# Moonlighter (video game)

Moonlighter is an action role-playing video game developed by Spanish indie studio Digital Sun and released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 29, 2018. A Nintendo Switch version was released on November 5, 2018. The game was made available for iOS and Android in November 2020 and September 2021, but were subsequently delisted. The mobile version was re-released for iOS and Android on May 24, 2022, via Netflix Games. A Stadia version developed by 11-bit studios in partnership with Crunching Koalas was released on July 1, 2021. A DLC expansion, subtitled Between Dimensions, was released on July 23, 2019.
A sequel, titled Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, is scheduled to be released in 2025.

## Plot
### Setting

Moonlighter is set in the village of Rynoka, which was created when several mysterious door were found to lead to unique places filled with artifacts. The people has started calling these places Dungeon and started venturing into them to gather resources to sell. There are 2 type of people who explore these dungeons, heroes who explore the dungeons and kill monsters for fame and glory, and merchants, people who explore the dungeons in search for artifacts within chests to sell. Heroes are held in greater esteem than merchants as merchants are seen as people who only care about money.
Each dungeon contains a mini boss at each floor, along with a dungeon guardian at the final level. When the dungeons were first discovered, Rynoka was filled with travelers and warriors looking to explore these places, and was very prosperous in the beginning. However, as the casualty rate within the dungeon became too high, the town started closing down the dungeons in order to protect the citizens. This would lead to Rynoka decline because they rely on the artifacts collected from the dungeons. As of now, only 1 dungeon remains open for people to explore.

### Story

Will, a 17 year old orphan, has begun exploring the dungeons near his house in order to collect artifacts to sell at his family shop, the Moonlighter. While exploring the first dungeon, he discovered a body which contained a note from Crazy Pete, a friend of his grandfather who used to research the dungeons. The note states that each of the 4 dungeon contains a guardian, which has a key on them. These keys are needed to open the 5th dungeon, which has remained closed since the dungeons were discovered.
However, Will was advised against trying to find these keys as he is a merchant, not a hero. Despite the warnings, Will managed to defeat each of the 4 dungeons guardians and collecting the keys they had on them. He eventually became known as the hero-merchant and more travelers has started visiting Rynoka again. After collecting all 4 keys, the door to the 5th dungeon finally opened.
As Will started to explore the 5th dungeon, he discovered it was filled with bodies of an alien species, and found some notes with the dungeon. The 5th dungeon was actually the base of a group of interdimensional pirates. These pirates were able to achieve interdimensional travel faster than any other civilization, and has started raiding other dimensions for their resources. The other dungeons were actually doorways to other dimensions the pirates created to streamline looting resources from other dimensions. When they discovered that a governmental group called the ICT was closing in on them, they decided to hide within their base to mask their base signal, giving the keys to a minion. The minion was to open the base within 1 month to resume their raiding. However, the minion was discovered and attacked by Crazy Pete, killing both the minion and Crazy Pete, causing the pirates to remain trapped. This led to the pirates fighting over what little resources. They decided to crash their base into a random dimension in a bid to try to escape, resulting in the dungeons appearance. However, only 1 member of the pirates remain as a result, the captain.
When Will discovered the pirate captain, the pirate captain thanks Will for freeing him and offered him the chance to leave, after stating his desire to continue his plans of pillaging other dimensions. However, Will refused and fought the pirate captain, eventually defeating him. Outside the dungeons, several soldiers from the ICT has begun to arrive to the dungeons, and closed them off. Opening the 5th dungeon has reactivated the base signal, allowing them to hone in and attempt to capture the pirates. When Will exit the dungeon, he explained to the ICT captain about what happened to the pirates. The ICT captain then informed Will that he's supposed to arrest everyone on the planet for using the doors to raid other dimensions, but because of Will's action in stopping the pirates and their contact with other dimension cultures, they decided to invite the planet to take part in the Dimensional Commerce Treaty, which allows them to legally trade with other dimensions. They will shut down the dungeons and that the continued use of them will illegal. Afterwards, Will returns to Rynoka to inform the town about the news.

## Gameplay

Moonlighter has the player manage their shop during the day and go exploring at night. Shop keeping involves managing goods and receiving money, which the player can invest to upgrade the town and add services like a potion-maker and a blacksmith. These town upgrades allow the player to craft weapons, armor, and health potions, hire a part-time worker to sell things during the day, as well as upgrade the characters' equipment. At night, the player can explore dungeons and confront hordes of enemies, which drop loot upon defeat; loot can also be found in chests once the player clears a room. The game is divided by four different dungeons, the Golem, Forest, Desert, and Tech dungeons.

## Reception

On Metacritic, Moonlighter received mixed reviews on PC platforms and positive reviews on the others. It was nominated for "Fan Favorite Indie Game" and "Fan Favorite Role Playing Game" at the Gamers' Choice Awards, and for "Most Fulfilling Community-Funded Game" at the SXSW Gaming Awards.