Game: Whispers in the Moss
Genre: Adventure, Indie, RPG
System: Steam (Windows)
Developers | Publishers: Uncultured Games
Controller Support: No
Price: US: $4.99 | UK £4.29 | EU € 4,99
Release Date: May 31st, 2024
A review code was used with many thanks to Uncultured Games.
Whispers in the Moss is likely to be one of the strangest-looking games younger players have ever clapped eyes on, and that’s central to the game’s existence. It’s a modernized throwback, combining elements of classic games like Final Fantasy VI with the even older aesthetic of ZZT, a game and creation kit so old that Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney invented it back when he was still a college student. Then it pinches in some up-to-date conveniences, like save anywhere and difficulty options, and tops it off with a PDF manual straight out of the D&D Gold Box era.
The game is the brainchild of a single developer at the indie studio Uncultured Games, and the result is… definitely something worth experiencing. If you’re up for its particular quirks.
Whispers in the Moss Is Built Around Its Aesthetic
Talking about how the game looks is pretty much a required introduction to the game. It’s going to be something you’ve probably never seen before unless you’re into a lot of old traditional Roguelike/Mystery Dungeon games, and it’s based on a graphics engine that’s ancient enough to drink and vote across the world. It’s a blend of ASCII and a rarer graphics mode called ANSI, which the oldest among us might remember as a big deal on mid-’80s BBS boards populated by… um… interesting programmers who may still be in jail today. Or working with security experts. Whichever.
With a little effort, it’s possible to make some amazing graphics with a palette of shaded rectangles and rich colors. Whispers in the Moss isn’t trying to prove itself to other aged script kiddies, though; it uses these complex palettes to create a full world to explore. That includes strange yet emotive portraits for characters (you’ll customize your lead character with just enough colorful options to make me think of those Gold Box games again), and Final Fantasy-style battles with rough-edged monsters as familiar as they are weird.
It’s as striking as it is initially confusing, and your first few moments in the game will be spent adjusting to its style. Then, like in The Matrix, shapes become familiar in the code: crackling fireplaces, wooden bridges across thin streams, crops in sprawling fields, and thick mountain ranges. Once you see the world for what it is by first moving around your small starting town, you’re ready to explore it all.
Whispers in the Moss Has One Small Hurdle To Defeat Before Venturing Forth
My previous reviews note that I tested PC games on the Steam Deck, and this was no different. Lulled into security by the promise of the game being JRPG-style, I did not check for controller compatibility — and, strangely, there is none. Now, there are classic JRPGs that were PC games, but in the West, it’s hard to ignore the belief that JRPG = Standard controller input.
So, I managed to frustrate myself on loading it up the first time. To the dev’s credit, they’re clear about the simplicity of the keyboard inputs, which are nicely streamlined even compared to classic keyboard CRPGs like Questron. The Steam Deck will run the game just fine, and the bulk of necessary inputs are mapped to the default keyboard/mouse template (WASD is on the directional, some inputs are on the buttons, the left joystick flips some menus… you will get used to it, but it’s a lil rough). Just go into your template options and add the Enter Key to something you’ll remember. I used the R3 Joystick Button option for it, and it’s perfect.
To summarise, you may have more fun with the game on your laptop unless the developer adds a controller scheme (it would be cool, but that’s up to them!), but it works fine on the Deck with a little finagling. With that sorted, my judgment is not affected by this section, but you should be aware of it before buying.
Whispers in the Moss Offers Classic Exploration With Some Happenin’ Tunes
I cannot fathom why this game has a soundtrack that rolls so hard, but it does. Also composed by the solo developer behind Uncultured Games, Tapio, this is no simple MIDI nor chip tune score. It goes everywhere from a clean, string-heavy orchestral-style score to beepier SNES-tuned battle music that’s somehow evocatively familiar despite being brand new. And that’s just in the first couple of hours.
That paradox of classic now permeates the game, as real-time exploration sees monsters (squat little thingies with heads that go red when they turn hostile) beeline towards your party on the field. The battle itself is a cozy Active Time Battle system that shows you when your character will be ready to go again, impacted by your skill usage. Treasure chests glint, waiting to be found, and sparkling fonts mark places in the wild where you can save if you’re playing classically and heal up if you have a spare crystal.
The story is also comfy fare with a mix of dialogue that effectively defines its characters and tells a classic-yet-new story of heroes on a quest, but is also sometimes loaded with modern language that smacks of a Ted Woolsey FF translation without going full Vic Ireland. (That’s a bit inside baseball for a lot of gamers today, but Ireland, an enthusiastic dev who brought some amazing JRPGs to America, added loose ‘translations’ that are incredibly dated now) It’s a stylistic choice that works.
For gamers looking for a bellyful of nostalgia with just enough tweaks to make that old-school game an easier, cozier experience than it used to be, Whispers in the Moss really knows how to hit its targets. The only caveat is that also true to the time, some useful backstory and info are in a 25-page PDF manual, and your initial hour with the game will probably evoke a lot of the same confused world-building boot camp as Final Fantasy VI, e.g., esper? Magitek?? What’s a Kefka?
But it’s not long before you find your feet, and off you go on an adventure.
Conclusion
Whispers in the Moss is one of the most unique games I’ve had the pleasure to try in the last twenty years, yet it’s as comfortable and familiar to play (once you’ve got your controls sorted) as a Dragon Quest game. The developer’s love for the auld days comes through pure, and every moment of the twelve years of work he put into this project is visible on the screen, in hand-edited art pieces of a style so out of date as to be computer archaeology.
It’s not going to be for everyone, as the aesthetic may be too much for some to overcome, even with a few optional color palettes to help with personal taste or eyesight issues. But there’s a love for computer history in the game that gives it an irrepressible charm, and if you grew up fumbling with the ASCII graphics on your old Commodore 64/128, you’re going to feel right at home in these woods.
Final Verdict: I Like It A Lot
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