A mix of stylish, pastel-shaded spacefaring and on-foot exploration, first impressions of Morphite suggest it has been inspired by the PlayStation game No Man’s Sky. But play a little more and its real inspiration becomes clear: creator Crescent Moon Games actually began work on this game intending to create “a love letter to Metroid Prime,” says lead designer and writer Josh Presseisen.
Like the GameCube classic, you’re cast as an intergalactic bounty hunter jumping from planet to planet, roaming the surface with your trusty scanner and phaser. “If you like exploration, Morphite is your game,” says Presseisen. “There is plenty to find and do, be it space battles, riding in vehicles, searching in deep caves and underwater lakes, or just floating down a river on a lazy planet.”
Where Morphite creates an atmosphere all of its own is in its story. Actors have been drafted in to voice the main protagonists, which lends the gameworld real substance. Investigating these alien outposts reveals oddball characters aplenty, as well as more about our heroine’s past. You’re on a quest to not just find the titular Morphite, but to figure out exactly what it is.
The story, exploration, scanning and shooting is neatly complemented by the game’s fashionable angular style, colourful palette and a really impressive sense of scale. Morphite may have started as a love letter to Metroid Prime, but on the App Store it is forging a reputation all of its own for atmospheric sci-fi adventuring.