8 Video Game Masterpieces Where The Moon Is More Than Just Set Dressing

May 31st is a special day! Today, we witness a blue moon, which marks the second full moon to appear in the same month. This event happens once every 2-3 years, and I'm sorry, the moon isn't really blue. Still, that's why we call “once in a blue moons” something that reliably happens, but only rarely.

This incident got us thinking: What games use the moon more than its beauty? Many titles have skyboxes that show natural satellites in some way, but all actually do something interesting with it. Basically, the moon exists just to exist. However, as with all things, some exceptions exist. Let's cover those video game masterpieces that made the moon an integral part of the experience.

Instead of just listing games, I'm going to break everything down into three categories: Red, Blue, and Strawberry Moon.

Red Moon – Cosmic horror manifestation of doom

Bloodborne and Zelda

In gaming, crimson skies with blood moons aren't just an aesthetic choice, but rather an exhibition of a developer's commitment to creating a universe defined by existential dread. Like the Sun, the Moon acts as a comfort blanket that humanity can rely on for stability. No matter how bad things are and can be, we can turn to the night sky and look at the moon, finding some solace in the existence of tomorrow. These games remove that safety net, turning the moon into a representation of despair, death and horror.

Bloodborne's Blood Moon is cosmic horror

Arguably the most famous example of Red Moon, FromSoftware's gothic masterpiece pulls the bait and switch on players. For the first half of the campaign, the moon is removed from Yornam, bringing a touch of light and beauty to a doomed world defined by tragedy and corruption. blood borne This one ray of normality is removed as players defeat Rom, the Vacuum Spider, and shatter the grand illusion masking reality. You, yes, you are directly responsible for this change, as the sky transforms into a torn canvas. The blood moon falls so low that it almost seems to touch the city.

Somehow, Yornum goes from bad to worse after this point. The Blood Moon physically alters the environment while driving the few remaining citizens completely insane. The broken sky brings cosmic-level frenzy, and the changing moon represents the point of no return. Now, the fight for survival is about taking on the apathetic gods of the universe. True confirmation comes blood borne's secret ending, which introduces the true architect of Hunter's dream: the Moon Presence. This skeletal, multi-tentacled Great One literally descends from the blood-red sky in the final moments of the game, essentially acting as an avatar of the moon (she's not literally the moon, but she controls the moon).

Fun fact: blood borne is my favorite game. This statement has no real point; I just wanted to mention that.

The Legend of Zelda: Blood Moon of BOTW and TOTK reset the ruined kingdom of Hyrule

Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Handle their blood moon very differently blood borneHowever they share some similarities. While FromSoftware uses transforms as “before” and “after” points, Zelda Integrates the Blood Moon directly into the gameplay loop, its arrival signaling the resurrection of defeated enemies. They both significantly change the status quo and remind players that they exist in a world full of nightmares, and Zelda It does all this while extending the longevity of playthroughs. At the same time, it tells you that you are not safe and you will never be safe until Hyrule is restored.

The Moon in Majora's Mask depicts the inevitable horror of death

Although not always red, Majora's MaskAfter the limit of three days, the moon turns into that color. Then, it plunges into Termina, bringing an end to reality and restarting Link's loop. As it grows larger during those three days, the moon casts a wide shadow over the world, plunging it into darkness. By the last hour, it burns an apocalyptic, fiery red-orange, choking the atmosphere and shaking the earth.

Blue Moon – Contradictions and distorted realities

Portal 2 and Final Fantasy 9

Earlier, we discussed the real-life meaning of the blue moon, and this truth seems to have little bearing on its use in game design. A blue moon represents something as rare and almost counter-intuitive as the destruction that breaks the laws of the universe. That's not exactly what happens, but the concepts are similar enough.

Portal 2

Leave it to Valve to completely subvert Skybox's expectations. 99% of the time Portal 2The moon is just a blip in the sky that sometimes peeks through a broken panel in the ceiling. Being so small and insignificant, it doesn't feel real or, more importantly, remarkable. However, the story quietly reveals an important fact that foreshadows the end: the portal-caused prison uses moon rocks. In the grand finale, this fact comes back in a big way. By removing the feature and exposing the night sky, Chell seems to have nowhere to go until the moon suddenly changes from background property to your lifeline. Using the portal gun, Chael sends Wheatley to the Shadow Realm (aka the Moon). In sports, Skybox is ever Something more than just a vista, though Portal 2 challenges.

Final Fantasy 9

I almost went along Final Fantasy 4The legendary shift from fantasy to pure sci-fi revealed that the simple-looking moon was actually a cosmic ship…but the ship was literally called the Red Moon, so I couldn't do it.

luckily, Final Fantasy 9 This concept fits really well. Throughout the game, players will occasionally see two moons in the background: a large blue moon and a small red moon. The celestial twins aren't brought up all that much throughout the campaign, and they only come across as fantasy set dressing. However, lore states that the blue and red moons belong to different worlds, and their current twin state represents a dying civilization's attempt to absorb another planet. The moons are a constant reminder of the history of Gaia and Terra.

Strawberry Moon – Relaxing tides and changing seasons

Together with Don't Starve and Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Red moons are Lovecraftian horrors, and blue moons are sci-fi subversions… Are there any gaming moons that aren't so extreme and still aren't just pretty furniture in the night sky? Well, yes, technically. Some games use their natural satellite to ground gameplay or players, allowing them to create routines around it.

A strawberry moon is set to occur on June 29, and its name comes from its connection to the short season when strawberries are ripe and ready for harvest. I'm sorry, the moon isn't really pink.

Don't starve together

Well, “comfortable” isn't the word I'd use to describe it Don't starve togetherBut it fits this segment well. The multiplayer game revolves around a 20-day lunar cycle, with one day's full moon serving as a catalyst to change the environment and the world. Stuff like Gloomer's Flower spawn, and Pig and Merm open their eyes to pick up Nightmare Fuel. Werepigs automatically transform, too.

This design extends to Lunar Island, a free DLC map set literally on a shard of the moon. On this island, the game's core “sanity” mechanic is completely reversed in “enlightenment”. Instead of staying calm, your character must embrace real, lunar energy to craft powerful tools. opposite BOTW and TOTKThe Blood Moon, which just resets the world, Don't starve together Uses the full moon to force players to adapt and change their strategies.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Let's end with the smoothest slice of life game imaginable: ACNH. Famously, Nintendo's game syncs to the console's clock so its days advance in real time, and it extends to the moon. Not only do your residents see the same moon as you, but they also see the same moon. right, ACNH Mimics the exact position of your moon, be it full, half or quarter. This is a really good description. Even the characters sometimes comment on the beauty of the night.

You can also unlock the moon as furniture.