the way you are so open with your preferences & biases and speak to them when reviewing games. Great video as always!

[@Klayht]

Great vid as always Ed, I am barely 2-3 hours into the game so far and it is nice to know I do not have to make a mega farm or force myself to socialize.. :D

[@damonwhalen4684]

yu-gi-oh? that looks like slay the spire

[@veggiebroth5542]

Came here to say that

[@_shadiness]

Well, unfortunately not similar to either

[@balder9033]

​@@_shadinessit's bad?

[@thederp9309]

@@balder9033no. He just said that they’re not similar.

[@lachlanbaker2002]

Thank you so much, this is an amazing game and you're the perfect person to bring these beautiful games into the spotlight. I started watching your videos when you were posting your videos of anitons and kindred fates analysis and its been awesome to watch your editing get better and your subscriber count grow. I'm a big fan, and I hope the grind your on helps you grow even further!

[@codyrice1174]

Personally I'm not a fan of the lack of evolutions but I'll 100% pick it up if/once they get added because everything else about the game is very good

[@GenJuhru]

..or fusion

[@riotkitty]

It looks very cute, I think I might get this sometime when I’m not broke aha. The Sprite art in particular reminds me of Gen 3 Pokémon and Link’s Awakening remake(but pixelated instead of 3D), and also of Stardew Valley with the portraits of the characters and general UI. The travel mechanics & some of the creatures do remind me a bit of Pokémon but some are more crazy cause I saw a beach ball with sunglasses which is funny. Also the card system reminds me a bit of Wizard 101 which is an interesting combination of stuff in the game.

[@charismatic9467]

Damn doesn't have 20 bucks real down bad aha

[@TheDtzcrptr]

this is something ive always thought is dumb. in monster taming games, say you have a water monster. why not make it so the crops you have can be watered faster or automatically by your creature? if by taming more monsters you could farm more efficiently then its a win win

[@chronoblue418]

Palworld is going to actually have that.

[@Luzac-1]

the Rune Factory series isn't focused on moster taming, but has a bit and some of the monsters can help in the farm, be watering, harvesting or generating produce.

[@scarlaria5703]

What makes me sad about this game is that there's hardly any decoration for the outside of our house.

[@jeancarlodelaluz6415]

I mean we barely have any attack sprites in Yugioh master duel 😅 Little by little we're getting some but for spells and traps. I'll be enjoying this game cause it's a mix of things I like. Yugioh,pokemon and slay the spire.

[@notinthem00d30]

This game is criminally underrated. Growing up with pokemon and Yu-Gy-HO, and loving the old harvest moon and more recent Stardew valley, this game really hits the spot for me. Only wish there were more games like this.

[@lucykaede5863]

It would be nice if the game was zoomed in a bit more or character/monster models were bigger both in battles and overworld. Personally can't enjoy the art much when I can barely see the game.

[@BerryQueen-yr2od]

I just bought it and the dlc. For 23. I am super excited about it.

[@Kaidkb]

[@LukePasqualeCalarco]

i love deck builders and the art/music/general vibe looks so nice! also not a fan of farming games, but great to hear you can avoid that side of it, will def check it out when it comes to switch!

[@Ss-or1dq]

hey if you don't like farming but love deck builders, slay the spire is a tower based one- its endless so you can keep battling as much as possible and its got great music like this title, too. :)

[@LukePasqualeCalarco]

yeah STS is great, that's what got me started on deck builders!

[@DataDietz]

I just booted this game up for the first time on Christmas day 2023 and can not stop playing it. I'm currently working towards my glider, but man does this game have its hooks into me. I normally don't play around with "cozy" games or farming sims, because they just don't hit with me. This game SLAPS.

[@altri_jpg]

cant believe such a game was built on Construct 3

[@CreativelyJake]

in terms of farming, i played the demo and im. honestly, i think stardew is the only game where i genuinely enjoy the farming a lot . it gives me a lot of joy and dopamine to farm in stardew.

[@ShadowEclipex]

Tried the demo, it'd pretty fun, but I too wasn't drawn in by the farming and social aspects.

[@glakoblako]

I sure like the look of it....going to have to give it a try.

[@Ghintech]

Gonna be honest somewhat disappointed there is no evolution or upgrading of the creatures

[@bobertmario95]

Really excited to try this once on Switch ❤

[@ax4855]

The review I've been waiting for!

[@mirandadecker7073]

I hope it wont be a long wait for this to come to switch

[@Tedthagamer]

Farming games can get old if you're not into that sort of thing I'm currently playing harvestella 😊

[@ScreamingBeast]

Thanks for the overview

[@kauenatan]

This video just showed up and I'm totally in love now 😍😍😍😍😍 I'm definitely gonna buy

[@ProximaNick]

Cool review, Ed. Looks pretty interesting.

[@Saucyshire]

Yeah I don't know... Normally you have a primary game element you focus on. Pokemon is all about catching and fighting with pokemon, stardew valley is about the farm care and social elements that come with it. If you try to mix both of them, which one is suppose to be the primary focus? I've seen games mix and match like this before, and they usually end up being an unfocused mess that doesn't do either to a satisfying degree.

[@V-vision]

I think this is more limiting than it has to be. These are elements that go fairly well together, especially when you can pick and choose the effort you devote to a particular part of the game. Stardew Valley itself lets you gear up and fight your way through the mines to get more loot. While farming was the focus, I don't think 100+ dungeon floors are something to be ignored, even if the combat was basic. Swap in the dungeon delving with some "pokemon" battling and exploring where the monsters are fueled by the stuff you farm and your fights and exploration reward you with things useful for your the farm and your monsters and I think you've got a decent situation with little change to the formula. Sure, it can go horribly wrong, but plenty of games more focused on just one thing go horribly wrong too

[@Roflmao6173]

Based on the video its quite apparent that the monster taming/deck building combat system is the primary game element, especially considering that he didn't need to delve into the farming and social aspects to complete and enjoy the game

[@Saucyshire]

@@Roflmao6173 and yet neither seem to be complete forms of what make them so enticing. Both the monsters and farming seem very underwhelming. Why focus development time on introducing so much of a farm sim when it's so unimpactful to the rest of the game. You prove my point by telling me that the farming DOESNT matter. That means it's useless and adds nothing to the rest of the game. I did watch the video and the fact he can basically forget that farming is a part of the game just tells how little it belongs. Vice versa can also work, why have monster taming that has so little effect to farming? Normally the aspects of a game should all work together well, but from what I see (at least at this stage of development) they are all separated don't seem to mesh at all yet.

[@DracoBudSmith]

I was thinking about this game when I saw it on Steam. But the only thing is that stopping me is a turned based card battle. I not sure if I would enjoyed that aspect? It does look really nice though.

[@MirandaPurpleClouds]

I hope the card playing isnt too hard to learn? Im new to that mechanic but this looks cute and fun. (Im from the cozy farming gaming side of this )

[@Ss-or1dq]

hey although you're new to the card styles (i'm from the cozy side too lmao) if you do find yourself wanting practice with it or want to find more titles like this (when it comes to battles) Slay the Spire is really good. it has the same mechanics (no farming or home decor tho :( ) as this game where the energy levels dictate the cards available, you can choose your deck size and card choices, you can even buy items to make up for the fact that there's no farming. you can always restart if you need more practice too so that's cool

[@Toastcat890]

Waiting for the Switch version

[@MasterPopoy]

Have you got any Shiny spirit? Already caught 4, but still haven't figured out how they can be obtained.

[@Allanna-ku8ij]

I wonder if the switch port has come out yet or will soon

[@likealaddertothesun]

Apparently items are really unbalanced in this game, being so good they can make battles a joke, at least according to one review. Hoping to see if that gets addressed at any point

[@DestroyerOfDoom]

Items were the same in Pokemon as well so don't use it i suppose

[@Roflmao6173]

I think that's a fair tradeoff assuming you have to farm for them. You're rewarded for spending time to get them but at the same time the game is completely playable without you needing to stock up on items. Plus the fact that you can customize your difficulty by choosing to use or not use them or how much you want to use(-cough- unlike things like Pokemon's untoggleable exp share -cough-)

[@likealaddertothesun]

Sure, items you have to grow or craft should give a payoff for the effort, but the Noisy Pixel review seemed to imply some items trivalized battles so much that it was hard to resist using them, so maybe they should be toned down a bit @@Roflmao6173

[@Uwahchan]

ahhhh this is such a great review and makes me want the game even more, but I want to wait until it release on switch. Honestly do you think it worth the wait or should I just get it now on pc since it's on sale due to it being a new game on steam?

[@lou_tv95]

Sadly I'm letting steam reviews rule my life and I backed out of buying this game

[@pancho6470]

question, Do the spirits evolve?

[@toodleloos]

no. they get stronger (and have shiny versions) but they dont evolve, cant be named, and can't be customized in any way.

[@izsubs316]

This is available on steam?

[@veggiebroth5542]

Yes

[@dizzard5297]

Does the game have a time limit? I saw a gameplay video where there was a quest to spend a year away from home and it got me wondering if the game had a time limit...

[@DragonsRocks017]

I assume it means the in game year since it seems to have seasons and dates on the top right....

[@kirom22]

There's a way to respec spirits stats?

[@suicune2001]

Thanks!

[@darengabrillo1993]

holy shi this is the game I've beem looking for damn 🔥

[@V-vision]

I appreciate you mentioning your own bias, but even though you didn't bash those other aspects of the game, I think it'd be worth it to dig into the other elements more before discussing if the game is worth it

[@GeminiSunrise06]

i like the freedom this game provide!

[@charleskimblecomics5714]

Did my eyes just spot radlad from ooblets?!!

[@kismet9321]

I just saw ur comment I thought the same thing lmao

[@angelj23]

it is! there was a collab with Ooblets and Cassette Beasts

[@RealmsofPixelation]

Are these the same people who made Monster Sanctuary? Loved that game. I'm loving this one as well.

[@NintendoSilver]

monster sanctuary is a great game, so much builds you can try

[@1988elrey2013]

What do you mean by builds 👀

[@Luzac-1]

@@1988elrey2013 In Monter Sanctuary the battles are 3x3, and every monster has Skill Trees and Types for synergy, it's a great game

[@NintendoSilver]

@@Luzac-1 yes that's correct, the game is amazing

[@DanteCrowlley]

Is the game that short for a review already?

[@ZaphBot]

It's really not short, he probably got a review key, that's really not uncommon that content creators have early access to games.

[@kismet9321]

The little turnip guy at around 4 minutes in reminds me of radlad in the game ooblets

[@GymLeaderEd]

It is! They did a crossover!

[@kismet9321]

@GymLeaderEd omg! That's so exciting I love ooblets :>

[@terryyyboiii]

Is this game coming out on switch?

[@marco_onlineyt535]

is this available on IOS? thanks

[@pastel86z]

ive gotta be honest..i really wanted to like this game,but everything is so damn tiny! I wear reading glasses and still couldnt read the tiny print.and there is a lot of reading.i tried using the switch zoom but it was imposdible to play like that.if youre going to make a pixel art game,do it so you cabn see the pixel art! I really wish the developers had installed a zoom feature like in stardew valley.

[@ombra711]

Not being able to create my character makes this less appealing

[@nancymurray1079]

Don’t like card type games and agree on the relationship parts.

[@ursalight]

i just wish it was coop

[@JeromeDoyle]

Farming gives me all the dopamine!

[@HongoKanata1]

Hi just like how you hate how people always compare things to Pokémon like it’s the original creature capture game, people in the farming sim community also hate it when others compare any farming sim game to stardew valley. Stardew valley took inspiration from harvest moon games and made it their own but to see people say stardew valley when they see a pixel farming game is very annoying and depressing since harvest moon has been out since 1996 and people think stardew valley is unique for its genre.

[@GymLeaderEd]

I don't hate it when people compare the two, I hate it when they say its a rip off or clone. Using popular titles to give people an idea of what something is does more good than harm, as it gets the word out. Its when u say 'this is a ripoff' and go on a tangent about how it should do things like those games do where the issue lies.

[@Luzac-1]

Obligatory mention that the new Harvest Moon games are called Story of Seasons now, new games by the name Harvest Moon are abusing the fame of the series cause they own the copyright of the western name, but have nothing to do with the original devs/series.

[@calder2293]

Farming games are like reading a book before bed, they bring the Zzzzzs

[@Astronic]

Nice taking into consideration your own likes. Cudos.

[@BoxingDayAC]

Does Gym Leader Ed like every game he reviews that isn't mainstream Pokemon? I feel like I can't respect his reviews when he recommends everything that rips off another game.

[@GymLeaderEd]

I can't respect someone that can't tell the difference between taking inspiration and a rip off

[@GymLeaderEd]

Also if a game is generally really bad, which there have been games like that, I won't even playthrough them enough to review them properly. My audience knows that I can't finish games that I at least don't like a little bit

[@jamesmick-zy4ip]

Stardew valley doesn't have monster taming smh

[@GymLeaderEd]

Where did I say it did? Smh

[@Slice-i6h]

can we not call it pokemon? lets use something good instead like nexomon or cassette beasts.

[@GymLeaderEd]

Loll I'm not calling it pokemon, but I am trying to get the attention of pokemon fans and stardew fans hence the title

[@collinknowles5333]

Cringe. Just because Pokemon fell off a cliff in recent years doesn't mean it isn't an apt comparison

[@Slice-i6h]

@@collinknowles5333 it didnt fall off a cliff, it fell into the deepest depths of hell and shows no signs of recovering, only good thing ive seen is they finally replaced that annoying brat ash in the anime.

[@GymLeaderEd]

@@collinknowles5333 yea that's kinda my thought process. I'm not calling it a clone or a rip off just that its like pokemon meets stardew in the most general and broad sense

[@GymLeaderEd]

@@collinknowles5333 yea that's kinda my thought process. I'm not calling it a clone or a rip off just that its like pokemon meets stardew in the most general and broad sense

[@alfonsopronunziato1580]

meh this should be a phone game not pc. theres a 15 y old gameboy advancemedabots game about medabots that feels 10 times better than this one

[@therittzer7334]

Looks awesome, would love to play, but this woke pronoun stuff aint for me or my child... 🤷‍♂️

[@motadooo]

Wtf is moon stone

[@zanzazaar]

Game has shit ton of minor issues and some medium, like with skill tree. But still it is nice to play.