Kokoro Breaker Games: "To the Moon" Series (and Laura Shigihara's "Rakuen")
I am not much of a game person, and I have not played many games in my life. Yet, this particular series (and one distinct game) are so special that not only I played them multiple times (to 'dissect', or to completely understand and not missing any details in them) but also watched several YouTubers playing the games. I am talking about "To the Moon" series and "Rakuen". I will not say too much about the stories because I don't want to spoil them. Those are the stories worth experiencing by ourselves. Because these games are RPGs, do yourself a favour of exploring as much as possible. The more you explore, the more you talk to the characters, the more you'll discover. It enables you to understand and appreciate the games even more.
"To the Moon" series is published and developed by Freebird Games. Freebird Games is an indie game developer founded by Kan "Reives" Gao, who is also the mastermind behind the entire "To the Moon" (TtM) series.
This TtM series consists of three RPG games (made by using RPG Maker, which is, as the name suggests, a software for making RPG games. I think Gao made all of his games using this software.) The graphics are simple, and the games are so light that, to quote Gao himself on Finding Paradise Steam page, they practically run on a potato. But don't let the simple appearance fool you. The strong points of this series are the story and the music. And with strong, I mean REALLY strong.
To the Moon (official page)
First, let's talk about this legendary game. An iconic game, a true tear-jerker, and it has its own die hard fans (me included). This game was released in 2011, and tells about two "doctors", Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts, and their encounter with a patient. They're not medical doctors, they're from a company named Sigmund Corp. What does the company do? They grant wishes. Yep. Grant wishes. But only in the patient's head.
They weave artificial memories in one's head by using a machine to get into one's memories. These doctors will traverse through one's memories far enough and transfer the wish into one's childhood, causing that person to lead an entirely different life. By that means, the patient him/herself will be able to fulfill their own wish, at least inside their head. But, there's this one problem. The change is permanent. Such artificial memories can clash with reality, and thus making the patient unable to function as a person. Therefore, this procedure is only reserved for dying people. To give them a chance to live lives they wish for, but they never had. To provide comfort for them before they draw their last breath.
In this game, Dr. Watts and Dr. Rosalene encounters a patient named Johnny Wyles. His last wish is... to go to the moon. They traverse through the memories and life stories of Johnny, discovering the reason why he wants to go to the moon. It is a beautiful story about life and death. Gao really did a great job on the storytelling. The humour and the references are hilarious and on point. The character development is stunning. Telling a story in a chronological order is not easy, but Gao managed to tell a story backwards. We start at the end and work our way to the beginning. It's not about "what's next". It's about "what's the reason behind all this". "What is the significance of this?" and "why did they say/do that?" are the common questions asked during the game. Prepare for mind blown moments, and get some tissues.
I played this game for the first time at the beginning of 2016 because I saw one Indonesian YouTuber played it (but he never finished it, what a shame) and I decided that I had to play it for myself. A great decision, really. I still remember clearly, I finished the game in one sitting at 2 A.M., bawling my eyes out. There are a lot of YouTubers who played this game, and most of them cried. Some cried so hard that they were unable to look at the screen (because "it's so sad".) But at the end, they wanted for more. I also wanted for more.The story is so beautiful and cleverly written. This game also reminds us of one thing: what might seem small and insignificant to us, could mean a whole world to another person, to our loved ones. The story doesn't only revolve around the patient, but it also does around the doctors. Their motivations, their background stories; they are revealed, bit by bit. This game has two minisodes, and they are mainly about the doctors in Sigmund Corp.
The gameplay is incredibly simple, enabling us to immerse ourselves deeper within the story. Basically, we just walk around collecting memories, pointing and clicking, discovering more about the story as we do it. Gameplay is not the strong suit of this game, and the control could use some improvements, but there are a lot of saving graces. Aside from the story, the artwork is beautiful. Perhaps it is "just an RPG", but they really did a good job on it.
Aside from the PC version, there' also the mobile version of this game. The mobile version was released in 2017 and it is available on iOS and Android, but I prefer the computer version. The control is better and there is one tiny change of the game that irritates me in the mobile version.
Game trailers:
Favourite tracks:
A Bird Story (official page)
After TtM and the minisodes, Kan Gao made a mini-game titled "A Bird Story". Released in 2014, it's the prelude of "Finding Paradise", the second episode of TtM series. Gao said in one of his interviews that actually he didn't intend to make this game, so it was kind of unplanned. However, it turned or great. This game has no dialogues, and the gameplay is next to nothing. It is just like a visual novel. Pure visual and music. It tells about the life of an unnamed boy who seems to had an ordinary (yet lonely) life, until one day he found an injured bird. It's a very simple and short game, but the story is cute and touching. The music is also wonderful. Some people compared this to TtM but I think they are incomparable because, again, this game is just a prelude to the sequel. It's just a "short". However, playing this will improve the experience of playing the next "full" game in TtM series, 'Finding Paradise'.
Game trailer available here.
(Available on Bandcamp and Steam)
Favourite tracks:
Finding Paradise (official page)
The boy from "A Bird Story" has grown old, and now we know that his name is Colin Reeds. He is on his deathbed when our beloved doctors, Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts, are assigned to grant his wish. What is his wish? Well, it seems paradoxical, yet makes sense. Seems simple, albeit complicated.
The emotional roller coaster in this game is phenomenal. It made me laugh, it made me feel tense, it scared me, and of course... it made my eyes look like two leaking sprinklers. Great humour, plenty of references, and as always, Gao managed to fill my head with questions like "why is this here?", "what does it mean?", "WHAT THE FREAKING HELL IS GOING ON?!", "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME, GAME?" and such. Regular Kan Gao. When I finished the game, I wanted to hug my laptop. The story and the message is heartwarming and thoughtful. It reminds us to be thankful for the lives we have and to embrace our regrets and mistakes as a part of them. I kid you not, after finishing this game (at 5 o'clock in the morning), I lay in my bed while the game rewound itself in my head, drowning me in deep thoughts before I fell asleep.
Moreover, the story of the doctors also continues. The plot thickens. Some things become clearer, but there are so many new questions. I have a few hypotheses, but none of them are good. Now I want to know what will happen next, but I am also terrified. I just hope that I won't have to wait for seven years before the sequel is released. Maybe there will be minisodes too, I do hope so.
This game is a sequel that does the first game justice. There's a lot of improvement in the story, the artwork, and the music. The gameplay and control is not as clunky as TtM, and the puzzles are more varied. *whispers* there's also a Harry Potter reference here, too. Ahem. In TtM, the story timeline is in backwards manner. In this game... Well, it's a part of the mystery so just play it for yourself. When I figured it out, I was just like, "What. The. Hell. How in the world he managed to tell the story in this manner?!" Some said that this game is not as sad as TtM, some said that it's sadder, but I think of it as a different kind of story. Like a quote from the game, "everyone goes into things with their own context". This is also why I don't rate these games. They're all beautiful.
Game trailers:
Of all the soundtrack albums in this series, this one is my favourite. The music is mesmerising. Gao really has a talent in turning something that seems simple and ordinary into something exquisite. There were times when I just stopped playing, closed my eyes, and enjoyed the mellifluous notes. Plus, Laura Shigihara strikes again. When I heard her voice in the game, tears just rolled out of my (already wet and swollen) eyes. (Available on Bandcamp and Steam)
Favourite tracks:
Honorary Mention: Rakuen (official page)
Okay, I know I already wrote a blog post about this game. But, I think I have other things to say about this game. Aside from its beautiful story and music, this game has more gameplay and puzzles, compared to TtM series. This game is unfortunately not as popular as TtM series (for now), but it is a true hidden gem. Laura Shigihara really did a wonderful job. This game also runs on a potato, basically. So, no worries. What you have to worry about is whether you have sufficient amount of tissues around you or not.
Game trailers:
(Available on Bandcamp, Steam, and iTunes.)
Favourite tracks:
Game duration: about nine hours. I did not finish this in one sitting, and it is okay if you can't as this game is quite long.
Alright, I think that's all I have to say about these games. For me, these are not "just games". They are "the games". I believe that everything that comes from the heart will touch people's hearts too, and these games are the epitome of my aforementioned belief. Let's just say that I finished these games with empty tear glands and a full heart.
This TtM series consists of three RPG games (made by using RPG Maker, which is, as the name suggests, a software for making RPG games. I think Gao made all of his games using this software.) The graphics are simple, and the games are so light that, to quote Gao himself on Finding Paradise Steam page, they practically run on a potato. But don't let the simple appearance fool you. The strong points of this series are the story and the music. And with strong, I mean REALLY strong.
To the Moon (official page)
 |
| Game Poster (By Alisa Christopher) |
First, let's talk about this legendary game. An iconic game, a true tear-jerker, and it has its own die hard fans (me included). This game was released in 2011, and tells about two "doctors", Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts, and their encounter with a patient. They're not medical doctors, they're from a company named Sigmund Corp. What does the company do? They grant wishes. Yep. Grant wishes. But only in the patient's head.
They weave artificial memories in one's head by using a machine to get into one's memories. These doctors will traverse through one's memories far enough and transfer the wish into one's childhood, causing that person to lead an entirely different life. By that means, the patient him/herself will be able to fulfill their own wish, at least inside their head. But, there's this one problem. The change is permanent. Such artificial memories can clash with reality, and thus making the patient unable to function as a person. Therefore, this procedure is only reserved for dying people. To give them a chance to live lives they wish for, but they never had. To provide comfort for them before they draw their last breath.
 |
| Game Poster |
In this game, Dr. Watts and Dr. Rosalene encounters a patient named Johnny Wyles. His last wish is... to go to the moon. They traverse through the memories and life stories of Johnny, discovering the reason why he wants to go to the moon. It is a beautiful story about life and death. Gao really did a great job on the storytelling. The humour and the references are hilarious and on point. The character development is stunning. Telling a story in a chronological order is not easy, but Gao managed to tell a story backwards. We start at the end and work our way to the beginning. It's not about "what's next". It's about "what's the reason behind all this". "What is the significance of this?" and "why did they say/do that?" are the common questions asked during the game. Prepare for mind blown moments, and get some tissues.
I played this game for the first time at the beginning of 2016 because I saw one Indonesian YouTuber played it (but he never finished it, what a shame) and I decided that I had to play it for myself. A great decision, really. I still remember clearly, I finished the game in one sitting at 2 A.M., bawling my eyes out. There are a lot of YouTubers who played this game, and most of them cried. Some cried so hard that they were unable to look at the screen (because "it's so sad".) But at the end, they wanted for more. I also wanted for more.The story is so beautiful and cleverly written. This game also reminds us of one thing: what might seem small and insignificant to us, could mean a whole world to another person, to our loved ones. The story doesn't only revolve around the patient, but it also does around the doctors. Their motivations, their background stories; they are revealed, bit by bit. This game has two minisodes, and they are mainly about the doctors in Sigmund Corp.
The gameplay is incredibly simple, enabling us to immerse ourselves deeper within the story. Basically, we just walk around collecting memories, pointing and clicking, discovering more about the story as we do it. Gameplay is not the strong suit of this game, and the control could use some improvements, but there are a lot of saving graces. Aside from the story, the artwork is beautiful. Perhaps it is "just an RPG", but they really did a good job on it.
Aside from the PC version, there' also the mobile version of this game. The mobile version was released in 2017 and it is available on iOS and Android, but I prefer the computer version. The control is better and there is one tiny change of the game that irritates me in the mobile version.
Game trailers:
 |
| Two Versions of Soundtrack Album Cover |
Now, let's talk about the soundtrack. As I said above, the music is one of the strong suits of this series. In this game, the tracks are simple, but charming and emotional. The track "Everything's Alright" is made and sung by Laura Shigihara. It is magical. After playing the game, getting the soundtrack album is a must.
(Available on Bandcamp, Steam, and iTunes; but the Steam version has two extra tracks.)Favourite tracks:
- Moonwisher
- For River (Johnny's Version)
- Once Upon a Memory
- Once Upon a Memory (Piano)
- Everything's Alright (video)
- Trailer Theme Part 2 (Feat. Laura Shigihara)
Game duration: about four and a half hours. Best enjoyed in one sitting.
Minisodes: 30 minutes each. There's no saving feature in the minisodes, so you have to play them in one sitting.
A Bird Story (official page)
 |
| Game Poster |
After TtM and the minisodes, Kan Gao made a mini-game titled "A Bird Story". Released in 2014, it's the prelude of "Finding Paradise", the second episode of TtM series. Gao said in one of his interviews that actually he didn't intend to make this game, so it was kind of unplanned. However, it turned or great. This game has no dialogues, and the gameplay is next to nothing. It is just like a visual novel. Pure visual and music. It tells about the life of an unnamed boy who seems to had an ordinary (yet lonely) life, until one day he found an injured bird. It's a very simple and short game, but the story is cute and touching. The music is also wonderful. Some people compared this to TtM but I think they are incomparable because, again, this game is just a prelude to the sequel. It's just a "short". However, playing this will improve the experience of playing the next "full" game in TtM series, 'Finding Paradise'.
Game trailer available here.
 |
| Soundtrack Album Cover |
(Available on Bandcamp and Steam)
Favourite tracks:
- Yesterday
- The Rain Song (video)
- A Bird Story (Piano)
Finding Paradise (official page)
 |
| Game Poster 1 |
The boy from "A Bird Story" has grown old, and now we know that his name is Colin Reeds. He is on his deathbed when our beloved doctors, Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts, are assigned to grant his wish. What is his wish? Well, it seems paradoxical, yet makes sense. Seems simple, albeit complicated.
The emotional roller coaster in this game is phenomenal. It made me laugh, it made me feel tense, it scared me, and of course... it made my eyes look like two leaking sprinklers. Great humour, plenty of references, and as always, Gao managed to fill my head with questions like "why is this here?", "what does it mean?", "WHAT THE FREAKING HELL IS GOING ON?!", "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME, GAME?" and such. Regular Kan Gao. When I finished the game, I wanted to hug my laptop. The story and the message is heartwarming and thoughtful. It reminds us to be thankful for the lives we have and to embrace our regrets and mistakes as a part of them. I kid you not, after finishing this game (at 5 o'clock in the morning), I lay in my bed while the game rewound itself in my head, drowning me in deep thoughts before I fell asleep.
Moreover, the story of the doctors also continues. The plot thickens. Some things become clearer, but there are so many new questions. I have a few hypotheses, but none of them are good. Now I want to know what will happen next, but I am also terrified. I just hope that I won't have to wait for seven years before the sequel is released. Maybe there will be minisodes too, I do hope so.
 |
| Game Poster 2 |
This game is a sequel that does the first game justice. There's a lot of improvement in the story, the artwork, and the music. The gameplay and control is not as clunky as TtM, and the puzzles are more varied. *whispers* there's also a Harry Potter reference here, too. Ahem. In TtM, the story timeline is in backwards manner. In this game... Well, it's a part of the mystery so just play it for yourself. When I figured it out, I was just like, "What. The. Hell. How in the world he managed to tell the story in this manner?!" Some said that this game is not as sad as TtM, some said that it's sadder, but I think of it as a different kind of story. Like a quote from the game, "everyone goes into things with their own context". This is also why I don't rate these games. They're all beautiful.
Game trailers:
 |
| Soundtrack Album Cover |
Of all the soundtrack albums in this series, this one is my favourite. The music is mesmerising. Gao really has a talent in turning something that seems simple and ordinary into something exquisite. There were times when I just stopped playing, closed my eyes, and enjoyed the mellifluous notes. Plus, Laura Shigihara strikes again. When I heard her voice in the game, tears just rolled out of my (already wet and swollen) eyes. (Available on Bandcamp and Steam)
Favourite tracks:
- Finding Paradise - Title Theme (after the first minute)
- Where are You (Duet Version)
- Time is a Place (Piano Version)
- The Scale Theme (Piano & Cello Vers.)
- Paradise (Guitar Vers.)
- Time is a Place (Rehearsal Vers.)
- Faye's Theme
- Wish My Life Away (video)
- Faye's Theme (Piano Vers.)
Honorary Mention: Rakuen (official page)
 |
| Game Poster |
Okay, I know I already wrote a blog post about this game. But, I think I have other things to say about this game. Aside from its beautiful story and music, this game has more gameplay and puzzles, compared to TtM series. This game is unfortunately not as popular as TtM series (for now), but it is a true hidden gem. Laura Shigihara really did a wonderful job. This game also runs on a potato, basically. So, no worries. What you have to worry about is whether you have sufficient amount of tissues around you or not.
Game trailers:
 |
| Soundtrack Album Cover |
(Available on Bandcamp, Steam, and iTunes.)
Favourite tracks:
- The Keepers (video)
- Lights (video)
- I Didn't Know You Were Working Today
- Build a Little World with Me (video)
- Kami Kabuto Hero (video)
- Kaasan e (video)
- Jump (video)
Game duration: about nine hours. I did not finish this in one sitting, and it is okay if you can't as this game is quite long.
Alright, I think that's all I have to say about these games. For me, these are not "just games". They are "the games". I believe that everything that comes from the heart will touch people's hearts too, and these games are the epitome of my aforementioned belief. Let's just say that I finished these games with empty tear glands and a full heart.
-Christy Huang-
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