History VideoGame / MoonsOfMadness

''Moons of Madness'' is a [[CosmicHorrorStory cosmic horror]] AdventureGame developed by Rock Pocket and Dreamloop Games and published by Funcom. It was released on [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} on October 22nd, 2019, with UsefulNotes/PS4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne versions slated for January 21st, 2020. Much like ''VideoGame/ThePark'', this game is set in the universe of ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', also published by Funcom. In both cases, prior knowledge of the TSW setting is not required to understand and enjoy the game.

* AllThereInTheManual: Certain information about the TSW universe isn't discussed in great detail (or addressed at all) within the game. Anything important to understand the story is explained, but only players familiar with TSW lore will recognize the creatures seen lurking near [[spoiler: Lukas and Declan's bodies]]. The [[spoiler: Filth, Dreamers, Gaia Engines, etc.]] are all concepts core to the premise of TSW but which come across as simply vaguely Lovecraftian story elements to players unfamiliar with the franchise.
** In TSW, the Filth serves the [[spoiler: Dreamers']] agenda but is also mindless and not directly controlled by them, which explains why it keeps trying to kill Shane despite [[spoiler: him being pretty central to the ritual needed to release the Dreamers]].

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: Orochi had an incredible amount of blackmail material on all of the crew, which reveals that a number of them actually deserved the deaths they got, especially Lukas, who was a serial killer who hunted women.]]

* ChekhovsGun: An Icarus terminal explains that Declan, and only Declan, knows the activation code to [[spoiler: launch a self-guiding missile that will neutralize any eldritch threats it hits]]. Guess what you use to save the day in the "good" ending?

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: [[spoiler: Apparently a direct hit from a tactical nuke is sufficient to stop the Dreamers, a pair of extradimensional beings powerful enough to destroy the universe. This does somewhat make more sense if you consider the game in the context of being part of ''The Secret World'' universe, as the threat of extradimensional super-beings would be less of an unknown factor to the power elite and thus something that can at least somewhat be planned around. A memo in Icarus base explains that the missile was loaded with Gaia metal, which is capable of thwarting Dreamers. Also since you have to fire the missile just before the moons align it might be that you're actually stopping their release by destroying one of the moons at the last second.]]
** BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: [[spoiler: Even if Shane succeeds in stopping the Dreamers, he still suffers a slow and audibly excruciating death by suffocation in space as the credits roll.]]
* DramaticSpaceDrifting: [[spoiler: Shane and the Invictus]] during the credit sequence.
* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: The ending shows that Cynthia was serving the Dreamers all along, manipulating you into freeing them instead of wanting to stop them like she told you. It's left unclear whether she always valued occult knowledge and power over her family, or whether she was corrupted by the 20+ years she spent trapped inside the Dreamers' dimension after opening the Necronomicon, though if Shane's flashbacks are to be trusted the latter seems to be implied.]]

* HumanArchitectureHorror: [[spoiler: Lukas]] is found fused to a wall in a writhing mass of Filth, dead but still swaying about gently thanks to the Filth's undulations.

* InSpaceEveryoneCanSeeYourFace: [[spoiler: Declan's]] face is clearly visible through his helmet thanks to interior lights. Averted with the illusory spacemen, whose helmets are menacingly opaque.
* InsufferableGenius: Dr. Volkova is a massive {{Jerkass}} and actually refuses to help you fix the greenhouse's plumbing system because she finds you distracting and annoying, even though you're doing the job on her behalf. [[spoiler: She's arrogant enough to even backtalk Orochi's supreme leader, Samael.]] Downplayed with Lukas who's more of a NoSocialSkills egghead.
* InterfaceSpoiler: The fact that the achievements refer to [[spoiler: Shane's ability to interface with Gaia tech as "corruption" kind of spoil the fact his ability isn't benevolent in nature.]]

* MechaMooks: [[spoiler: Icarus base]] is inhabited by Orochi construction androids that have gone into emergency containment mode in which they kill humans on sight in order to LeaveNoWitnesses.

** To a lesser extent, it turns out Orochi has [[spoiler: a Dreamer fragment sedated and chained up in their secret underground base]], which most likely accounts for how the Filth got out of control so quickly.
* SerialKiller: [[spoiler: Lukas]] turns out to have been one on Earth, of the "predatory sexual deviant" variety. Shane is understandably disgusted.

--> "Once you open the book, it's already too late! It's always too late!"

** Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness RecycledInSpace (clearly deliberately referenced in-story with the faked Antartic Expedition to cover up the trip to Mars) with TSW trappings replacing the Lovecraftean setting.

* ThatOneLevel: [[spoiler: Not all players are a fan of suddenly having to sneak past killer androids multiple times. Some also feel that the level in particular kills the games pacing.]]

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: [[spoiler: Apparently a direct hit from a tactical nuke is sufficient to stop the Dreamers, a pair of extradimensional beings powerful enough to destroy the universe. This does somewhat make more sense if you consider the game in the context of being part of ''The Secret World'' universe, as the threat of extradimensional super-beings would be less of an unknown factor to the power elite and thus something that can at least somewhat be planned around. A memo in Icarus base explains that the missile was loaded with Gaia metal, which is capable of thwarting Dreamers.]]

* XMeetsY: Several ways.

* WeHaveReserves: [[spoiler:One of the things that Shane discovers in Argus is a series of clones of the crew, meant to replace the originals should they die or cause too much trouble. Offenses worthy of being replaced include sustaining fatal/crippling injuries, committing a homicide, ''witnessing a homicide'', [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption discovering the cloning operation]], or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking sabotaging equipment in the base]].]]