tbh i think this is like 3.25 stars, but i rounded up. i played lil gator game right before this and i didn't like it because it lacked what i might call productive friction - that game is so oriented around the player that i felt like i was being talked down to - everyone in lgg is there to support you and participate in your schemes. there's no challenge. smushi is much more willing to decenter and alienate you; it's definitely not hard, its goal is still to be cozy and (ugh) wholesome, but it has enough pushback that it feels fun to play.

i get that this game is probably not for everyone - its gameplay systems don't go deep the way harvest moon or stardew valley do. but that's exactly why i loved it. before the green moon is not a game about you, it's a game in which you decide to spend some time before leaving on your own terms. you are not a hero; you are not a leader. you are just another person, living your life, trying to do the best you can. it's human, it's melancholic, it's one of the most beautiful game experiences i've ever had.