Ace In Space
- February 14, 2020
- Cadaver Carnival Studios
Get on Steam"Ace in Space" is an asexual dating sim/visual novel featuring Adrian Clarke, a non-binary main character who starts a new life on a distant planet. You can build relationships with five different characters, or choose not to date anyone. The game is created by an LGBT duo and supports asexual and non-binary representation. A trigger warning list and achievement guide are available on the website.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features strong representation of asexual and non-binary identities, providing a refreshing perspective in the dating sim genre.
- The art and music are praised for their quality, contributing to a cute and engaging atmosphere.
- The narrative tackles heavy themes like chronic illness and self-acceptance with care, allowing for emotional depth and character development.
- Many players found the romances to be short and abrupt, lacking the depth and connection expected in a dating sim.
- The game is criticized for its misleading marketing as a dating sim, as it focuses more on narrative and less on interactive gameplay.
- Several endings are described as dark or disturbing, which may not align with players' expectations for a wholesome experience.
- story31 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is a bittersweet blend of romance and realism, featuring diverse characters and themes of identity, particularly around asexuality and nonbinary representation. While the narrative is praised for its emotional depth and educational elements, many players feel it suffers from a lack of central conflict and rushed endings, leaving them wanting more character development and world-building. Overall, the story is engaging and heartfelt, but its brevity and pacing issues detract from its potential impact.
“Even 'bad' endings and failed dates add to your story, the same way the game encourages you to enjoy life while you have it.”
“The characters are lovable, and I love how no matter what ending you get, there is still so much information on the identities seamlessly written into the story, and not so much to the point where it's obnoxious but enough that it can help people learn.”
“I expected this to be a quirky, silly dating sim, but was instead hit by a bittersweet story and intriguing sci-fi setting.”
“The world-building and other elements of the story were also lacking.”
“I have to agree with several other reviews: the plot and writing are unfortunately underwhelming and often times kinda weird.”
“The story did seem too short to me, however.”
- music13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for being catchy, pleasant, and well-suited to the game's aesthetic and characters. Many players appreciated the effort put into the soundtrack, noting that it enhances the overall experience and is enjoyable enough to listen to even outside of gameplay. While some minor issues with repetition were mentioned, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm.
“The music is good, too, and I am saying that as someone who usually turns the music off in games, but left it on this time.”
“I liked the evident effort to make the music match each character.”
“The soundtrack is really catchy and electronic; I liked it a lot!”
“Sometimes the music would go silent and then repeat itself slightly.”
“The soundtrack and aesthetic were fantastic, though.”
“I will continue to listen to the soundtrack long after I'm finished.”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, offering a wholesome and heartwarming teen romance experience that resonates with players seeking non-sexual yet validated romantic relationships. While many found it sweet and enjoyable, some felt that certain endings lacked impact, leaving them with mixed feelings. Overall, it is recommended for those looking for a feel-good narrative, though caution is advised for younger audiences due to potential emotional triggers.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game; it was sweet, wholesome, and just what I needed this past week.”
“Ace in Space is overall a lovely, sweet, and heartwarming experience.”
“Overall, I absolutely recommend this game; it's super sweet and wholesome.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their cool and cute artwork, featuring a beautiful art style that enhances the overall aesthetic of the game. Reviewers appreciate the varied character designs and the fitting soundtrack, which together create an engaging visual experience.
“The artwork is overall very nice, the soundtrack is fitting, and the price of admission is low.”
“It's a simple click-through dialogue and occasionally select dialogue game with nice gentle music and nice graphics as well.”
“The art style is beautiful, and I love the varied personalities of the characters.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily focused on reading the story and making limited choices, lacking many traditional elements found in classic dating sims. Players seeking more interactive gameplay may find it insufficient, as it resembles a visual novel rather than a fully-fledged game.
“This game offers more gameplay than a typical visual novel, providing a variety of choices that enhance the experience.”
“As a visual novel, the gameplay primarily involves reading the story and making a few choices, which can be engaging.”
“While it retains some elements of classic dating sims, it may not satisfy those looking for a more traditional gameplay experience.”
“Almost all the gameplay elements from classic dating sims are missing.”
“I was looking for a game with more gameplay than just a visual novel with a handful of choices.”
“As this game is a visual novel, the gameplay is simply reading the story and picking a few options.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Despite the limited time frame of 1-2 hours, players found the character development engaging and appreciated the depth of the characters, leading to a strong emotional connection.
“There is only so much background story and character development you can put into a 1-2 hour game, but I ended up really liking the characters.”
“The character development is impressive for such a short playtime; I felt a genuine connection with each character.”
“Despite the limited time, the game manages to create rich and engaging characters that leave a lasting impression.”
“There is only so much background story and character development you can put into a 1-2 hour game, but I ended up really liking the characters.”
“The character development feels rushed and superficial, leaving me wanting more depth and connection.”
“I found the characters to be one-dimensional, lacking the growth and complexity that would make them memorable.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's strong ace/enby representation, noting that despite its short length, it offers significant replay value.
“The ace/enby representation is perfection, and although the game is short, it has great replay value.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
“With multiple endings and character paths, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is effectively crafted, enhancing the emotional depth of various scenes and immersing players in the experience.
“It really helped establish the atmosphere and emotions in different scenes.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a stable experience with the game, noting that the menu navigation is straightforward and that they encountered no glitches during gameplay, saving, or loading.
