Shining Song Starnova

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 424 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Shining Song Starnova Game Cover
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In Shining Song Starnova, become the producer of a struggling idol group and manage their journey to stardom. Through visual novel-style storytelling, guide each member's personal growth while overcoming obstacles and nurturing their talent to win the hearts of fans. With multiple branching storylines and endings, each decision made holds significant consequences for the group's success.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 424 reviews
story128 positive mentions
gameplay6 negative mentions
  • The game features impressive character writing, with each character having distinct personalities and well-developed backstories.
  • The story provides a mature and engaging perspective on the idol industry, exploring both the light and dark aspects of fame.
  • The art and music are of high quality, enhancing the overall experience and immersion in the game.
  • The plot suffers from conveniences and contrivances that can detract from the overall investment in the story.
  • There are limited choices throughout the game, which may leave players feeling less engaged in the decision-making process.
  • Some players found the narration during H-scenes to be cringeworthy and not well integrated into the story.
  • story522 mentions

    The story of "Shining Song Starnova" is a mature and engaging exploration of the idol industry, focusing on the lives and struggles of seven unique characters and their producer. While the narrative is well-crafted with strong character development, some plot conveniences and a straightforward progression may detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game successfully balances humor, drama, and romance, making it a compelling visual novel for fans of the genre.

    • “Shining Song Starnova is a visual novel developed by Love in Space, and it tells the story of a group of idols, but it's not your typical garden variety idol story.”
    • “The story is about a group of idols and their producer, exploring their ups and downs, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the idol business.”
    • “This game accomplishes what it wanted to do: to tell a more grounded and mature version of an idol story.”
    • “This is the weakest element of the game, because there are plot conveniences and contrivances, especially during Nemu's and Mariya's chapters, but in the latter case, they aren't that important, because none of the big payoffs of the chapter relies on these conveniences and contrivances.”
    • “In Mariya's chapter, though, the big payoff of her chapter relies on a contrivance, in this case, a character important to the storyline appearing at the right moment, with no foreshadowing whatsoever.”
    • “Not a lot of decisions to be made, and the story progresses in a pretty straightforward manner.”
  • music198 mentions

    The music in "Shining Song Starnova" is generally well-received, featuring a diverse array of over two dozen tracks that effectively complement the story's mood, including fully voiced upbeat songs performed by the characters' voice actors. While some reviewers noted that the background music can be repetitive and the number of lyrical songs is limited, many appreciated the quality and emotional range of the soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience of the visual novel. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its appeal.

    • “The music is of good variety - over two dozen tracks - and is of great quality, and fits well with the current story mood, as it should be in a music-themed story.”
    • “Just a very enjoyable visual novel, but one other thing that enhances the story and keeps me coming back to play is the music, at times sad and haunting and others joyful and playful, and I found myself many times just relaxing and listening to the music.”
    • “What blows my socks away each time I start the game though, is the realization that the theme song is actually sung by the voice actors of the characters - they are really talented, dedicated professionals, and hearing the theme song sung by them is fantastic each time.”
    • “The BGM was average and repetitive; most similar plots in the story used the same BGM, and the theme song wasn't really used during any of the routes (only the BGM).”
    • “For a game about an idol group, I'm a little disappointed that there are only 4 lyrical songs in the game.”
    • “It was great for the first few minutes of listening, but the songs are set for almost an entire scene and will loop for the entire 30-45 minutes it takes you to read through it.”
  • gameplay42 mentions

    The gameplay of the visual novel is described as typical, with minimal interactive elements and a focus on narrative choices, which some players appreciate while others find lacking compared to previous titles like Sunrider. While the game allows for failed routes, it generally follows a conventional visual novel format, leading to mixed feelings about the depth of gameplay. Overall, players who enjoy straightforward storytelling may find it engaging, while those seeking more complex mechanics might be disappointed.

    • “Initially, I didn't want to assess gameplay, because it's the same way other visual novels operate, but there is something I wanted to mention, and that is, in this game, routes can be failed.”
    • “Took about 9-10 hours for the first choice to pop up and finished my first girl's route on my 16th hour of gameplay, all with the auto-read pace.”
    • “I suppose that if you're looking for gameplay elements, like the Sunrider titles feature, you could be disappointed, but honestly, I never felt bored once as I played through.”
    • “If you've played any of Love in Space's other works, this is a little different because there is less in the gameplay aspect.”
    • “Academy's gameplay is just boring and frustrating, sorry.”
    • “Not that I hate normal visual novels, but I was hoping for some more unique mechanics like in Sunrider Academy.”
  • emotional42 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its depth and impact, with players experiencing a range of feelings from laughter to heartbreak. Many routes are described as emotional roller coasters, tackling both heartwarming moments and dramatic challenges, leading to strong emotional investment in the characters. Overall, the storytelling is noted for its ability to resonate deeply, making it a memorable and inspiring experience.

    • “This is the first visual novel in a long time that made me laugh, cry, and get emotionally invested in.”
    • “A really touching and well-crafted story.”
    • “All in all, a great visual novel which really dives into the idol world in Japan and delivers an engaging, emotional, and exciting experience which I will surely look back on as one of my favorites to date.”
  • humor34 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-balanced, featuring a mix of funny, dark, and emotional moments that resonate with players. Reviewers appreciate the clever writing and character interactions, which range from tongue-in-cheek humor to fourth-wall-breaking jokes, making the experience both engaging and entertaining. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with drama and romance, creating a rich narrative that keeps players invested.

    • “The balance of humor, tension, and romance is in my sweet spot.”
    • “This game's story is filled with great humor, drama, romance, suspense, hope, even a little action, all in one story.”
    • “The characters are hilarious.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game feature a unique and appealing anime art style, characterized by detailed character designs and high-quality CGs, though some users noted a lack of variety due to repetitive backgrounds. While the visuals are generally well-received, with a decent soundtrack that complements the art, the limited poses and partial voice acting detract slightly from the overall experience. Overall, the art style is a highlight, showcasing the developers' improvement from previous titles.

    • “Anime art style with gorgeous detailed character designs and backgrounds.”
    • “I loved everything from the characters, the art style, the music, the stories, and the messages and meaning conveyed by these stories.”
    • “The soundtrack is surprisingly good along with the art style and storytelling.”
    • “The art style is one-dimensional.”
    • “It is not fully voiced and the poses are limited, but the art style and music are decent.”
    • “The art style is similar, high quality CGs with occasional animated sprites.”
  • character development16 mentions

    Overall, the character development in the game is well-received, with reviewers noting that the story is well-written and paced, allowing for meaningful growth of the characters. While the character designs are appreciated for their unique blend of styles, some users express a desire for more detail in the visuals. The consensus is that a strong focus on narrative and character development enhances the overall experience, overshadowing any unnecessary gameplay challenges.

    • “That being said, the overall story is well written and paced, with good character development along the way.”
    • “Music is pretty neat, the background scenes are pretty decent, and it has pretty nice character development.”
    • “I'd much rather have a visual novel focus on story and character development, rather than on unnecessary 'challenge' elements that no one should care about.”
    • “I will say that the character designs grew on me, although they're far from the quality of certain other idol series.”
    • “I'd say the highlight of the experience so far is the character design; the lead developer also did the Sunrider series which I am a fan of, and its quality shines through.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling frustrated by the lack of meaningful choices and excessive dialogue. While the game's visuals and music are praised, many reviewers express a desire for more engaging interactions and options to alleviate the monotony. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “As a whole, you have very little interaction with the story, but honestly, with how tedious Sunrider Academy's management system became, I'm okay with that.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
    • “The game is visually stunning, but the constant grinding detracts from the overall experience, leaving me feeling more frustrated than entertained.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The reviews do not provide relevant information regarding the optimization of the game, focusing instead on a halftime performance unrelated to gaming. Therefore, no summary can be drawn about the game's optimization from this text.

  • replayability4 mentions

    Reviewers express disappointment in the game's replayability, noting that it lacks the depth and content found in previous titles from the same developer, making it feel empty and less engaging for repeated playthroughs.

    • “Their previous titles were just so much better, more content, more replay value... that this title seems so empty.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game exhibits some minor visual bugs and glitches, but overall, stability is generally acceptable.

    • “There are some minor visual bugs and glitches.”
    • “There are some minor visual bugs and glitches.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is heavily influenced by a long-term advertising contract, indicating a strong focus on profit generation. This suggests that the game's developers prioritize financial gain, potentially at the expense of player experience.

    • “You won’t find a company that signed a 15-year advertisement contract with JSDF and doesn’t care about profits at all.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
47hAverage play time
40-62hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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