Shooting Stars!
- January 19, 2016
- Bloodirony
- 3h median play time
Have some high points, but they soon give way to glaring faults. Not the worst, but difficult to recommend.
Get on Steam"Shooting Stars!" is a fast-paced, arcade-style shoot 'em up game with a humorous twist. Protect the earth from an alien invasion while collecting coins and power-ups. Choose from a variety of wacky characters, each with unique weapons and abilities, as you blast your way through hordes of enemy ships and bosses. Fight to become the top starfighter pilot in this addictive and entertaining game.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Linux
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features a colorful and humorous design with a variety of celebrity parodies and references that add to its charm.
- Gameplay is fast-paced and addictive, with a good selection of power-ups and special weapons that keep the experience engaging.
- It's a fun and light-hearted bullet hell shooter that can be enjoyed in short bursts, making it a great time-waster.
- Many features, such as achievements and daily runs, are broken or unsupported, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with predictable bosses and a lack of depth in mechanics.
- The humor often feels forced and relies heavily on outdated memes, which may not appeal to all players.
- humor21 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of celebrity parodies, meme references, and quirky jokes, which some players find entertaining and hilarious, particularly during boss fights. However, many reviewers criticize the humor as repetitive, forced, and often cringey, leading to a lack of engagement over time. While some appreciate the lightheartedness and fun visuals, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, making it a hit-or-miss aspect of the game.
“The boss fights are funny and the game is packed with little jokes here and there.”
“Funny weapons, ultimates, and enemies, and of course celebrity bosses.”
“Fast-paced, energetic, and absolutely hilarious.”
“Repetitive and boring, the memes get unfunny very fast.”
“The gameplay is repetitive, the bosses are too predictable and easy, the humor is forced and totally random; the whole experience can be described as 'waste of time' - not funny, not engaging, not even challenging.”
“Bland, cringey humor.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising the tight controls, interesting power-ups, and solid bullet-hell mechanics, while others criticize it for being repetitive, predictable, and plagued by bugs that hinder the experience. Although the game features engaging visuals and a colorful atmosphere, many players found the overall experience diminished by technical issues and a lack of challenge.
“The controls and mechanics feel nice and tight.”
“Great gameplay with interesting power-ups.”
“The mechanics are tight and the special pick-ups diversify the combat a bit.”
“The gameplay is repetitive, the bosses are too predictable and easy, the humor is forced and totally random. The whole experience can be described as a 'waste of time' - not funny, not engaging, not even challenging.”
“Mind-numbingly repetitive gameplay.”
“However, my gameplay experience was really diminished by the amount of screen-wide obscuring effects and constant heavy screen shake.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by vibrant, retro pixel art that evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of classic titles like those from The Simpsons. While some players appreciate the quirky and humorous design, others find the visuals filled with annoying memes and pop-culture references. Overall, the graphics receive positive feedback for their charm and ability to enhance the gameplay experience.
“The game's graphics are really colorful and retro.”
“Normally I don't like this genre, but both the sense of humor and graphic design made me want to play; give it a try.”
“The visuals ooze humor and pixel love.”
“The visuals and 'story' are just annoying memes and pop-culture references.”
“If it wasn't for the quirky unique graphics, I would vote this down simply for this reason: the setup is awkward.”
“The game appears to be locked at 45 frames-per-second on my PC, which is more than enough for its simple pixel graphics, and it keeps hardware temperatures cool.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a mix of retro-inspired tracks and a fun, engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay. While some players had specific expectations for meme music, they found the overall audio experience enjoyable and relaxing. The combination of catchy tunes and a vibrant atmosphere enhances the game's appeal, making it a notable aspect for players.
“A really great retro shooter with some upgraded retro music and sounds.”
“After all, the music and colorful ambiance of this game, along with the simple mechanics, make it an amazing game that's fun to play from time to time.”
“I was expecting the music of the meme music, but this is also fine.”
“A bullet hell game full of memes and references for the time with a decent soundtrack.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some encounter minor bugs and issues with achievements, others have not faced any significant game-breaking problems or crashes.
“I don't know why they're a little buggy, but they are.”
“Achievements do work, but can be a bit annoying and/or buggy to get.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game has low replay value primarily due to its focus on achievements, yet it offers infinite replayability through its randomly generated elements, distinguishing it from traditional bullet-hell games that rely on memorization. Overall, while it may not provide extensive replay opportunities, it is considered a well-crafted mini-game.
“But the really nice thing is that it's infinitely replayable because, unlike traditional bullet-hell games, there's no patterns to memorize; everything is randomly generated every time.”
“Low replay value; most of the playtime is spent on achievements.”
“It might not have much replay value, but it's a well-put-together mini-game.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for relying heavily on annoying memes and pop-culture references, detracting from its depth. However, it conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of challenges.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The visuals and story are just annoying memes and pop-culture references.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks any real depth or engagement.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real impact.”
Critic Reviews
Review: Shooting Stars!
Have some high points, but they soon give way to glaring faults. Not the worst, but difficult to recommend.
40%Kermit sipping tea - Shooting Stars review
Shooting Stars can provide some thrills due to its solid bullet-hell focused gameplay systems. The mechanics are tight and the special pick-ups diversify the combat a bit. But at the end of the day, its comedy feels more painful than enjoyable. The fact that it is thrown your way constantly only makes it more unenjoyable. It simply feels forced.
55%
