Morphite – Review
Platform – Playstation 4 (Pro)
Developer – Crescent Moon Games
Publisher – Crescent Moon Games
MSRP – $14.99
This game was reviewed on the Playstation 4 Pro, with a review copy provided by Gaming Instincts
Introduction
Crescent Moon Games, popularized by their many mobile games, have released a new title for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and iOS. Morphite is an exploration based game with a fully voiced main story. From the moment you get past the main menu for the first time you’re thrown right into the story. You play as Myrah Kale, who strives to learn more about the universe, and posses a drive for adventure. Supervised by Mr. Mason, her surrogate father, she is sent out into the universe to gather resources and supplies to support themselves and their business. Along the way Myrah learns that she has a connection to a rare and highly sought after material called Morphite.
Starting Out
As the game starts, you’ll notice that the music of the game is very somber and easy-listening. The game features a low-poly style, which is very popular with mobile games nowadays. The first planet you come across will be a training site, preparing you for what is to come. You’ll use your scanning tool given to you by Mr. Mason to scan objects and collect data. Which you can sell at space stations to upgrade your ship and weapons to handle more serious space endeavors. You’ll find yourself hopping up rocks and waterfalls to scan multiple resources. You’ll even battle some creatures along the way, but using your plasma pistol you can fight back. Eventually, you’ll encounter a conversion chamber, here you can upgrade your gear. Using gathered resources you can upgrade your suit, boots and visor.
Gathering Resources
Resources can be gathered in ways such as destroying deposits. When completing side missions for the many NPC’s you’ll come across you can also be rewarded with resources for your actions. Whether it be finding a mans pet owl, or protecting a citizen from a hoard of zombots. Some materials can only be found on certain planets, so you’re encouraged to explore and discover new and exciting worlds. You can upgrade your gear to help you survive more harsh environments. Some planets may be over 1000 degrees, therefore you need to upgrade your heat resistance for your suit. Taking you to multiple planets and star systems to find the materials you need to progress.
Traveling the Stars
Traveling to new star systems costs fuel. Depending on how far away the star system is, that determines the amount of fuel required. More fuel can be purchased using chunks, the games currency. It is during traveling that you can encounter enemies through real-time ship space combat. As you travel to new planets you’ll find new environments. Facing new challenges, and new enemies as well, boss fights can be expected. The worlds are also randomly generated, so you never know what to expect, only be prepared for anything. You might even find new weapons and vehicles to assist you on your journey. You can navigate around space using the simple star system from your ship. A system that reminds us of the galaxy map from the Mass Effect series, a game also set in space.
Mood
As you travel through the game, you’ll become immersed by the sheer size of the universe. Traveling to distant worlds and discovering new things brings a sense of adventure to the player. Combine that with the easy visuals and calm music and you’ve got yourself a game that you can just pick up and relax. The game is also very easy to understand, meaning anyone can play it. It’s sure to attract all kinds of gamers. Especially those familiar with Crescent Moon Games mobile titles. With the rise of mobile games in recent years and the quality of their titles, the number are sure to be in the plenty.
Story
The game features a fully voiced main storyline. A tale as old as time, a tale of adventure and mystery. A young girl, doing what she can to keep her family afloat. Goes out only to discover that she is special, yearning to know more, she purses leads and travels across the stars to find out who she is. Personal feeling sets in as you go on this journey with Myrah and help her discover the secrets of Morphite. There are those who need your help as well, pick up side missions as you go along to acquire materials and help those in need.
Conclusion
Morphite is a special kind of game, crossing genres and delivering a good experience. The developers claim that the game is inspired by such classics as Metroid Prime, Ratchet and Clank and Turok. We feel it’s more of a mix of Astroneer, Minecraft and No Man’s Sky for more modern examples. Playing Morphite you get that sense of adventure that some games just don’t deliver. Free-roaming around you get to play the game your way. Simple as it is the game doesn’t get frustrating. The calm music and warm colors make this an out of this world experience. There were times that we weren’t sure what to do, or where to gather materials. We know it’s a exploration based game but scanning every item with the hope it’s the one we need gets a little old. A small bump in a smoothly paved road, no really the ground it pretty smooth here. Pick up Morphite on Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Steam and iOS.
Morphite
Pros
- Easy to play
- Calm Music
- Huge Worlds
- Compelling Story
Cons
- Lost in direction
- Repetitive
