Shining Song Starnova: Idol Empire
- February 20, 2020
- Love in Space
- 24h median play time
Get on Steam"Shining Song Starnova: Idol Empire" is a visual novel game where players help a group of idols achieve stardom. The game features a mix of drama, romance, and comedy, as players manage the idols' careers and personal lives. With a variety of choices to make and branching storylines, players will need to navigate the highs and lows of the entertainment industry to lead their idols to success.
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay that combines rhythm mechanics with strategic management, providing a unique experience in the idol simulation genre.
- Charming visuals and character designs, along with a vibrant soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The game features a well-developed story with character depth, making it enjoyable for fans of the original visual novel and newcomers alike.
- The game can become tedious due to frequent bad events and a steep difficulty curve, leading to frustration for players.
- Heavy micromanagement is required, which can be overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Technical issues and minor bugs, such as pop-up notifications obstructing gameplay and occasional glitches, can disrupt the experience.
- music30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in "Shining Song Starnova: Idol Empire" is a blend of catchy pop tunes and contemplative melodies that enhance the game's immersive idol management experience. While some tracks are reused from the original visual novel, they contribute to a vibrant atmosphere, though players note that the instrumental music can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received, with highlights including a triumphant main theme and engaging rival themes, but some players express a desire for more variety and original vocal tracks.
“The soundtrack is a melodic journey through the highs and lows of the idol experience.”
“From catchy pop tunes during performances to more contemplative melodies during managerial decisions, the music enhances the immersive experience.”
“The most common music you'll be hearing is some generic-sounding background noise for most activities in the game, the main theme which is a triumphant-sounding blend of J-pop and J-rock, and a rival theme, which has a more electronic J-pop feeling.”
“It is too bad the game couldn't have the great vocal music from the visual novel - that would have made for a much better experience.”
“The music is mostly re-used from the original visual novel, but a few tracks have been given lyricless reprisals.”
“The most common music you'll be hearing is some generic-sounding background noise for most activities in the game, the main theme which is a triumphant-sounding blend of J-pop and J-rock, and the rival theme, which has a more electronic J-pop feeling.”
- story29 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its character development and engaging branching narratives, allowing players to connect deeply with the idols they manage. While the story mode is enjoyable and features a variety of challenges, it is noted that it doesn't delve as deeply as the original visual novel, yet remains interesting and fun. The fully voiced content and charming art styles enhance the overall experience, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
“The character development and branching storylines add a layer of immersion, giving players a sense of connection to the idols they're nurturing towards stardom.”
“As it was in the visual novel, the story is great, with intrigue, great humor, drama, and more.”
“You can't go wrong with the story here, especially because, as said before, it's fully voiced, which adds another layer to the game.”
“The plot in this game served as a tutorial to newbies, which can be extremely useful, especially to those new to the management genre.”
“This one, being a business management game and not a visual novel, doesn't explain who these girls are or what their story is. Think of it as an analogue to Sunrider: Academy and the main Sunrider series.”
“I just wish it was incorporated into the visual novel so that the story and gameplay would tie in with each other.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Idol Empire" combines rhythm mechanics with managerial strategy, offering a unique experience in the idol simulation genre. While many players find it engaging and intuitive, some criticize it for being overly complicated and repetitive, with certain mechanics feeling broken. Overall, the game is praised for its smooth execution and charming visuals, making it enjoyable for fans of both rhythm and management games.
“With a harmonious blend of rhythm gameplay and managerial strategy, this title brings a fresh perspective to the idol simulation genre.”
“Gameplay in Idol Empire is a balanced mix of rhythm game mechanics and strategic decision-making.”
“Overall, I found the gameplay enjoyable and engaging.”
“Frankly, I found the gameplay to be difficult, and I'm only playing on normal difficulty.”
“After 7 hours, I can say this is too repetitive and too complicated; I would even say that some mechanics are totally broken.”
“So on top of all of your other micromanagement, you need to worry about mechanics like that which contribute nothing to the game, aren't readily apparent, and need manually adjusting every couple of minutes.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is criticized for its frustrating live performance mechanics, where even high-stats characters struggle to achieve success, leading to a disconnect between player effort and in-game rewards. Players report that despite perfect performances, the game's metrics often result in poor outcomes, indicating a lack of clarity in how performance success is measured. Additionally, the difficulty settings do not seem to impact achievements, further complicating the optimization experience.
“The rhythm segments, where you guide your idols through performances, provide an interactive and engaging element.”
“Tip #5: Speaking of lives, holding a blowout performance (performing a song without letting any bubbles hit the stage) will 'revive' that song if it's an old one, causing it to once again generate sales.”
“Even with high stats and S/SS rank songs, live performances are a pure pain and the 'hypometer' stays at 0 even though I spent 100,000 credits to make sure not a single bubble gets popped.”
“I can confirm that changing the difficulty of live performances has no bearing on achievements unless specifically stated in the requirements (and I'm pretty sure there aren't in this game that require you to play on a specific difficulty).”
“One mode has a story and twenty individual varied challenges, one mode is basically a free play mode, one where you have to win an increasingly difficult idol performance challenge every ten in-game days, and one where the idols grow older and can retire and be replaced.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of Idol Empire are characterized by a vibrant, anime-inspired art style that effectively embodies idol culture, contributing to a lively atmosphere. While some players appreciate the charming visuals and emotive character sprites, others find the art style somewhat outdated and note minor graphical bugs. Overall, the visuals are seen as engaging and suitable for fans of the genre, despite some mixed opinions on their quality.
“Visually, Idol Empire adopts a vibrant and anime-inspired art style that captures the essence of the idol culture.”
“The visuals contribute to the overall lively and dynamic atmosphere of the idol industry.”
“The graphics are cutesy and serviceable; the sprites have that amazing 'love in space' style we all know and love, featuring really emotive faces and high-quality expressions.”
“I think the art style is a bit ugly/outdated, and there are some minor graphics bugs.”
“The graphics are cutesy and serviceable, but they lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“While the sprites have emotive faces and high-quality expressions, the overall graphics feel lacking compared to current standards.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its wit and enjoyable writing, contributing to a fun and engaging experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with intriguing storytelling and character interactions, including fourth wall breaks that enhance the overall charm. Despite some minor criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and graphics, the comedic elements are a standout feature that many find appealing.
“Witty and funny too.”
“As it was in the visual novel, the story is great, with intrigue, great humor, drama, and more.”
“Great writing, music, cute characters, fourth wall breaking humor (p-kun is everywhere!), all wrapped up in a fun resource management game.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its charming designs and detailed customization options, which enhance player immersion. The branching storylines foster a strong connection between players and the idols they guide, enriching the overall experience.
“The character designs are charming, and the attention to detail in both the idols and the customizable elements of your agency adds a layer of personalization to the game.”
“The character development and branching storylines add a layer of immersion, giving players a sense of connection to the idols they're nurturing towards stardom.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression, making it hard to feel invested in the characters' journeys.”
“Despite the charming designs, the characters often fall flat due to predictable arcs and limited growth throughout the game.”
“The lack of depth in character interactions makes it difficult to form a genuine connection with the idols, resulting in a less engaging experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating due to frequent negative events that disrupt gameplay, making the experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable.
“Too many bad events happening that make this game very tedious and annoying to play through.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a vibrant and dynamic feel, largely enhanced by the engaging visuals that reflect the lively nature of the idol industry.
“The visuals contribute to the overall lively and dynamic atmosphere of the idol industry.”
“The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the eerie ambiance, immersing players in a world of mystery.”
“The vibrant colors and detailed environments create an enchanting atmosphere that draws you in from the very start.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that while familiarity with the related visual novel enhances emotional connections to the idols, the game still offers a meaningful experience for those who are new to the story.
“Playing the related visual novel enhances the emotional connections to the idols, but it's still a great experience for those who haven't played it.”
“The emotional depth of the characters really draws you in, making every moment feel impactful.”
“I was genuinely moved by the story and the way it portrayed the struggles and triumphs of the characters.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, players report that while the game offers an enjoyable experience, it does encounter some glitches and becomes repetitive after a few hours of play.
“Once you get a few hours into the game, it becomes a bit repetitive and there are several glitches.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted my gameplay and made it frustrating.”
