I don’t often replay games that aren’t designed for it — this one is straightforward, with only one route and storyline. But it’s so short and sweet that it’s easy to pick up again every now and then, like a well-loved book. To the Moon was released in 2011 and still holds up.

It’s humbly designed with RPG Maker XP, but hones in quickly on telling a sweet, heartfelt story — one you can probably finish in five hours if you take your time. A trip down memory lane The game’s premise is this: a technology by the fictional Sigmund Corp can create artificial memories. Instead of immediately turning evil, though, doctors use this technology to enter the minds of the dying, where they make careful memory alterations to create a life in which their patient’s greatest wishes came true, letting them die content.

It’s a simple and compassionate idea, executed with mastery in a single case study. Sigmund Corp doctors Eva Rosalene and Neil Watts take on the case of Johnny Wyles, an old man with one foot out the door. His only wish: to go to the moon.

The catch? He has no idea why — it’s up to the doctor duo, hopping through his memories across his whole life to figure out his motivations, plant the seed early, and make his dream real (at least, to him). To be clear: a lot of the game takes place in an old man’s head, and no impact is had on the reality outside of it.

Yet it’s fantastically compelling, with the stakes of the mission holding massive emotional weight, and the unfolding of the story of Johnny’s life — alongside that of his wife, River — will leave you feeling at least somewhat tender by the end of it all. Genre-blending concept with excellently written characters To the Moon doesn’t overcomplicate things and I like that. It has a story to tell and gives its all to telling it.

While I will not spoil the story itself, its deeply earnest delivery erases just about any skepticism over its implausible or cheesy aspects, and its cast of characters is small but mighty. I don’t mean to say it’s an overly simplistic story: it keeps you guessing until the end, and it’s a fun ride all the way. The concept pulls elements from a variety of genres to make something altogether unique.

In some ways it’s a peaceful mystery game where you investigate and connect dots, and in other ways it’s a romantic novel. There’s even a touch of medical drama, given the concept of the game itself, and an unexpected splash of workplace comedy from the two bickering doctors. And, though you’re not actually time-travelling, it still feels like it, so add that to the list.

I find it a clever touch to have the focal characters, and the main romantic storyline, be entirely separate from our protagonist characters (and players) while still letting them share the spotlight. The story of Johnny and River is that much more compelling for being witnessed in reverse order by an external party, and the Sigmund Corp specialists are able to shine that much more in their roles as observers with a heavy responsibility. A wedding. — screengrab by author While I’m on the topic of good writing and good characters: here’s another reason I revisited the game right now.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and To the Moon features some autism representation that — while not necessarily perfect — is astonishingly thoughtful for 2011, even while some of the humour in other aspects is dated. I’m not exactly an expert, but I can say it never reduces its autistic characters (more than one!) to symbols, archetypes or moral lessons, and makes sure to give them voices of their own, presenting them as fully three-dimensional characters in their own right without downplaying the disorder itself. Revisiting this aspect of the story as a (now better-informed) adult was a matter of trepidation for me, so I’m happy to find that it holds up quite well. Imagine that. — screengrab by author A dynamic duo While I must stress that I love the focal characters of Johnny’s story, they pale in comparison to the double act that is Eva and Neil, the ones working overtime to give it a happy endin