Moonlight Peaks: this vampire doesn’t drink blood – she prefers her pickaxe and raspberry tarts
Who wants to drain people’s blood when you can make delicious mushroom soup instead? In Moonlight Peaks, I play a kindhearted vampire who takes care of his farm, flirts and plays mini-games.
A mix of Stardew Valley and cheesy vampire media: Moonlight Peaks combines fantasy with farming. As a young vampire, I get into a scrap with my parents and run away from home. Following a brief text message exchange with my mother, I realise I won’t ever return – I’ll have to start my new life on a farm in Moonlight Peaks. No sooner said than done. I’m quickly given a run-down shack and a piece of land I can turn into a farm.
The basic farming sim gameplay in Moonlight Peaks works much the same as most other genre staples. Wake up, tend to the house and farm, mine materials in a cave, socialise with fellow townsfolk and occasionally complete small fetch quests before falling into bed, exhausted. It has the typical cosy loop you’re used to seeing in these games:
My vampire tale, however, always takes place at night, since I’d probably turn to dust in sunlight. Fortunately, my neighbours are in a similar situation. They’re all sunlight-hating seers, werewolves and witches. It’s why stores in the city are often open from 7:00 p.m. until midnight, before everyone calls it a day and enjoys the night.
To me, those opening hours are a bit tight. Watering the huge fields, cuddling my horror cows and loading machines with blood grapes takes up a lot of time. After all that, I have to hurry to upgrade my pickaxe, buy new clothes and visit other shops. Provided I’ve made enough money. A trip to the magic shop Webb of Wonders, for instance, always ends with an empty wallet, since the spells they sell are really expensive.
Especially early on, I can’t afford to hire farmhands. And this is exactly where Moonlight Peaks unfolds its typical farming sim loop: «Just one more night, then my fruit will be ripe and I can sell some tartlets for a high price.» So I keep playing for another day, turn myself into a nimble cat and rush to the magic shop. There, I buy new spells for fieldwork or useful upgrades, like a bigger bag, which makes everyday farm life much easier.
Life in Moonlight Peaks follows a familiar farming routine. As soon as spring and summer are over, the cold months begin. Fortunately, there are (magical) plants that grow during every season and provide a plentiful harvest.
The more time I invest in my farm, the higher the quality of my products, which in turn generates more revenue. Elaborate dishes, such as sushi made from rare fish with dried seaweed and cooked rice, are particularly lucrative. Before I get there, though, I first have to invest in a sushi cookbook, a drying station, a better fishing rod and a cooking station.
To get all of that, I explore the massive map of Moonlight Peaks. Surprises – and even rare loot – wait for me around every corner. There are also plenty of caves full of resources I could really use to expand my farm. To move faster, I can transform into both a nimble cat and an agile bat as the game progresses.
In many places, the ambient sounds are pleasantly eerie and create a dense atmosphere. In other places, however, music is almost entirely absent. This does take away some of the game’s charm. Characters have no voice acting, and cutscenes are silent too. That said, the wonderfully dark humorous conversations are among the highlights of Moonlight Peaks.
Especially during year one of the game, short cutscenes that advance the story play almost every day. On top of that, festivals are held at regular intervals, and I can contribute to them by providing prepared food or high-quality materials.
In return, I find prizes and special items only available for purchase on that day. The story of Moonlight Peaks doesn’t feel like one big adventure, but rather like a puzzle made up of small narratives. I regularly help put an end to fights between two quarrelsome villagers, deal with an arrogant witch and solve problems among the townsfolk.
Interactions with supernatural characters improve the relationship. An acquaintance can grow into a friendship, and in the best-case, even a marriage. I can even cosy up to Death himself. To achieve this, mastering the in-game card game Nokturna is essential. In it, three cards with the highest possible values are played one after another. The person who scores the most points wins.
What seems simple at first becomes trickier over time. Some cards have effects that take away points or block me. To be successful in the long run, I need new cards for my deck, which I either find randomly or receive as a reward for winning matches. The daily quest for victory and new cards makes time fly by.
Where Moonlight Peaks loses me
I’m surprised by how much time I have to spend staring at loading screens. They’re the biggest mood killers in Moonlight Peaks. Leaving the farmhouse, entering the barn, during every screen transition and in every shop, I encounter loading times of six to ten seconds. And they’re a massive pain.
If only the developers displayed some helpful tips – a bridge too far, I guess. Instead, a little creature hops up and down as part of an extremely annoying fetch quest. For this mission, I’m supposed to collect 100 of the tiny creatures and bring them to their nest. The catch: they can’t be stowed in a bag or transported in groups.
Each of these little creatures wants to be carried home individually, and woe betide me if I put one down! It’ll run straight back to its original hiding spot, and I have to start all over again. Argh.
I tested Moonlight Peaks on the Nintendo Switch 2. It will also be released on 7 July 2026 for Nintendo Switch, PC and in the Google Play Store.
In a nutshell
Moonlight Peaks skilfully combines cosy farming with a touch of fantasy
My farm animals can wear hats! Now that definitely deserves extra credit. It looks ridiculously funny and cute at the same time. But even aside from that, Moonlight Peaks is lovingly crafted from start to finish. Despite being a tad predictable at times, the characters touch on a number of critical social topics, ranging from alcohol and drug use to narcissism and interpersonal problems. It’s all wrapped up in stylised chibi graphics with a slight horror-movie vibe.
Anyone who enjoys farming games will definitely have fun in Moonlight Peaks. The vampire fantasy setting adds a neat twist, incorporating crazy plants and creepy critters. Using my magic wand, I gradually unlock new abilities, keeping the gameplay loop engaging for a long time.
I admit, the drawn-out dialogue, excessive story sequences and all those annoying loading screens really test my patience. Even so, I constantly find myself wanting to do something quick and then still playing an hour later. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can pay a farming game.
Pro
- The cosy farming gameplay loop works perfectly
- A refreshing fantasy setting
- Characters with depth
- Lots of little entertaining stories
- Crazy plants and creatures that fit the story
Contra
- Loading screens show up too often and last too long
- Lengthy dialogue
- Music and background sounds vary in quality
- Pathfinding occasionally questionable
I didn’t have a Game Boy or a Super Nintendo as a child, and only joined the world of gaming at 15. I’ve been trying to make up for lost time ever since. But looking at the ever-growing number of game releases each year, it seems the entire industry is conspiring against me.
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