Mystical Moonstone Island: Unveiling Studio Ghibli's Ethereal Influences, Enchanting Lore, and Beyond

Highlights

Moonstone Island is a cozy game that combines the charm of life simulation with creature collecting mechanics from games like Pokemon and Harvest Moon.

The game highlights a narrative inspired by Ghibli and is set on a floating island. The main character, an alchemist, is tasked with restoring harmony among the spirits and creatures inhabiting the world.

In Moonstone Island, players will experience a distinctive combination of farming simulation and spirit combat mechanics. The farm acts as an item shop, while the spirits possess unique decks of cards that grant them various abilities.

Cozy games have gained immense popularity as life becomes increasingly chaotic and unpredictable. Moonstone Island, the latest addition to this genre, draws inspiration from beloved games like Pokemon, Harvest Moon, and Slay the Spire. By combining the charm of life simulation games with adorable creatures to collect, Moonstone Island offers a unique gaming experience.

The game is set on the eponymous island, which floats in the sky alongside other islands above an ocean world. Following the downfall of an ancient civilization, restless spirits have disrupted the balance of the world. As a determined young alchemist, players embark on a journey to calm these spirits and restore harmony. The game's narrative draws inspiration from the enchanting storytelling style of Ghibli films, as explained by Sandy Spink, the creator of Moonstone Island, in our exclusive interview. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Q: What were the main inspirations for Moonstone Island?

A: Moonstone Island draws inspiration from various sources, spanning a long period of time. It serves as a nostalgic tribute to the games I grew up playing, such as Pokemon, Legend of Zelda, and Harvest Moon. Additionally, it reflects my love for the television shows and movies I enjoyed during my childhood. I have always carried the influence of Studio Ghibli films, renting one every week as a kid, and that has continued to shape my creative endeavors. More recently, I have found inspiration in deck-building games like Dominion, Magic the Gathering, and Slay the Spire.

Q: Which Ghibli movie is your favorite?

A: That's a difficult question! It tends to vary, but I would say, without overthinking it, my top choice is Kiki's Delivery Service. However, I also feel like Castle in the Sky shares the first spot with it, if that's acceptable.

A: Yes, definitely. The tutorial is essentially a direct adaptation of the beginning of Kiki's Delivery Service, which I believe works effectively.

Q: How did you approach balancing and blending the farming sim and spirit battle mechanics?

Yeah, that was a moment of epiphany. It was when I realized my desire to create a farm simulation game with a creature collection aspect. Previous attempts at merging these elements had fallen short, but I needed to find a way to integrate them seamlessly.

I decided to revisit Pokemon Red, mostly because I'm from the older generation, and it dawned on me that a crucial component of Pokemon is the item system. Since I hadn't planned on including an item shop in our game, I pondered on the idea of making the farm itself the equivalent of an item shop. The farm would serve as a means to tame spirits, enhance their stats, and even level them up - all the features that are typically accomplished through items in a Pokemon game can be facilitated by the farm on Moonstone Island.

Q: Which cards are included in the battle deck?

A: The battle deck consists of cards that correspond to different spirit elements. For instance, water spirits have access to water cards, poison spirits have access to poison cards, and so on. Essentially, each spirit represents a distinct deck. When three Spirits are combined, their cards are combined as well. Consequently, during each turn, you will receive a varied hand of cards from the merged decks of all three spirits.

Water spirits excel in healing and bestowing boons through their card abilities. Similar to clerics, they possess regenerative cards and a unique card called Hydromancy, enhancing all cards in your hand throughout the entire combat.

On the other hand, Earth spirits primarily focus on physical attacks. Their deck predominantly consists of tackle cards, which inflict normal damage. Additionally, they possess an intriguing card called Focus, which reduces the cost of all tackle cards to zero. This card allows for a strategic playstyle where you can accumulate a variety of tackle cards, then unleash a flurry of tackles by utilizing the Focus card.

Poison spirits specialize in applying poison effects, often utilizing cards that greatly amplify the potency of the poison. Furthermore, they possess cards that are capable of harnessing the power of poison to replenish their own health to some extent. On the other hand, Psychic spirits excel at card draw and energy accumulation, making them a popular choice among players aiming to create an indefinite gameplay experience, known as "going infinite".

Q: Which spirits do you personally enjoy the most in the game?

A: This is a challenging question! Personally, I have a fondness for Lookachoo, who is a ghost with the appearance of a handkerchief. Another one of my personal favorites is Fishbo, who was one of the initial spirits and has garnered significant popularity. Additionally, I have an affinity for Longlog because its name feels absurd in a way that I find amusing. Overall, I find enjoyment in instances where things are delightfully silly.

A: I've recently noticed that players have been enjoying various home upgrades in the game. It appears that players tend to prioritize other mechanics before turning their attention to home decoration. This has been an interesting observation for me due to the extensive possibilities the game offers.

Starting with just one room in your tent, you have the opportunity to expand your living space. By adding an east wing, a west wing, and new rooms to the north, you can gradually transform your humble abode. Furthermore, you can elevate your dwelling by constructing a second floor and an attic, while also delving into the depths with a basement. In fact, you have the option to expand the basement three times, resulting in a ridiculously spacious area.

Within the game, there is a crafting station known as the Decoration Station. This station boasts an impressive collection of over 100 craftable decorations. Players have taken advantage of this feature, engaging in creative endeavors and producing a myriad of enjoyable designs.

Another noteworthy crafting station, the Loom, has been integrated into the game. Serving as a pixel art editor, it grants players the ability to fashion custom floor and wallpaper tiles. With this newfound capability, players have been able to meticulously personalize their living spaces, resulting in remarkable and unique abodes.

Additionally, players have the option to acquire different exterior home skins, such as a cottage, a tree fort, and a wizard tower. The development team plans to introduce more diverse home skins in the future, enhancing the array of choices available to players.

A: While developing the non-player characters and the overall atmosphere, I collaborated closely with Kate Gray, our game's writer and current community manager. Her contribution truly breathed life into the village on Moonstone Island. Initially, I had only vague ideas about the characters, without even proper names. I aimed to ensure that each character underwent a personal transformation as you progressed through your dates with them.

The dating system provides a unique opportunity to deeply engage with each NPC's story. Initially, you get to know them on a superficial level, but as time passes, you uncover their personal struggles and gain insights into the world's history. Some dates even reveal fascinating lore. Additionally, nearly all of these NPCs run shops where you can purchase items or seeds. For instance, Zed, who plays the role of a professor, accepts your spirit research and rewards you with special items that aid in taming and battling spirits in the wilderness. Lastly, Ferra, our delightful blacksmith with striking pink hair, adds to the vibrant cast of characters.

The characters in our game draw inspiration from various sources, like Adventure Time and EarthBound, in order to create a representation of the diverse people we wanted to showcase. We aimed for a lighthearted and whimsical tone, similar to those shows, where things are fun and a little silly, but still enjoyable. Kate, our writer, has managed to infuse a lot of humor into the game, which is a challenging task in the gaming industry. I am truly impressed with the outcome of our collaborative work and couldn't be more satisfied.

To address your question about the romance system, could you please share more details or specific aspects you would like to know about?

There are various aspects to consider. At a surface level, you can engage with individuals through conversation. Taking inspiration from both Dungeons and Dragons and The Sims, we have developed a system where, similar to The Sims, different options are available to you after initiating a conversation with another character. These options are categorized into levels of difficulty. To illustrate, you can choose to chat, joke, or flirt, each with their corresponding chances of success. Initially, chatting has a 70% success rate, joking has 50%, and flirting has a mere 20%. By selecting one of these options, a dice roll occurs, resulting in a positive or negative outcome. This system incorporates a level of randomness.

Furthermore, you have the ability to give gifts to the characters, much like in farming simulations. Each character has specific preferences for gifts, which will also increase your stats. Additionally, you can go on dates to three different locations on Moonstone Island. This differs from games like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon, which rely on random encounters. Personally, I was never fond of those as I often found myself seeking out their locations on a search engine and feeling like I was missing out on the experience.

Our dating system resembles a classic dating sim. You have the freedom to ask someone on a date, choose a location, and set a time. The system then determines the outcome through a roll. If you succeed, a date is scheduled, and you are shown the location. As you progress and improve your relationships with others, your chances of success in these dating mechanics increase. For instance, as you gain more social points, your success rate with Chat reaches 100%, Flirt can go as high as 90%, and the odds of successfully asking someone on a date also improve.

Q: Among the player base you have observed, who are some popular choices for romance options?

It has been pleasant to observe the wide reach of the content. I had initially expected just a few popular instances, but many individuals have expressed that they can relate to the game either personally or through their partners. This has truly been a heartwarming experience.

The two individuals I frequently come across are Ferra, a robust and feisty blacksmith who possesses a flirtatious and kind demeanor, and Tobin, a fisherman who has garnered the most fan artwork thus far. Interestingly, it surprised me that Tobin has also caught people's attention. Perhaps it is because of his captivating accent, modeled after the Newfoundland accent, as Kate, the author, intended. Being an alchemist in this world, what is it like?

I have always been fascinated by the concept of alchemy; it is like a blend of science and magic. When I was creating the world, I decided against using a witch or wizard, as I felt it had been overused. Instead, I wanted to incorporate elements of natural sciences or philosophy, as the player's actions in the game align with this theme. Therefore, the definition of an alchemist in our world may not perfectly coincide with its traditional meaning.

In Moonstone Island, an alchemist is essentially someone who is trained to sustain themselves using resources from the land, creating potions and concoctions, and managing the unruly nature spirits that have disrupted the natural balance since the Cataclysm event.

A: Cleo shares some information about the Cataclysm during a casual conversation at the tavern. Gaiana also provides some insight into it. The Cataclysm refers to the prehistory of Moonstone Island, known as the Old Kingdom. This ancient civilization was once a united global city, but its ultimate fate remains a mystery.

The Cataclysm event caused a drastic upheaval, propelling all the land from the planet below into the troposphere where it remains suspended. As a result, the planet below is now transformed into a vast water world, visible during gameplay. Following the Cataclysm, rifts appeared across the world, granting entry to malevolent dark spirits that players must confront throughout the game.

A: The reception for the game has exceeded my expectations. As someone who typically prepares for the worst outcome and hopes for the best, I wasn't sure what to anticipate. Generally, farming sims, although I don't necessarily consider our game solely as one, tend to receive unfavorable critical reception. However, I am thrilled to report that we currently have a rating of nine out of 10 on Steam and 81 on Metacritic.

The experience surpassed my expectations, and despite any criticism, I thoroughly enjoy simply observing streamers play without their awareness. It is truly entertaining to witness their genuine enjoyment, whether it's their flushed reactions during dates or being frightened by the Magic Man appearing suddenly in his chicken coop. It has proven immensely gratifying to witness individuals genuinely having a fantastic time with the game. I genuinely revel in it.

Q: While you mentioned being associated with farming sims, you do not identify yourself as one. How do you perceive Moonstone Island?

A: That's an interesting question. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. Personally, I see our game as more of a creature collecting life simulation rather than just a farming game. There's a lot of emphasis on exploration, combat, and collecting creatures, which sets it apart. It seems that many people who have played it have come to realize this too.

I suppose because our game has pixel graphics and includes farming, it inevitably gets compared to Stardew Valley. However, it's been encouraging to see that those who were skeptical or thought we were just copying Stardew Valley don't seem to be making those accusations anymore.

Q: I have noticed a growing trend in the past few years, where many games incorporate elements of farming without being classified as farming simulations. Some notable examples include Harveststella, FloraMancer, and Moonstone Island. What do you believe is the reason behind this trend?

A: I believe that the appeal lies in the aspect of time management. Personally, I have distinct memories of playing Harvest Moon as a child and being fascinated by the fact that the game would always progress regardless of my actions. Each day had its limitations, and once I had completed my tasks, I had to retire for the night before waking up to a new day. Farming, in particular, captures this sense of progress, similar to watching a slow-loading bar. With each passing day, the crops grow a little taller, sprout, and eventually become ready for harvest.

The integration of the day cycle and the farming aspect, both involving slow gratification, creates a harmonious connection. There is an innate appeal to our human brains, perhaps because it establishes a rhythm. By conveying the message that time exists and instant results are not possible, it encourages us to embrace the waiting period for growth. So, why not take a break, engage in something relaxing, and allow nature to run its course?

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming content plans?

A: We have an array of exciting additions in the pipeline! With an extensive range of features, there are countless possibilities for what we can introduce. While I can't disclose any specific timelines at the moment, we have mentioned some general features that we are eager to incorporate.

We aim to enhance the game experience by incorporating additional spirits, as it brings enjoyment. This plays a significant role in the overall game. Furthermore, we are planning to introduce growable trees, which unfortunately couldn't be included in the initial release. Additionally, we intend to allow players to name their spirits, a feature that didn't make it in time for launch but is on our agenda to add in the near future.

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?

A: Please consider connecting with us on Twitter and adding our game to your Steam wishlist. Your support, even after the launch, means a lot to us. Additionally, we have a lovely Fishbo plush for sale on Makeship, and I must say, it is absolutely adorable. I couldn't resist mentioning all of these fantastic options we have available. [END]

Moonstone Island is available for Nintendo Switch and PC.