Every now and then I'll come across a post in my X-feed with some random indie game I've never seen before, and if it looks compelling enough and has a demo, I'll give it a try – and sometimes that demo will surprise me. My latest assignment, pun absolutely intended, led me to A short Questan upcoming action RPG from two ex-AAA developers under the name Silent Moon, and I have to say, after 30 minutes spent with its Steam public combat playtest, I'm almost salivating. Rudely inspired by RPGs like The Elder Scrolls and Gothic, A short Quest looks like something fans of these franchises should keep an eye on, because I know I am.
I'll emphasize again that the demo is currently available for A short Quest is actually just a playtest that lets players get a feel for their combat. But even that, as short as it was, turned out to be one of those appetizers that really makes you want to try the whole menu. Plus the road A short Quests combat is designed, you can actually play through the battle playtest multiple times to try out different builds, ranging from heavy and light melee weapons to ranged weapons, and a host of magic spells to boot. Basically, I can't wait to try a legit demo of this game because the combat alone is already a blast, albeit from the past, and every promise A short Quest looks like something I could really sink my teeth into for much more than half an hour on Steam.
A Short Quest's Combat Playtest is charming in the best way
My first run through the playtest saw me try out its melee combat, which is about as classic as it gets. Every weapon feels heavy, slow, and just a little clunky, which is exactly what I'd expect from a game so openly inspired by old-school RPGs. I know some players will hate it, especially if they're expecting something modern and sleek, but I honestly loved how precariously dated it felt.
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Light (120s) Medium (90s) Hard (60s)
The game trial takes place inside a small arena where each round begins after a bell is rung in the center. Enemies then start pouring in, with each round getting more difficult until eventually the game throws some really ridiculous things at you. One of those things is a deceptively overpowered goat that will send you flying across the arena if it manages to crash into you – and yes, it managed to get the best of me.
Every weapon feels heavy, slow, and just a little clunky, which is exactly what I'd expect from a game so openly inspired by old-school RPGs.
There is some humor and exaggeration throughout the playtest, but never so much that it turns the whole thing into a joke. It simply keeps the experience so lighthearted that getting demolished by a goat or watching an enemy tumble across the arena means the combat never gets too frustrating. Even when I died and was humiliated to have to start over, I still usually found myself cracking a smile before immediately ringing that bell one more time.
After each round, I could spend the gold I'd earned on a stronger weapon, try something completely different, or buy potatoes that restored my health when eaten. In the end, I settled on dual daggers because I almost always prefer a faster playstyle, especially when the alternative is wielding some massive weapon that takes three working days to reach its target. The daggers let me fly in, land a few quick hits, and then get out before whatever I was fighting could flatten me.
Of course, using the daggers also meant I needed a ton of stamina, as both attacking and dodging drained it quickly. Dodging is especially important here as these enemies hit ridiculously hard, and standing still even a second too long can end a run before you know what happened. Something about combining quick dodges with first-person melee and magic even reminded me a little Avowedalthough A short Quest obviously going for something much rougher and more old fashioned.
A short Quests magic-based combat ended up being one of my favorite parts of the playtest. Arcane Daggers summoned a group of spectral blades that launched at enemies, while a necromancy rune allowed me to resurrect an enemy I'd already killed and have it fight for me. Sure, my newly resurrected friends rarely lasted very long, but watching them turn and start attacking their former allies never ceased to be entertaining.
I also have to mention the dog, because you can pet him, and that information is obviously important. He's sitting near a bowl of food that I stole and ate because I needed to say hello, after which I immediately patted him and saw little hearts appear over his head. Apparently the dog forgave me for stealing his dinner, which just further confirms that he is actually a very good boy.
Beyond the combat and humor, I really loved the atmosphere that Silent Moon managed to create in such a small space. The wind blows through the trees outside, birds call in the distance and torches crackle inside the stone hall, while the lack of constant music makes every little sound much easier to notice. Even the small amount of voice acting in the playtest was convincing enough to make me curious about the characters I will eventually meet in the full game.
Apparently the dog forgave me for stealing his dinner, which just further confirms that he is actually a very good boy.
Near the arena is a gate marked “Staff Only”, and I spent far too much time trying to see what awaited behind it. The vibrant world outside looks so inviting, especially after seeing more of it in the game's trailers and movies, but the playtest refuses to let players leave the arena. When I was done, I wanted someone from Silent Moon to open the gate and let me wander off more than I wanted to try another round.
A short mission promises much more than a small arena
The fighting game test is obviously only a small part of the bet A short Quest will eventually become. The entire game takes place in a crumbling kingdom where the king has gone mad, troll raids have become common and the player is tasked with delivering an important note to the king. It's a classic RPG setup, but it's still something I can't wait to see play out.
A Short Quest's key features
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Handcrafted forests, caves, crypts and swamps
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Fully voiced characters and missions
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Melee weapons, ranged weapons, magic and tools
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Hidden chests and secrets above and below ground
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An alliance system involving friendly fire and enemy factions
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Necromantic spells that turn fallen enemies into allies
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Asymmetric skill trees for melee and magic
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A canine companion that can be equipped for battle
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Pubs where players can apparently stop for a beer
The alliance system is probably what interests me the most after experiencing the necromancy rune in the playtest. Silent Moon says players will be able to pit enemies against each other using loyalty, friendly fire, and spells, which sounds like the perfect excuse to cause trouble and then let everyone else sort it out. I already had fun turning a dead enemy against the others, so expanding that idea across the entire game could make encounters much more prominent and unpredictable. I also failed to mention that the enemies can actually kill each other, either by accident or on purpose, depending on what they are.
Exploration is the other big reason I'm so eager to see more of A short Quest. The developers promise forests, caves, crypts, swamps, secrets in the treetops and treasures hidden deep below the surface, all of which sound much more exciting after being trapped in an arena. I mean, the game wouldn't even let me go through a gate, and now it expects me to wait patiently before exploring a completely broken kingdom.
The entire game takes place in a crumbling kingdom where the king has gone mad, troll raids have become common and the player is tasked with delivering an important note to the king.
The full game will also allow players to gain experience and invest in asymmetric skill trees for melee and magic. In the playtest, a level up simply gave me a point that could improve what I was already using, and once that point was used up, I couldn't move it anywhere else. Since the whole purpose of this test is to gather feedback on combat, I assume the system will continue to change before release.
Of course I'm not waiting A short Quest to suddenly become another massive RPG-like Skyrimand I don't think Silent Moon is trying to make one. This is a two-person team building a deliberately smaller RPG around hand-crafted environments, difficult combat, weird tools, and the kind of charming charm that most major studios abandoned years ago. Honestly, the fact that it's called A short Quest makes the promise of a focused fantasy adventure even more appealing to me.
Thirty minutes was nowhere near enough time to know how all these ideas will come together, but it was enough to leave me wanting more. The combat already has plenty of personality, the atmosphere immediately made me want to explore, and everything promised for the full game sounds even better than the playtest currently allows. Now I just need Silent Moon to unlock the gate and let me see what else A short Quest have waited beyond that.
A short Quest is currently available for wishlist at Steam.
