Dark Moon

 
Dark Moon flips the script on survival games. Usually, light means safety, and darkness brings terror. However, in this lunar nightmare, the sun is your executioner. You command a massive, spider-like mobile base called the Mechaplex. Your goal is simple but stressful: stay in the shadows. Consequently, you must constantly move across the lunar surface to escape the scorching sunrise. This creates a tense race against time where stopping for resources feels like gambling with your life.
Running on Empty: Core Gameplay

Mobile Base Building: You don’t build a static city. Instead, you expand a walking fortress. You must attach new modules for mining, housing, and research directly onto your giant mechanical spider.
Solar Pressure: The day-night cycle is lethal. Therefore, you cannot camp in one spot. You must pack up your entire operation and move forward before the deadly sunlight incinerates your crew.
Moral Dilemmas: Comme Frostpunk, survival requires sacrifice. You will encounter stranded survivors or damaged outposts. Often, you must choose between saving lives and saving fuel.
Crew Management: Your crew is not just a number. They get stressed, sick, and rebellious. As a result, you must balance their physical needs with their mental stability while the world burns around them.
Tactical Combat: The moon is not empty. You will face rogue drones and hostile factions. Combat happens in real-time, forcing you to deploy defenses while simultaneously managing your escape route.

How It Stacks Up
Dark Moon combines the movement of a convoy with the stress of a colony sim.



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Key Difference




Frostpunk
Both games force brutal moral choices. However, Dark Moon forces you to constantly move your base, whereas Frostpunk is about defending a stationary crater.


FTL: Faster Than Light
FTL focuses on ship-to-ship combat. In contrast, Dark Moon focuses on economic management and base expansion while fleeing a relentless pursuer.


Ixion
Ixion manages a space station in a void. But Dark Moon grounds the action on a planet surface, adding terrain obstacles and localized hazards.



Détails clés

Développeur : Jujubee S.A.
Éditeur : 101XP.
Plateformes : PC (Steam).
Date de sortie : October 29, 2025.
Genre : Survival Strategy / Base Builder.
Thème : Sci-fi Apocalypse.

Who It’s For

Must-play for fans of high-stakes management. If you loved the “tough choices” in Frostpunk, this game scratches the same itch.
Perfect for players who hate stagnation. The constant need to move prevents the boring “late-game wait” found in other city builders.
Skip if you want a chill sandbox. The pressure here is constant. Therefore, there is no time to leisurely design a pretty base.

Why It Works
It works because it removes the safety net. In most strategy games, you build walls and feel safe. In Dark Moon, however, your walls cannot save you from the sun. This mechanic forces you to think on your feet. You must be efficient, ruthless, and fast. Consequently, every successful escape feels like a genuine victory against nature itself.