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The art made for the Google Doodle games continue to surpass my expectations.

Every once in a while, Google graces us with a little game or fun fact in its logo, which I’ve learned are called Google Doodles. I realize now how perfect that name is. It’s fun, bubbly, and catchy, perfectly encapsulating these hidden surprises.

Recently, Google has bestowed upon us yet another Google Doodle saga, going by the name Rise of the Half-Moon. So far the saga encompasses three different games or months, December, January, and October. Each little game goes through three different levels with each game board growing increasingly difficult. The player plays cards that have randomized moon phases on them against the dark side of the moon. Hoping to place cards in order of moon phases or a pair that add to a full moon. The longer the phase cycle or more pairs the player places, the more stars, or points, they earn. At the end of each round, if the player has more stars than the moon, they move ahead. This continues in three cycles until the player reaches the moon. Once the player wins all three rounds they earn a randomized Legendary Wild Card. Each card can be played once per playthrough and give the player a point boost. The saga’s only difference per game is through these wild cards.

Overall, playing through the game is fairly fun, even if it’s short. The game forces the player to think through each move and plan turns ahead for maximum points. While the game doesn’t have a lot of variety each round it never becomes repetitive. Every time you play, players can choose different tactics, and the ever-changing maps present a new challenge every game. The game is the perfect amount of challenging in that it allows you to think, however, it’s easy enough that you don’t get frustrated, and almost anyone can play.

Along with the thoughtfully planned gameplay, the artwork truly shows the time the game developers put into this saga. The Rise of the Half-Moon chooses a more ethereal and haunting aesthetic, contrasting with Google’s normally modern and vibrant vibe. Each card is designed elegantly and full of swooping details, ignoring the minimalist trends in today’s media. The game itself feels like a piece of artwork that is filled delicately with patterns without feeling overstuffed or maximalist. 

The music overlaid the game is surprisingly catchy and calming for a Google Doodle game. While the intro video plays, haunting music can be heard that catches both the eerie dark side of the moon and the vibrancy of it in a single tune. When the game begins the music switches to a more bouncy rhythm that still holds a wistful undertone. As beautiful as the music is, it is still calm enough to not distract or overwhelm the player.

The game itself doesn’t have a lot of story surrounding it, which is of course expected for a Google Doodle; however, early this year Google published another Google Doodle saga featuring an intriguing story that expanded and developed across all three games. The Rise of the Half-Moon did feature both a dark side and a light, literally. However, I wish they expanded a little on the good vs evil aspect of the game. This barely changes my view on the game, especially considering it’s Google Doodle. Although at the bare minimum, I wish there was more contrast between the three games. Creating three games with almost exactly the same gameplay seems to make the second and third games feel unnecessary, irrelevant, and honestly not worth playing.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the quality of The Rise of the Half-Moon series. The artwork, ambiance, and gameplay made these games incredibly addicting. If anyone wants to switch up from solitaire, minesweeper, snake, or wordle, The Rise of the Half-Moon is definitely worth trying out.