My number one favorite Zelda game is Link’s Awakening, so when I got the opportunity to review a game that mimics that Game Boy classic, I was pretty excited.  In Saga of the Moon Priestess, a prince has been kidnapped and you play as a girl who can talk to the moon goddess and must rescue him.  You’ll travel through an overworld and tromp through five different dungeon mazes in top down 2D fashion to get him back.  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

As the moon priestess girl, you’ll walk around single screen areas like an overworld and dungeons.  Your weapon of choice is a spear, which you’ll thrust in front of you to defeat enemies.  You can also find items and tools in dungeons that’ll help you progress.  You first equip them in the start screen and press another button to use them.  These include Zelda style staples like gloves that let you pick up rocks, a bow and arrow, magic fire rod, bombs, and a special hookshot like the one in either the Oracle of Ages/Seasons games (can’t remember which one).  The overworld is probably about half the size of the one in Link’s Awakening, and there are only five main dungeons, so some may say it’s a bit short.  But it could also be considered a nice bite-sized adventure.

Or it WOULD be if it weren’t for the problems with the game.  Play control is just slightly slow and clunky.  And when you get hit, there is no knockback or temporary invincibility, so your health can whittle down quick if you’re not careful.  I also wish there were more save points.  Worst of all is that the game froze up on me several times.  Either I’d get stuck in a wall or the game would crash outright.  And honestly these problems didn’t bother me much until I got to the last dungeon, where they all reared their ugly heads at once and made playing that area a slog.  It’s a shame, too, because with a bit more quality control, this would’ve been a nice little experience.

Kid Factor:

Saga of the Moon Priestess is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Fantasy Violence and Suggestive Themes.  You hit enemies with a spear or magic and they just disappear with a little explosion when defeated.  It’s no worse than an old school Zelda game.  The suggestive themes are pretty mild and in the text only.  A woman jokes with the main character about making babies after rescuing the prince and that’s all I could find.  Honestly I’d be ok with kids younger than teens playing this, but good reading skill is still a must.

Tags: Game Reviews