Serving as a prequel to 2014 title Lifeless Planet, Lifeless Moon is a new action-adventure indie game set in the Space Race era where players take their astronaut on a journey through curious landscapes after an expedition to the Moon goes awry. The game features many familiar mechanics with significant updates, but it also places a stronger focus on some other mechanics and storytelling elements as well.
Game ZXC recently spoke with Lifeless Moon developer David Board on the topic of gameplay features. He discusses the features from Lifeless Moon that have been improved upon, as well as the mechanics that have become more front and center during gameplay. Those who wish to dive into Stage 2 Studio’s new, mysterious adventure can play now on PC, though the title is also slated to come to consoles sometime in the future.
Lifeless Moon Improves on Predecessor’s Mechanics, Puts New Features in the Spotlight
Lifeless Planet was released back in 2014, garnering a steady following and securing its place as a cult hit for its atmosphere and mystique. Its story takes place on a planet that was reported to have been full of life. Yet upon arrival, the player finds that not only is the planet barren, but it also appears that humans have already visited. Much like its successor, Lifeless Planet also touches upon man’s desire for space travel; it poses questions like what kind of person would leave everything behind to go to space on a one-way trip and what would one do if they traveled all the way across the galaxy just to find out humans have already been there?
Fast forward to 2023 with the release of Lifeless Moon, and the new game is set before its predecessor making it a loose prequel. It includes many of the same themes of space travel, Cold War Era esthetics, and exploration of strange space anomalies. This time around, Board tells Game ZXC, he wanted to keep many of the mechanics of the first game but improve upon them with his experience as well as feedback from his community.
“I thought I’d cracked the code on managing game project development, but I was wrong about that! What I did learn was that it’s important to listen to your fans and the kinds of experiences they want.”
Some recurring features players can expect include even more graphically stunning cinematic cutscenes and alluring scenery. Players will also see the return of the jetpack which, according to Board, allowed him to design more compelling environments of a much larger scale while also removing the tedium of exploration players experienced in Lifeless Planet. Environments themselves also have seen a dramatic improvement; they not only feel less linear but also change frequently, always keeping players on their toes and experiencing new, surprising moments.
Among the returning features from Lifeless Planet are two Board specifically calls out as being highly improved upon and more central than before. First is puzzles. Lifeless Moon features a variety of puzzles, all of which switch the player into a first-person perspective to help find clues and solve the mysteries at hand. This trading of perspectives offers players a nice way to break up gameplay as well as get more hands-on with the experience, says Board.
“The game is still primarily a third person exploration experience, but at various times you can walk inside a room or a building of some sort and interact with elements up close in first person.”
In addition to the improved puzzle mechanics, Board tells Game ZXC the story of Lifeless Moon is much more front-and-center this time around, offering players an experience that feels more personal with more depth than before. For Board, the story is even more important for him as it took on a sudden personal meaning. He shares that the narrative mirrors memories and childhood experiences with his best friend who just two years ago was killed by a drunk driver. Board hopes players will connect with the story on a personal level, too, or at least walk away with a broadened perspective.
Lifeless Moon is available now on PC and will be coming to consoles sometime in the future.