Astroloco: Worst Contact
- March 10, 2016
- Hungry Planet Games
Get on Steam"Astroloco: Worst Contact" is a space-themed adventure game with classic 90's gameplay, drawing inspiration from titles like Space Quest, Monkey Island, and Day of the Tentacle. The game features epic train battles in space, witty and humorous writing, and two playable characters. It boasts fully voiced dialogue, with the option to turn it off, and promises a unique blend of comedy and action.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features witty British humor and well-written dialogue that elicits genuine laughs.
- The pixel art style, while reminiscent of MS Paint, adds a unique charm to the game, enhancing its comedic tone.
- Puzzle design is accessible and enjoyable, making the game a fun experience for casual players.
- The game is short, with a runtime of about three hours, leaving players wanting more content.
- Character sprites and audiovisual elements are considered poor, detracting from the overall experience.
- Some puzzles feel flat and unchallenging, which may disappoint players looking for more depth.
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is a mixed bag, featuring a few standout hilarious moments and clever jokes, such as the IKEA assembly gag, but overall it tends to be flat and inconsistent. While some players appreciate the self-aware and politically slanted humor, others find it lacks universal appeal, with the voice acting described as homemade yet entertaining. Despite its audiovisual shortcomings, the game succeeds in providing lighthearted moments that can make tedious tasks more enjoyable.
“It is fairly humorous, voice acting is clearly homemade but entertaining.”
“The IKEA assembly joke was fairly funny.”
“Its main goal seems to be humor, and it made me laugh a lot so it's done its job!”
- story8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a pleasant absurdity and a lighthearted narrative involving a mechanic and a pilot, though it suffers from convoluted elements and audiovisual shortcomings. While the self-aware humor may elicit a mild smirk, the overall execution feels confused, and the puzzles, though story-heavy, are generally not challenging.
“The pleasant absurdity of the story and situations, void of shoving obnoxious hilarity down your throat, is a refreshingly yummy treat here.”
“It's story-heavy and the puzzles aren't particularly taxing, although I did get stuck at one point because an obstacle wasn't really an obstacle.”
“A fluffy, fun story about a mechanic and a pilot.”
“The story is overly convoluted and fails to engage the player, making it hard to stay invested.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks coherence, leaving many plot points unresolved.”
“Character development is shallow, and the dialogue often feels forced and unoriginal.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming pixel art style reminiscent of 16-bit visuals, which some users appreciate despite their simplicity, likening them to MS Paint creations. Overall, the aesthetic is well-received for its nostalgic appeal and effective execution within the game's design.
“I can live with the MS Paint graphics, especially given the charm of the pixel art.”
“Best 16-bit graphics that 32-bit can render.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a witty British point-and-click misadventure that creatively incorporates space mechanics, pirates, and trains, all wrapped in a lighthearted narrative about a mechanic and a pilot. Players can expect a fun and engaging experience filled with humor and quirky elements.
“Witty British point-and-click misadventure featuring space mechanics, space pirates, space trains, and space train drivers.”
“A fluffy, fun story about a mechanic and a pilot.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game, developed using the Adventure Game Studio (AGS) engine, has been noted as a concern, with users frequently mentioning the need for troubleshooting. Overall, players have experienced issues that may affect gameplay, indicating that stability could be improved.
“Troubleshooting notes: Another adventure game studio engine game, AGS.”
“Troubleshooting notes: Another adventure game studio engine game, AGS.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been noted for featuring segments that appear to be taken from the soundtrack of another point-and-click game, Kyrandia, leading to concerns about originality and creativity in the composition.
“I recognize some in-game music being chopped from the track of another point-and-click game (Kyrandia).”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the inclusion of slight humor helps to make otherwise tedious grinding tasks more enjoyable, adding a lighthearted touch to the experience.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth, as the onboard computer delivers information in a monotonous and unemotional tone, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement of the experience.
