Moon Diver
A side-scrolling platformer directed by Strider veteran Koichi Yotsui.
Moon Diver (ムーンダイバー, Mūndaibā), originally titled Necromachina, is a side-scrolling platformer created by feelplus and released by Square Enix. It launched on the PlayStation Network in March 2011 and on Xbox Live Arcade on May 4 of the same year.
Set in the early 22nd century, the story follows a boy named Faust, who wields the power of Mephistopheles to animate objects and turn them into destructive beasts. He aims to wipe out humanity and claim Earth. In response, an elite ninja unit called the Moondivers, hidden among the last survivors, receives orders from their Shogun to launch a final mission to reclaim the planet.
The game was directed by Koichi Yotsui, whose previous work includes the Strider series, and it supports up to four players in cooperative play.
Critical reception was mixed across both platforms, according to Metacritic. IGN described it as fun but inconsistent and flawed. Official Xbox Magazine praised the co-op mode but criticized the overly long stages and called solo play a hopeless grind. Game Informer noted that the multiplayer component felt more polished and enjoyable than the single-player experience.
- Developer
- feelplus
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Release
- 2011 (PlayStation Network in March; Xbox Live Arcade on May 4)
- Genre
- Side-scrolling platformer
- Director
- Koichi Yotsui
- Former Title
- Necromachina
Lore & Background
Set in the dawn of the 22nd century on the third planet from the sun, Moon Diver depicts a world where humanity, freed from eschatological thralls, watches as a lone boy named Faust stands before it. Faust controls the power of Mephistopheles, a force that can animate lifeless objects. Animated machines devour the helpless; buildings shower streets with glass; cups, trains, bridges, and whole towns become bloodthirsty beasts wielding the hammer of judgment. Faust seeks to cleanse the planet of humankind and claim it as his own. Centuries after his advent, the world awaits the End of Days. Hidden among humanity's last survivors, an elite unit of specially trained ninja called Moondivers have been waiting for orders from their Shogun to reclaim the planet. Those orders arrive at the start of the game.
Reader's Guide
Moon Diver holds significance as a late-era side-scrolling platformer directed by Koichi Yotsui, known for his work on the Strider series. The game's development by feelplus and publication by Square Enix placed it within a notable lineage of action games. Reception was mixed according to Metacritic, with IGN calling it fun but inconsistent and flawed. Official Xbox Magazine praised the co-op mode but criticized the long stages and called the solo mode a hopeless grind. Game Informer noted that the multiplayer component was more enjoyable and polished than the single-player experience. The game's legacy is tied to its attempt to revive classic side-scrolling action with modern cooperative features, though critical consensus highlighted a disparity between its solo and multiplayer quality. Its former title, Necromachina, and its plot involving a boy named Faust and animated machines contribute to its distinctive identity within the platforming genre.
Did You Know?
- Moon Diver was formerly known as Necromachina.
- The game was directed by Koichi Yotsui, who also helmed the Strider game series.
- It was released for PlayStation Network in March 2011 and for Xbox Live Arcade on May 4, 2011.
- The plot features a boy named Faust who controls the power of Mephistopheles to animate machines.
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