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“Rob [Anderson] was in discussionswith Mindscape about Moonstone 2but, because it was not release in theUS, they decided not to go forwardwith it. What happened there wasthat Toys R Us took a look at it anddecided it was too violent for them tocarry. At the time Toys R Us sold 25%of all computer games in the US, soMindscape decided they would notrelease in the US. The irony there isthat one year later Toys R Us madegonzo money selling the consoleversions of Mortal Kombat.- Todd Prescott,Moonstone’s DesignerThe fierce baloksof the northernwastes hithard, but fallharder. Bewaretheir bonecrushingstompsand brutalshakedowns.What, to my mind though, truly sets Moonstoneapart from not only its contemporaries but – heck –every other video game ever made is that intangiblequality simply known as… well, atmosphere.Whether it’s Amiga’s maestro Richard Joseph’sdread-inducing, funereal dirge that plays over eachloading screen (or, indeed, the incongruously jollyballad that signals a trip to a tavern) the sparse useof sound effects literally ripped from the Conan andRed Sonja movies (screech! roar! grunt! squirt!) or thewonderfully evocative knight and monster designs –in fact, the entire game is gorgeous – every aspect ofMoonstone begs to be committed to memory.The sparse, subtle narrative feels unsubstantial,wrath-like, scary. The fantasy world, a sort of pseudoDark Age Britain (if, indeed, the olde isle I call homeever hosted hulking Baloks, bestial Troggs andMedusa-like demons) is a far cry from the happyclappyhigh fantasy that usually permeates the genre.Why, then, did so few recognize this? Moonstonewas a critical curate’s egg and a commercial failure,only ever achieving – at best – a certain cult notoriety.In a pre-Mortal Kombat world, its extreme violenceshocked and dismayed. Gamers stayed away and USretailers refused to sell it. What a terrible shame.Is Moonstone’s gore over the top? Undeniably. Isit tasteless? Possibly. Is it tongue in cheek? Crucially!The game’s creator, Rob Anderson, cites LooneyTunes cartoons as a principal combat inspiration. Thegame’s black knights (and their amusing penchant forlosing limbs) are a tip of the hat to Monty Python andthe Holy Grail. Even the eyebrow-raising subtitle is aquirky nod to the iconic Beatles tune.Moonstone, then, is as misunderstood as it iscriminally underrated. Almost a quarter of a centuryafter its release, the game is finally garnering long dueacclaim, and there’s even talk of a Kickstarter-fundedremake on the horizon. Danu be praised! RTMath the wizard is a generous sort, sharing various gifts,but test his patience and you might be turned into a toad!Some players believed the red dragon was unbeatable.A few magical talismans can make him a lot easier.49