Chasing the Stars
- January 23, 2019
- Ertal Games
"Chasing the Stars" is a steampunk-themed visual novel that follows the story of Tirs, a determined young man pursuing his dream of going to space while dealing with the challenges of college, academic research, and his complicated love life. This multichoice game allows players to navigate Tirs' journey, influencing his relationships and decisions along the way. The game features a Boys' Love theme, adding a romantic element to Tirs' space-faring aspirations.
Mac OS
PC
Reviews
- The game features attractive art style and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- All intimate content is optional, allowing players to customize their experience and avoid surprises or triggers.
- The story tackles complex themes and offers a variety of endings, providing depth and engagement for players who enjoy narrative-driven games.
- The game forces players into uncomfortable situations, such as having to engage in sexual relationships with certain characters to progress, which can be off-putting.
- There are significant pacing issues, with rushed romance elements and a lack of character development, leaving some players feeling unsatisfied.
- The writing suffers from grammatical errors and inconsistent character art, detracting from the overall immersion and quality of the game.
- story41 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its depth, rich world-building, and intriguing plot twists, while others express disappointment over its pacing, character development, and occasional narrative gaps. While the story tackles complex themes like space travel and colonialism, some feel it detracts from the romance elements, leading to a less engaging experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as a highlight for some, but a source of frustration for others, with varying opinions on character likability and plot coherence.
“This game honestly surprised me with how in-depth and rich the story was.”
“A lot of times with these types of BL or dating sim games, they prioritize romance or sex and completely leave world building and plot in the dust, but not this one!”
“The story is intriguing and the characters are likable (well, there is one exception, but even he is well-rounded as a character).”
“I'm recommending this, but I am kind of disappointed by the storyline - I was hoping for more depth and the same for the characters.”
“There were points where certain parts jumped in the story, and I felt like a whole section was missing.”
“The story is honestly not great.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by an attractive art style, enhanced by a sepia filter that creates a cool autumn vibe. However, the inconsistency in the artwork and the mismatch between the steampunk aesthetic and the modern elements in the backgrounds detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and character designs, others find the limited variety in visuals frustrating, particularly during key scenes.
“Overall, I think if you like the art style and want to be taken on an interesting ride with some good plot twists, then this is the game for you.”
“I love the aesthetic, though they could have pushed it a little harder.”
“[b]Graphics:[/b] I really like the art style and the sort-of-sepia filter that gives everything a cool autumn vibe.”
“The backgrounds didn't sell the steampunk genre either, not even the aesthetic, with some being very modern-looking with a gear or an airship in the background, or with others being straight-up textured photographs.”
“The art style is very inconsistent.”
“Some of the artwork is okay, but it is so sparse it gets really frustrating to click through the dialogue with the same pictures over and over.”
- music9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and integration with the story, with many users highlighting the amazing soundtrack and specific standout songs. The combination of captivating graphics and a stellar soundtrack enhances the overall experience, although some players noted they played with the volume off and couldn't comment on the audio aspects. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength of the game.
“Surprisingly good game with an amazing soundtrack, cool graphics, and captivating story and characters.”
“I was shocked by how good the soundtrack is for this game.”
“The art was beautiful, the music fit with the dynamic of the scene, and the facts presented in the game were wonderfully thought out and obviously well-researched.”
“Can't say anything about the music or voices (if there are any lol) because I had the volume off the entire time I've played so far.”
“So is the art, so is the music.”
“[b]soundtrack:[/b] if the game shines with its story and characters, it's amazing when it comes to soundtrack.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, particularly through the portrayal of an invisibly disabled character. However, the presence of a predatory character in romance routes detracts from the overall emotional experience, leaving some players feeling uncomfortable. Overall, the developer's unique and meaningful storytelling has the potential for greater emotional impact with further refinement.
“It can actually get pretty heartwarming as well as heartbreaking at times.”
“So far all the games and demos I've played from this developer have been very unique, meaningful, intelligent, and emotionally rewarding.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by standard visual novel mechanics, but many users express disappointment, noting a decline in enjoyment over time, with an average rating of 5/10.
“Unfortunately, with every hour of gameplay, I realized how bad it is.”
“Gameplay - 5/10”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game lacks character development, with users noting that the smut scenes are limited to a single CG, detracting from the overall experience.
“There is no character development in this game, and the adult scenes feature only one CG, which is not even the worst part.”
“The characters feel flat and uninteresting, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they remain static throughout the game.”
