GOTY of its year, perhaps the peak of co-op games in recent years. First, the good: the gameplay is so constantly metamorphosing that there’s barely any time to get bored; it always keeps you stimulated. On the other hand, the script’s stakes are so unambitious that they end up feeling predictable.

The stereotypical bluntness of the spoken metaphors contrasts quite heavily with the visual ones. Even the protagonists’ very design (the materials they’re made of, wood and clay) symbolizes the opposing poles within the marriage far more effectively than when they argue about them outright.

After the OG of the concept of running a shop by day and farming materials by night, Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale, Moonlighter deserves credit for its contribution: without reinventing the wheel, it executes the formula in a simple and elegant way. The care behind it is evident in the exquisiteness of its visual presentation, and while its mechanics don’t offer great complexity, the game’s length is precisely tuned, ending just before they begin to feel repetitive.

Similarly, progression follows the same principle: each dungeon feels increasingly challenging as you descend through its floors, reinforcing the loop of farming and profit while you grow familiar with the bosses’ movesets. Once you’ve upgraded your equipment, moving on to the next dungeon becomes much more manageable. In short, it delivers a well-balanced difficulty curve that consistently favors enjoyment.