Moonlighter, the acclaimed 2018 indie action RPG from Digital Sun, is currently free to claim on Steam for a limited time. The offer runs through August 9 as the studio prepares for Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, which is scheduled to launch on September 2.
Blending roguelite dungeon exploration with shop management, Moonlighter gives its hero two very different jobs. During the day, players operate a store in the village of Rynoka. At night, they enter monster-filled dungeons to find the goods needed to keep the business running.
Dungeon crawling by night, shopkeeping by day
Players control Will, an aspiring hero who ventures into procedurally generated dungeons and fills his backpack with valuable relics. Returning to Rynoka begins the commercial side of the adventure: every item must be priced manually, with customer reactions helping determine whether the asking price is sensible.
That creates a steady balancing act. Profits can be put towards improved weapons and armour, shop expansion, village upgrades and other equipment, while pricing decisions affect how quickly the business grows.
As Will becomes stronger, he can tackle more difficult dungeons and pursue increasingly rare and powerful loot. The shop is not separate from the combat: building a successful business is part of preparing for the game’s tougher challenges and boss encounters.
A larger game than the 2018 release
The Steam version has expanded substantially since its original release. Digital Sun has added new bosses, companions, more than 100 extra room layouts, new equipment, expanded lore, quality-of-life improvements and a New Game+ mode.
Those additions give experienced merchants reasons to return to Moonlighter, while the free Steam offer provides newcomers with a chance to try its shop-and-dungeon format without an upfront cost during the promotion.
Moonlighter 2 is on the way
The giveaway leads into the next chapter, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault. The sequel is set to leave Early Access on September 2 after nearly a year in the programme.
Early impressions highlighted a broader version of the original formula, including deeper combat, a colourful 3D world and more rewarding progression. They also noted that the sequel still had areas requiring refinement before its full launch.
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