Star Drifter
- June 1, 2016
- PiGravity
Get on SteamIn Star Drifter, players explore a procedurally generated universe, battling enemies and gathering resources to upgrade their ship. With a focus on relaxing gameplay and pixel art aesthetics, the game offers a soothing yet challenging experience. Players can discover new planets, meet alien species, and delve into various dungeons to uncover rare treasures.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features great graphics and a nostalgic retro aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic shooters.
- It offers a challenging gameplay experience with numerous power-ups and upgrades available, making it engaging for SHMUP enthusiasts.
- The low price point makes it an accessible option for players looking to try out a new game without a significant financial commitment.
- The controls are poorly designed, with no option to rebind keys or support for gamepads, making gameplay cumbersome.
- Visual clarity is compromised due to confusing color schemes and effects, making it difficult to distinguish between projectiles and pickups.
- The overall game design lacks polish, with issues such as unclear mechanics, a cluttered interface, and a lack of meaningful progression.
- graphics16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of Star Drifter receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the retro aesthetic and vibrant visuals, while others criticize the muddy and confusing visuals that detract from gameplay. Many appreciate the game's main menu and overall design, but there are complaints about the scanline effect making the graphics appear blurry. Overall, while the graphics are noted as a strong point by some, they are also seen as inconsistent and lacking clarity by others.
“Star Drifter has really good graphics, and the main menu of this game is wonderful; I liked it a lot.”
“Graphics and music are nice, and I really enjoyed it.”
“I also love the retro graphics with scanlines, and the overall graphics are just amazing.”
“Bad controls, confusing visuals, boring upgrade system, and a weird resolution/aspect ratio all come together to form a game that is somehow less than the sum of its parts, if that makes sense.”
“The graphics are bland and muddy; it's hard to see what's going on, even at full screen (which you have to force with alt-enter as it has no option in-game).”
“In other news...audiovisuals are the well-known 'retro' fad, but the weird scanline effect makes everything blurry and just...bleh...much like the enemy ship design, which is just uninspired and bland.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; some players find it relaxing and enjoyable, while others describe it as generic chip-tunes that detract from the experience. Overall, while some appreciate the quality and integration of the music, others prefer to mute it due to personal taste.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Great music!”
“Graphics and music are nice and I really enjoyed it.”
“First thing I did after launching the game on Steam was mute the music - that might just be my reflex when something hurts my ears.”
“The music is generic chiptunes, and the sound effects are horrible.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Star Drifter is characterized by a slow pace and heavy controls, which some players find unengaging compared to traditional shmup games. While it features solid graphics and a progressive system, many reviewers note that the mechanics feel derivative and lack excitement, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall enjoyment. Despite some positive remarks about its steady gameplay, the absence of controller support and repetitive mechanics detract from the experience.
“Star Drifter is a top-down shmup game with a progressive system. The gameplay is slow, which doesn't mean you won't die, but the spaceship feels heavy when moving left and right. You shoot one bullet at a time, placing it somewhere between Raiden and Touhou. It's not just about bomb explosions while collecting thousands of stars, nor is it a festival of flickering projectiles. Semantically speaking, Star Drifter feels like a Minesweeper game with great graphics, and I appreciate that.”
“I had a quick playthrough and I'm really impressed with the gameplay.”
“Steady and fast gameplay.”
“To go from 'meh' to bad, add in no controller support, sloppy controls, and overall run-of-the-mill mechanics.”
“Every mechanic has been done exactly somewhere else; the shop, the energy bar, the primary and secondary guns, etc.”
“But the gameplay is boring.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story conveys a powerful message about resilience and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.
“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.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find "Star Drifter" evokes a sense of emotional disconnection and confusion, aligning with its title, as it leaves them feeling lost throughout the experience.
“All in all, Star Drifter just made me feel lost, so I guess at least the name is appropriate.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its overall lag and poor performance, indicating significant optimization issues that affect the user experience.
“It suffers from overall lag and poor performance.”
“The game is plagued by optimization issues that make it nearly unplayable.”
“Frequent frame drops and stuttering ruin the experience.”
