sa wakasssss omg (┬┬﹏┬┬) antagal ko na gusto ng filipino dating sim!! maraming salamat dev team! sana malamig yung mga unan niyo dahil tag-init na hehe
thank you so much for making this game! I love everything so far, I can't wait to see how this goes!! I adore how well written the story and the characters are, and I'm very happy to learn about our mythos and culture from waaaay back in pre-colonial pinas!!
Everything is so cool! I am incredibly hooked and am very excited to see how this story will progress! And the love interests got me feeling some type of way 😳😳
as someone who knows next to nothing about filipino culture this is so cool??? im learning AND having fun! the culture is so rich and i cant wait to see more.
Hello I haven't played this yet but I was immediately interested since I'm a Filipino myself, It makes me so happy when I see things related to my culture :).
I finished it a while ago and I really enjoyed the story. the writing was very immersive and I could imagine the details in my head. One of the parts that made me smile (there was many buttttt) was when we prepared the food or when they would mano. These details were so cool to see, I look forward to the upcoming chapters :).
i'm so glad you enjoyed and appreciated those details!! they were really important to me to include—no matter how mc feels about their parents they have to mano! thank you so much for leaving a review (:
Hi there! I’m super excited for this game as I’m a big fan of A Tale of Crowns, but I just wanted to ask if it would be possible to add a dark mode or something to tweak the colors? I’m visually impaired and while I’d really like to dive into this gorgeous setting, reading as it is now unfortunately gives me a headache after a very short time because the current color scheme is just too intense even while using an extension like DarkReader. I’d appreciate any options to make our experience more comfortable and thank you so much for the work you’ve done so far! Have a great day!
hi there! i am always happy to accomodate accessibility to the best of my coding abilities. i know there's a way to build in a dark mode but since i didn't incorporate that into my initial code i'll have to figure out how to do it without breaking the rest of the formatting. that's a pretty big task, so not really something i'll be able to incorporate in between updates but i'll try my best and see if i can get it in there for the ch 3 update!
hii!! ive literally just started this game and im so excoted11<3 anyway, i encountered a bug!! i thought i should let the developer know, anyway it was when the mc's parents asked them how they've been, when i chose the answer that tells them whats been happening and stuff, it processed it as if ive chosen to just hum and stay silent, thanks for readinnng i'll elaborate further if u need im so terrible at explaining
I love mythology and learning about other cultures, and when I found this game I was so happy, and it has amazing writing too! Oh and the art of the characters are so beautiful!
as someone whos half filo and loves mythology and IFs this is super exciting to see !!!!!! ur writing is so good and its also really exciting that theres a poly route !!!!!!!!!!!!!! also ik other ppl have said it in the comments but this is def pretty similar and just as good as atoc :] hella excited to see more !!!!!
I am so excited that you are promoting Filipino language, culture, pre-colonial religeons, and history! This story is really well-written, and I am so impressed with how you have consciously introduced readers to different aspects of Filipino culture (mano-po, "kumain ka na" culture, etc). I can't wait to read more and sing your praises to others!
thank you! illustrating the established culture and showing how we deepen connections between ourselves through our customs was really important to me and i'm happy it resonated with you.
This is such a wonderful game, and it's so beautifully written! It completely sucks you in and the flow of it is so natural! I can't wait to read more :-)
Help I love them- But seriously this was a fantastic update! I was looking forward to doing some flirting with both the LI's (my pansexual poly baby brain is very indecisive) and boy did you deliver. Looking forward to the next one!
ateee, i just finished the update and i feel like cat paws are scratching my heart! i'm so curious to death and really want to know what's gonna happen next, especially with what's going on with the aswangs!
i'm very much looking forward to the next update already ngl QAQ (also, AAAAAAA i like tala a lot!)
I'm so glad I came across this, as a Filipino person myself it makes me happy to see a game related to my culture. I'm looking forward to future updates, good luck! :)
This is really good so far, I have a question though, will we be able to specify our body type in our profile in future, as well as if we have any tattoos or piercings, and where our strengths lie in terms of physical/mental capabilities? Oh, also, could we get some sort of pronunciation primer to help us pronounce all of the names and native words used in the game, it would be really nice to have.
i can definitely consider adding body types in future updates!
regarding tattoos, i've decided not to add any canon options because i'm honestly not comfortable with non-filipino players creating tattoos for the moonfinder. they're culturally symbolic and are individualized for each person to represent their character and history. i'm leaving the tattoos to player headcanons with the hope that people will commission filipino artists if they want custom designs. with piercings, that's just honestly not a level of detail i want to go into coding so i'm leaving that up to headcanons as well. though of course super modern piercings would not necessarily be appropriate so i would encourage some research in that regard.
your strengths are already implied based on your proactive/reactive and fighter/diplomat traits. there's four different variations on how mc best handles conflict. i'll consider coding strengths more deeply in the future, but honestly i've intentionally designed my coding system to be feasible for me since i'm writing, coding, and designing pretty much by myself. this is my first IF project and i want to finish it eventually, which means editing down some of the nice to have frills when it comes to customization and coding.
names of people and places have pronunciation guides in the codex entries so i would refer to those. if you aren't already familiar with the tagalog words that are used in eotm, you can find definitions and pronunciations on tagalog.com.
I read the "about the game" section and was like "this is gonna be good" and I was so right- I'm really looking forward to the rest of the story and how our character plays into it :)
I love this! A friend of mine recommended it to me, the writing, and the art too ❤
May I ask, have you considered adding some sort of glossary of terms? Or like that option where you can click on a word but instead of bringing you to the next passage, it simply shows the meaning or translation... hehehe
Anyway, agaim, job well done OP! Can't wait to read more of this 🤩
hi tookie! i'm so glad you enjoyed the game. shoutout to the friend that rec'd it!
i might add a glossary in a future update. the meanings and translations are all in text already—i tried not to introduce non-english words or phrases without establishing the definition first.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this will go. I'm actually really excited for all the text based games I've been seeing recently. Although the red does hurt the eyes on PC, but it's fine on my phone.
I just finished playing Chapter One and I find that I completely adored it! It was so engaging so bewitching. The writing was exquisitely written and alluring, evoking that sense of mystique and magic that is inherent to stories that follow such divine narratives.
I have so much warmth for stories that immerse into cultures that I've yet to learn about. The world is filled with so much cultural richness, and the fact that someone puts this much effort and love into creating a story based on their culture that can transport people into a setting that they've yet to explore is so awe-evoking, and something I'm really grateful about. The care atemaarte has put into this story is really apparent, in the detailed and lovely explanations about Filipino mythology, in a plot that is promising and captivating, and in the research, resources and information she has organized for us readers to experience this IF with brilliance, clarity and accuracy.
As many others have also said before me, the way the Moonfinder's character has been written is wonderful. Non-blank slate MCs tend to be quite fascinating, and being able to lead where our Moonfinders go while still clearly aware that they are well-established outside of our choices has been a lovely game experience. Seeing how my Moonfinder interacts with her surroundings and with the people surrounding her is riveting, and I'm definitely anticipating which characters will come along next and how her relationship with them will come to be.
I'll certainly be waiting for more, I can't contain my excitement for the next chapter! Best wishes atemaarte, thank you so much for creating this game! Hope you're having a marvellous time :)
thank you for leaving such a thoughtful review! i can't believe i haven't responded to this yet but your comment is really motivating. i appreciate you picking up on all of these details and hope you've enjoyed the update as well!
hala omg aAAAAAAAAA AN IF WITH OUR CULTURE FINALLY (saka ehehe ehem, hi duma uwuww) LOOKING FORWARD FOR MORE BTW AND THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS sobs
Edit: just finished playing and now im being protective with the parents and fell in love with duma aaaaaaaaa anyway, i noticed that the pictures within the game aren't showing, though idk if it's my phone's problem or nah ://
I fell in love with this. I love seeing cultures and learning about mytholody which is harder to find amidst western literature. Keep up the good work and looking forward to the next chapter.
Ehem duma? bekenemen (the day i finally see a Philippine game with romance, is too soon but i'm not complaining I WANT MORE ) I see potential here that it will be as popular as the rest of games like superstition and tales of crowns. ALSO LET OUR CULTURE BE KNOWN
i hope it's been resolved! just for future reference, that error happens when you have cookies disabled as the game is then unable to access save files. i hope you enjoy the game!
hi maraan! i just updated the coding (looks like there might've been an issue with the google font i was using). try it now and let me know if you're still having issues! also make sure you're not playing on incognito (:
comparing eotm to atoc is such a high compliment! cherry is a good friend and creative collaborator and inspires me daily. thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment! you'll meet tala in the next chapter and kick off the poly options 👀
I looove it !! The writing is so gooood omg and Duma had like what 6 lines and I'm already in LOVE. You did a really great job, I can't wait for the next update :)
From the opening lines, I was immediately pulled into the world of Eye of the Moon. The cataclysmic battle between Mayari and Apolaki serves as an immediate introduction to the history of Kaluwalhatian and the divines living there, all of which comes to the forefront when events get underway towards the later half of the first chapter.
Ate Maarte is a great story teller in this way, intoducing information as you need it, all the while setting each scene with vivid descriptions and evocative language that brings the world and characters to life without being too flowery.
As I was reading, I could feel the soft sand beneath my feet, smell and taste the food shared between the Moonfinder and their parents.
The way the Moonfinder is handled—where you can play them as three different archetypes—allows the reader enough say on how they play while letting Ate Maarte comfortably write an established character who was raised in and knows the inner workings of this setting.
The characters all have established and believable relationships with one another, and it builds a sense of community and history amongst the pantheon. The reader can influence some of the relationships the Moonfinder has with the characters fhat have been introduced thus far such as their parents and, of course, Dumakulem.
When I play interactive fiction games, the flirt options sometimes seem a bit abrupt, or tacked on, or don’t seem to flow naturally within the scene. But reading the flirty banter between Duma and the Moonfinder felt natural, and was genuinely enjoyable to read and had me smiling at my screen.
Eye of the Moon is obviously written with love and care for the culture and storytelling of pre-colonial Philippines, and Ate Maarte has gathered resources that make it incredibly easy for readers unfamiliar with the culture to respectively participate.
This was an amazing and promising start to a story that promises adventure and intrigue and romance, and I’m so excited for where Ate Maarta’s going to take us next!
Eye of the Moon is a stunning debut by Ate Maarte, earning a spot in the upper echelons of interactive fiction (where works such as A Tale of Crowns, Project Hadea, and A Mage Reborn also belong) with just the prologue and first chapter under its belt. From the opening words, I took a deep breath and plunged headfirst, like a sailor taking to the deep blue waters, into a rich and immersive world teeming with color and life. EOTM feels like the transient boundary where sky and land meet. It is an enduring love letter to the culture and natural beauty of the pre-colonial Philippines, a way for Ate Maarte and fellow Filipinos to connect with the stories told in a distant past.
EOTM's prose is just as striking as its visual presentation: bold, powerful, and evocative. Ate Maarte writes with a deft and confident hand, joyfully painting moving scenes and landscapes across the infinite canvas of her work. I could not help but linger longingly on the loving descriptions of the traditional Filipino cuisine featured in certain parts of the story, so detailed and expressive that Ate Maarte evidently remembers these dishes herself with fondness. The graceful prose effortlessly balances the plot with vivid imagery, smooth dialogue, and well-established characters.
Both EOTM's setting and worldbuilding benefit immensely from the strength of Ate Maarte's prose. She establishes the physical context for the Moonfinder quickly and efficiently, leaving a strong impression that the Moonfinder has indeed traversed these divine domains for many years. Like the Moonfinder, I would love to wake up to pristine weather and meander around the terraces or go for a walk along the river.
Speaking of our MC, I should mention that the Moonfinder is no blank slate. The Moonfinder has been around for literal centuries, so it would be rather strange not to have a clear personality by now. Ate Maarte turns this trait into a strength through the game's customization, which allows for distinct variations in appearance, personality, and relationship management approaches. In Chapter One alone, I enjoyed the variety in the dialogue, choices, and subsequent responses from MC's parents and the first LI, Duma. I already plan to make several save files for different pursuits, such as the friendships, solo romances, and poly between Tala and Duma.
The relationships in EOTM are a highlight of the work for me. What stands out about EOTM is that I can work on managing the relationship between Moonfinder and their parents, the beloved pair of Mapulon and Lakapati. They clearly invented Good Parenting, and I love that the MC can potentially take on character traits similar to their parents, an accurate reflection of what can happen in real life. While I am not SEA, I am the child of immigrants that also value the bonds of family and so, I notice many things in EOTM that I value and want out of my own relationships. As for the Romance™, I believe that I can aptly summarize my feelings about Duma with this: I am a lesbian through and through, but I would not hesitate to make an exception for the god of mountains and hunting.
By Tala, this can't be happening.
On a more serious note, Duma and the MC have had a prior point of connection in MC's parents. There is the possibility of Something More, but the Moonfinder should keep a good head on their shoulders and act wisely around Duma, who exudes competence so rarely seen in Men (derogatory). The banter between Moonfinder and Duma is delightful, and I so appreciated the different contexts and lens through which the MC can view Duma. You can feel spiteful toward his cool demeanor, attracted to his devastatingly good looks, or responsible for living up to his high expectations. The romance between Moonfinder and Duma is bound to be a slow burn, so strap the hell in.
What I might love the most of all about EOTM is that Ate Maarte has taken the beloved lore of pre-colonial Philippines and written her own original take on the famous myth of Apolaki and Mayari. Chapter One sets the foundation of EOTM's divine world in a way that feels distinctly mortal somehow, like a charming slice of life vibe. That being said, EOTM's prologue does a great deal of work in setting up the main threads of the plot. You can tell from the first scene what will emerge later down the line as major points of contention. Nothing that happens later in the story should come as a huge surprise if you are a careful reader, as far as I can tell.
All said, Eye of the Moon is a fantastic debut by a rising star in the IF community.
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sa wakasssss omg (┬┬﹏┬┬) antagal ko na gusto ng filipino dating sim!! maraming salamat dev team! sana malamig yung mga unan niyo dahil tag-init na hehe
It bugs when I try to start it.
hi there! what device/browser are you trying to play it on?
Google Chrome on Windows* 10.
Javascript is enabled.
...Could it be adblock's fault?
ayos ito salamat. nawa'y sumikat kayong may akda nito.
ahhhh salamat!! nasasaya ako na talagang gusto mo 💗
IM SO GAY, TALA MY BELOVED
thank you so much for making this game! I love everything so far, I can't wait to see how this goes!! I adore how well written the story and the characters are, and I'm very happy to learn about our mythos and culture from waaaay back in pre-colonial pinas!!
thank you so much! i'm so glad you've enjoyed reading. our mythology is such a fun space to play in. such a great opportunity to tell new stories!
Everything is so cool! I am incredibly hooked and am very excited to see how this story will progress! And the love interests got me feeling some type of way 😳😳
glad to hear i'm doing my job right 😌
as someone who knows next to nothing about filipino culture this is so cool??? im learning AND having fun! the culture is so rich and i cant wait to see more.
thank you so much!
Hello I haven't played this yet but I was immediately interested since I'm a Filipino myself, It makes me so happy when I see things related to my culture :).
i hope you get the chance to start reading soon! thanks so much for your kind comment.
I finished it a while ago and I really enjoyed the story. the writing was very immersive and I could imagine the details in my head. One of the parts that made me smile (there was many buttttt) was when we prepared the food or when they would mano. These details were so cool to see, I look forward to the upcoming chapters :).
i'm so glad you enjoyed and appreciated those details!! they were really important to me to include—no matter how mc feels about their parents they have to mano! thank you so much for leaving a review (:
Hi there! I’m super excited for this game as I’m a big fan of A Tale of Crowns, but I just wanted to ask if it would be possible to add a dark mode or something to tweak the colors? I’m visually impaired and while I’d really like to dive into this gorgeous setting, reading as it is now unfortunately gives me a headache after a very short time because the current color scheme is just too intense even while using an extension like DarkReader. I’d appreciate any options to make our experience more comfortable and thank you so much for the work you’ve done so far! Have a great day!
hi there! i am always happy to accomodate accessibility to the best of my coding abilities. i know there's a way to build in a dark mode but since i didn't incorporate that into my initial code i'll have to figure out how to do it without breaking the rest of the formatting. that's a pretty big task, so not really something i'll be able to incorporate in between updates but i'll try my best and see if i can get it in there for the ch 3 update!
Thanks so much, looking forward to keeping an eye on where development goes from here!
hii!! ive literally just started this game and im so excoted11<3 anyway, i encountered a bug!! i thought i should let the developer know, anyway it was when the mc's parents asked them how they've been, when i chose the answer that tells them whats been happening and stuff, it processed it as if ive chosen to just hum and stay silent, thanks for readinnng i'll elaborate further if u need im so terrible at explaining
hello! i didn't come across that bug in my tests but i went ahead and streamlined the coding. hopefully it works now!
tysm<3
I love mythology and learning about other cultures, and when I found this game I was so happy, and it has amazing writing too! Oh and the art of the characters are so beautiful!
as someone whos half filo and loves mythology and IFs this is super exciting to see !!!!!! ur writing is so good and its also really exciting that theres a poly route !!!!!!!!!!!!!! also ik other ppl have said it in the comments but this is def pretty similar and just as good as atoc :] hella excited to see more !!!!!
the highest of compliments!! thank you so much 💞
I am so excited that you are promoting Filipino language, culture, pre-colonial religeons, and history! This story is really well-written, and I am so impressed with how you have consciously introduced readers to different aspects of Filipino culture (mano-po, "kumain ka na" culture, etc). I can't wait to read more and sing your praises to others!
thank you! illustrating the established culture and showing how we deepen connections between ourselves through our customs was really important to me and i'm happy it resonated with you.
i really enjoyed this!! the writing was great and super immersive :D
I see you everywhere- XD
my if obsession is going strong
thanks for reading and for your kind words!
This is such a wonderful game, and it's so beautifully written! It completely sucks you in and the flow of it is so natural! I can't wait to read more :-)
thank you so much! i'm so glad you enjoyed
Help I love them- But seriously this was a fantastic update! I was looking forward to doing some flirting with both the LI's (my pansexual poly baby brain is very indecisive) and boy did you deliver. Looking forward to the next one!
we're definitely just getting started! thanks so much for reading.
ateee, i just finished the update and i feel like cat paws are scratching my heart! i'm so curious to death and really want to know what's gonna happen next, especially with what's going on with the aswangs!
i'm very much looking forward to the next update already ngl QAQ (also, AAAAAAA i like tala a lot!)
the aswang are up to some shit 👀 the chase is on!
i'm glad you like tala, i def wrote her to be a dream girl 😌
I'm so freakin ready! I've been waiting here since the demo first dropped and its finally being updated today! Let's goooo!
your patience has paid off! it's out (:
This is really cool! I can't wait forthe update to release today! ^^
i hope you enjoy the update!
I LOVED it! Really good writing, and love the choices on this! I love how you describe things, so well thought out! ^^
thank you so much!! i had a lot of fun writing this chapter hehe
I'm so glad I came across this, as a Filipino person myself it makes me happy to see a game related to my culture. I'm looking forward to future updates, good luck! :)
thank you so much! i'll be updating the game this weekend (:
Yey! I haven't played the game yet but I'm so happy to find a game based on the Philippines!
i hope you enjoy it!
This is really good so far, I have a question though, will we be able to specify our body type in our profile in future, as well as if we have any tattoos or piercings, and where our strengths lie in terms of physical/mental capabilities?
Oh, also, could we get some sort of pronunciation primer to help us pronounce all of the names and native words used in the game, it would be really nice to have.
i can definitely consider adding body types in future updates!
regarding tattoos, i've decided not to add any canon options because i'm honestly not comfortable with non-filipino players creating tattoos for the moonfinder. they're culturally symbolic and are individualized for each person to represent their character and history. i'm leaving the tattoos to player headcanons with the hope that people will commission filipino artists if they want custom designs. with piercings, that's just honestly not a level of detail i want to go into coding so i'm leaving that up to headcanons as well. though of course super modern piercings would not necessarily be appropriate so i would encourage some research in that regard.
your strengths are already implied based on your proactive/reactive and fighter/diplomat traits. there's four different variations on how mc best handles conflict. i'll consider coding strengths more deeply in the future, but honestly i've intentionally designed my coding system to be feasible for me since i'm writing, coding, and designing pretty much by myself. this is my first IF project and i want to finish it eventually, which means editing down some of the nice to have frills when it comes to customization and coding.
names of people and places have pronunciation guides in the codex entries so i would refer to those. if you aren't already familiar with the tagalog words that are used in eotm, you can find definitions and pronunciations on tagalog.com.
thanks for reading!
I read the "about the game" section and was like "this is gonna be good" and I was so right- I'm really looking forward to the rest of the story and how our character plays into it :)
thank you! i'm so glad i proved you right (:
Very interested in seeing what this becomes.
thanks so much for reading!
I love this! A friend of mine recommended it to me, the writing, and the art too ❤
May I ask, have you considered adding some sort of glossary of terms? Or like that option where you can click on a word but instead of bringing you to the next passage, it simply shows the meaning or translation... hehehe
Anyway, agaim, job well done OP! Can't wait to read more of this 🤩
hi tookie! i'm so glad you enjoyed the game. shoutout to the friend that rec'd it!
i might add a glossary in a future update. the meanings and translations are all in text already—i tried not to introduce non-english words or phrases without establishing the definition first.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this will go. I'm actually really excited for all the text based games I've been seeing recently. Although the red does hurt the eyes on PC, but it's fine on my phone.
hi there! thanks for the feedback. coding isn't my strong suit but i will consider implementing different color schemes in future updates 😊
I just finished playing Chapter One and I find that I completely adored it! It was so engaging so bewitching. The writing was exquisitely written and alluring, evoking that sense of mystique and magic that is inherent to stories that follow such divine narratives.
I have so much warmth for stories that immerse into cultures that I've yet to learn about. The world is filled with so much cultural richness, and the fact that someone puts this much effort and love into creating a story based on their culture that can transport people into a setting that they've yet to explore is so awe-evoking, and something I'm really grateful about. The care atemaarte has put into this story is really apparent, in the detailed and lovely explanations about Filipino mythology, in a plot that is promising and captivating, and in the research, resources and information she has organized for us readers to experience this IF with brilliance, clarity and accuracy.
As many others have also said before me, the way the Moonfinder's character has been written is wonderful. Non-blank slate MCs tend to be quite fascinating, and being able to lead where our Moonfinders go while still clearly aware that they are well-established outside of our choices has been a lovely game experience. Seeing how my Moonfinder interacts with her surroundings and with the people surrounding her is riveting, and I'm definitely anticipating which characters will come along next and how her relationship with them will come to be.
I'll certainly be waiting for more, I can't contain my excitement for the next chapter! Best wishes atemaarte, thank you so much for creating this game! Hope you're having a marvellous time :)
thank you for leaving such a thoughtful review! i can't believe i haven't responded to this yet but your comment is really motivating. i appreciate you picking up on all of these details and hope you've enjoyed the update as well!
I super love this concept, thank you for creating this! and with customizable mc too!!
thank you for reading!
hala omg aAAAAAAAAA AN IF WITH OUR CULTURE FINALLY (saka ehehe ehem, hi duma uwuww) LOOKING FORWARD FOR MORE BTW AND THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS sobs
Edit: just finished playing and now im being protective with the parents and fell in love with duma aaaaaaaaa anyway, i noticed that the pictures within the game aren't showing, though idk if it's my phone's problem or nah ://
mine too, the pictures are not showing, im using pc tho...
hey y'all, thanks so much for reading! re: images, they are hosted on imgur. are you connected to the internet when you're playing?
Hello, yes! I'm connected to the internet while I'm playing ☺☺
I fell in love with this. I love seeing cultures and learning about mytholody which is harder to find amidst western literature. Keep up the good work and looking forward to the next chapter.
thank you so much korraly! excited to share the rest of the story with y'all
Ehem duma? bekenemen (the day i finally see a Philippine game with romance, is too soon but i'm not complaining I WANT MORE ) I see potential here that it will be as popular as the rest of games like superstition and tales of crowns. ALSO LET OUR CULTURE BE KNOWN
wow, thank you so much! being compared to atoc is always the highest of compliments. i'll keep making you proud 😤
this is so good!!! I’m so hyped for more :)
thank you so much for playing!
I'm having some problems when I try
to start the game.. I'm unsure if this is because I'm playing on my phone?
Oop yeah I think it is because of my phone hehe sorry
i hope it's been resolved! just for future reference, that error happens when you have cookies disabled as the game is then unable to access save files. i hope you enjoy the game!
This sounds great! I get an error when I try to start it, though:
Not sure, how that happens - I'm on a current Firefox build, if that helps?
hi maraan! i just updated the coding (looks like there might've been an issue with the google font i was using). try it now and let me know if you're still having issues! also make sure you're not playing on incognito (:
Hi atemaarte! Awesome, thank you! It's fixed now :)
perfect! enjoy the game 💗
comparing eotm to atoc is such a high compliment! cherry is a good friend and creative collaborator and inspires me daily. thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment! you'll meet tala in the next chapter and kick off the poly options 👀
I love reading stories that are influenced or about different types of cultures, loving what you got so far. Can't wait to see the finished product 😍
thank you so much! representing my culture and people well is so important to me and i'm glad eotm resonated with you
This game cured my migraine ♡
so glad to hear it!
I looove it !! The writing is so gooood omg and Duma had like what 6 lines and I'm already in LOVE. You did a really great job, I can't wait for the next update :)
duma has that effect doesn't he 😏 thank you so much for playing!
yes more filipino-made games!!!! love this!!!
so glad you enjoyed! can't wait to share the rest of the story with y'all
From the opening lines, I was immediately pulled into the world of Eye of the Moon. The cataclysmic battle between Mayari and Apolaki serves as an immediate introduction to the history of Kaluwalhatian and the divines living there, all of which comes to the forefront when events get underway towards the later half of the first chapter.
Ate Maarte is a great story teller in this way, intoducing information as you need it, all the while setting each scene with vivid descriptions and evocative language that brings the world and characters to life without being too flowery.
As I was reading, I could feel the soft sand beneath my feet, smell and taste the food shared between the Moonfinder and their parents.
The way the Moonfinder is handled—where you can play them as three different archetypes—allows the reader enough say on how they play while letting Ate Maarte comfortably write an established character who was raised in and knows the inner workings of this setting.
The characters all have established and believable relationships with one another, and it builds a sense of community and history amongst the pantheon. The reader can influence some of the relationships the Moonfinder has with the characters fhat have been introduced thus far such as their parents and, of course, Dumakulem.
When I play interactive fiction games, the flirt options sometimes seem a bit abrupt, or tacked on, or don’t seem to flow naturally within the scene. But reading the flirty banter between Duma and the Moonfinder felt natural, and was genuinely enjoyable to read and had me smiling at my screen.
Eye of the Moon is obviously written with love and care for the culture and storytelling of pre-colonial Philippines, and Ate Maarte has gathered resources that make it incredibly easy for readers unfamiliar with the culture to respectively participate.
This was an amazing and promising start to a story that promises adventure and intrigue and romance, and I’m so excited for where Ate Maarta’s going to take us next!
meg!!! 😭 i so appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review
Eye of the Moon is a stunning debut by Ate Maarte, earning a spot in the upper echelons of interactive fiction (where works such as A Tale of Crowns, Project Hadea, and A Mage Reborn also belong) with just the prologue and first chapter under its belt. From the opening words, I took a deep breath and plunged headfirst, like a sailor taking to the deep blue waters, into a rich and immersive world teeming with color and life. EOTM feels like the transient boundary where sky and land meet. It is an enduring love letter to the culture and natural beauty of the pre-colonial Philippines, a way for Ate Maarte and fellow Filipinos to connect with the stories told in a distant past.
EOTM's prose is just as striking as its visual presentation: bold, powerful, and evocative. Ate Maarte writes with a deft and confident hand, joyfully painting moving scenes and landscapes across the infinite canvas of her work. I could not help but linger longingly on the loving descriptions of the traditional Filipino cuisine featured in certain parts of the story, so detailed and expressive that Ate Maarte evidently remembers these dishes herself with fondness. The graceful prose effortlessly balances the plot with vivid imagery, smooth dialogue, and well-established characters.
Both EOTM's setting and worldbuilding benefit immensely from the strength of Ate Maarte's prose. She establishes the physical context for the Moonfinder quickly and efficiently, leaving a strong impression that the Moonfinder has indeed traversed these divine domains for many years. Like the Moonfinder, I would love to wake up to pristine weather and meander around the terraces or go for a walk along the river.
Speaking of our MC, I should mention that the Moonfinder is no blank slate. The Moonfinder has been around for literal centuries, so it would be rather strange not to have a clear personality by now. Ate Maarte turns this trait into a strength through the game's customization, which allows for distinct variations in appearance, personality, and relationship management approaches. In Chapter One alone, I enjoyed the variety in the dialogue, choices, and subsequent responses from MC's parents and the first LI, Duma. I already plan to make several save files for different pursuits, such as the friendships, solo romances, and poly between Tala and Duma.
The relationships in EOTM are a highlight of the work for me. What stands out about EOTM is that I can work on managing the relationship between Moonfinder and their parents, the beloved pair of Mapulon and Lakapati. They clearly invented Good Parenting, and I love that the MC can potentially take on character traits similar to their parents, an accurate reflection of what can happen in real life. While I am not SEA, I am the child of immigrants that also value the bonds of family and so, I notice many things in EOTM that I value and want out of my own relationships. As for the Romance™, I believe that I can aptly summarize my feelings about Duma with this: I am a lesbian through and through, but I would not hesitate to make an exception for the god of mountains and hunting.
By Tala, this can't be happening.
On a more serious note, Duma and the MC have had a prior point of connection in MC's parents. There is the possibility of Something More, but the Moonfinder should keep a good head on their shoulders and act wisely around Duma, who exudes competence so rarely seen in Men (derogatory). The banter between Moonfinder and Duma is delightful, and I so appreciated the different contexts and lens through which the MC can view Duma. You can feel spiteful toward his cool demeanor, attracted to his devastatingly good looks, or responsible for living up to his high expectations. The romance between Moonfinder and Duma is bound to be a slow burn, so strap the hell in.
What I might love the most of all about EOTM is that Ate Maarte has taken the beloved lore of pre-colonial Philippines and written her own original take on the famous myth of Apolaki and Mayari. Chapter One sets the foundation of EOTM's divine world in a way that feels distinctly mortal somehow, like a charming slice of life vibe. That being said, EOTM's prologue does a great deal of work in setting up the main threads of the plot. You can tell from the first scene what will emerge later down the line as major points of contention. Nothing that happens later in the story should come as a huge surprise if you are a careful reader, as far as I can tell.
All said, Eye of the Moon is a fantastic debut by a rising star in the IF community.
thank you so much for the kind words and in depth review jay 💗