To the Moon is a unique experience in every sense of the word and is a title that everyone needs to experience. Unlike most games though, To the Moon is more of an interactive story and, because of this, must rely on writing and music to convey its tale.
To the Moon is the tale of two doctors who enter the memories of a dying man to grant him his final wish of going to the moon. What follows is one of gaming’s most memorable experiences to date with plenty of tear worthy moments. These are due, in no small part, to the games phenomenal soundtrack. Hell, there will be times when you’ll start crying simply because of the music. The game hits the ground running with the main menu’s soothing theme. This is just a small taste of the emotion that follows.
Unlike most games, To the Moon does not feature a sprawling epic score. Rather, it focuses on emotional piano pieces with one exception in the form of the battle theme parody, Teddy. It uses both melancholy and upbeat tunes alike to convey the game’s bittersweet tone.
With the game’s JRPG aesthetic, and pieces like Between a Squirrel and a Tree and Bestest Detectives in the World, it is clear that classics such as Chrono Trigger were influential in Kan Gao’s vision of the game. These work to soften the mood of what is, at times, a very serious tale.
The game’s central theme is a piece called “For River” and it is repeated throughout various sections of the game, but with varying tones. While versions such as Moonwisher feel very relaxing, other versions such as Take Me Anywhere tend to be much more upbeat. The latter is my personal favorite
The vocal theme, Everything’s Alright, is an incredibly powerful piece that comes during one the climatic scenes of the game. When you play the game, I can guarantee you’ll feel a tear drops rolling down your cheek when this song begins. If not, then you have no soul.
These songs are only the tip of the iceberg on what is a truly incredible soundtrack. Everyone owes it to themselves to not only listen to it, but to also purchase the game itself as, minus a few blemishes, it is a true work of art. Also, 50% of all proceeds from the OST go to charity. So not only will you be getting a great soundtrack, but you’ll be helping people in need! If that’s not a win-win situation, I don’t know what is.
You can purchase both the game and the soundtrack here.
The game and soundtrack are just… amazing. I really don’t know how else to describe it.