Short Thought: The Moonlight Sword Is More Important Than You Think

Before transitioning into the videogame sphere, FromSoftware was a late-80s start-up that focused primarily on business productivity software (practical, if a tad dull). However, when PlayStation's developmental tools became available to tinker with, the established software company took a plunge into an unfamiliar yet adjacent industry. And I'm certainly glad that they did because from said leap of faith arrived 1994’s King's Field for the PlayStation.

Now, King's Field (original Japanese) is a bastard-hard, first-person dungeon-crawler, similar to those found on PCs of the time. It sees its players descending further and further into the haunted catacombs beneath a monastery, which are prophesied to house a solution to the problem currently plaguing the protagonist's homeland. On your quest, you will discover numerous tools that can aid your progression, but none shall be as powerful an ally as the Moonlight Sword. There are, indeed, countless venerated weapons that can be found all throughout the veteran developer’s bleak fantasy back catalogue, but none are more recognisable (and arguably more important) than this iconic blue-bladed sword.

At this point, I think it's fair to say that the Moonlight Sword is somewhat of a fan favourite, and I'm sure that most would mourn its omission if it ever came to it. It's a dependable workhorse that clocked in on day one and has yet to have a single unauthorised absence. And I think that that speaks a lot as to its representation: it is not only a depiction of in-game power, but a symbol of FromSoftware’s persistence to fight on as a company. The videogame market is a cluttered and cut-throat space, and this creator's tenacity and ability to survive should be applauded. Always remember that, each time the weapon worms its way into your inventory, no matter the chosen game.

I also appreciate that Miyazaki continued to use the sword when he took the creative reins. Granted, it has been reduced to a recurring Easter egg in FromSoft’s more modern titles, but it is still present and powerful (in the appropriately specced hands). In King's Field, the fabled Moonlight Sword often had plot significance, which required it to be present, but now it is deployed in development as a symbol with practical in-game applications. Miyazaki is a fan of King's Field, and as such, has kept its memory (and FromSoftware's resolve along with it) alive into the modern day.