It's very rare you'll play a game so heart-wrenching that even the mere mention of its final scenes will induce a bout of uncontrollable face-leakage, but Kan Gao's tiny-budget masterpiece about a dying man who's having his memories replaced to fulfil a lifelong wish is a masterpiece through and through. The story goes that company Sigmund Corp. can 'convince' the subject they've already achieved whatever they've described through this process, and in To The Moon's case, elderly widower Johnny wants to go to the moon, yet he can't quite remember exactly why. You then play as the two scientists performing the procedure, but to do so you must delve into Johnny's memories, re-writing his history whilst also discovering the many ups and downs he had with his former wife River, a woman with a lifelong mental condition that meant she constantly struggled relating and expressing herself to people, social situations and Johnny himself. Between the meaning of the moon and by seeing the most poignant moments of their life play out together, it's almost like the beginning of Pixar's UP, albeit with some equally dire consequences that enable you to become fully invested in just how much the two of them care for each other, despite not always being able to express it. This entry will stay spoiler-free as honestly, as if any part of you likes an intricately woven and Inception-styled tale about a very meaningful subject matter, you really should check it out. There are some quirky moments in there that come from more eastern anime-esque tropes, but the finale will blow you away. In bringing together both Jack and River once again and wrapping the whole thing up in an immensely satisfying way, it's one that'll make you immediately want to go and hug your nearest and dearest. Are there any we missed or some you'd like to add? Let us know in the comments!
