Starchaser: Priestess of the Night Sky
- July 24, 2015
- Nonlinear
Get on SteamIn Starchaser: Priestess of the Night Sky, Kineto, the chosen priestess, finds herself in a disorienting, gravity-altering labyrinth after the Rite of Starchasing. Players must navigate this 3D action game's "Omnidirectional Gravity Space," jumping, leaping, shooting, and dodging traps on any surface they encounter. With walls turning into floors and no up or down, this unique gravity mechanic challenges players to think differently and adapt quickly to their surroundings.
Reviews
- The game has a unique gravity mechanic that adds depth to the puzzles, making them enjoyable and challenging.
- It has the potential to create memorable experiences, especially for players looking to bond with friends or family.
- The puzzle design is generally well-received, with some players finding it relaxing and fun despite its flaws.
- The controls are poorly designed and difficult to manage, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Technical issues such as lack of resolution options, poor audio control, and a confusing camera hinder the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The game feels incomplete and lacks polish, with many players noting that it resembles a student's demo rather than a finished product.
- gameplay9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique gravity-defying mechanic and engaging puzzles that can be deceptively simple, making it a noteworthy addition for fans of Japanese indie games. However, players have criticized the controls, particularly the awkward jump mechanics and poor default gamepad configuration, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, while the game offers original mechanics and enjoyable platforming elements, it suffers from significant usability flaws that detract from the overall experience.
“This is a 3D puzzle platformer game with a gravity-defying mechanic. The puzzles are quite good, and some of them are surprisingly simple in an unexpected way, making them look complicated but actually easy to solve.”
“Gameplay is very platformer, with both good puzzles and good action.”
“I bought this game on a whim, and although the default button mapping is weird, the gameplay feels unique. It's a cool game if you want something different in your library.”
“No configuration inside the game (just the Unity default on-launch config screen), awful default gamepad controls, poor checkpointing, and frustrating platforming mechanics (jumps only fire after you release the button, unlike in basically every other platformer, to allow for a fairly daft 'charge jump' mechanic) -- there are lots of flaws on display right from the start.”
“Tutorial sequence assumes that you have the IQ of a glass of water, explaining to you at least 20 times how to jump instead of explaining the jump mechanics and then letting you work out the uses for yourself.”
“All of the labyrinths rely on the gravity mechanic where you rotate the level by jumping onto walls with a checkerboard pattern.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story is described as simple and somewhat effective, featuring a mix of comedic and serious elements, though it is often deemed unnecessary to the overall experience. While some find it interesting and engaging, others criticize its incoherence and the quality of the cut scenes, suggesting that the narrative could have been better integrated into the gameplay.
“The story is decent; it has some interesting parts, with a mix of comedy, seriousness, and morals.”
“It's a simple yet effective story. It doesn't make much sense, but it doesn't have to since the main protagonist doesn't remember much anyway, allowing you to learn along the way.”
“The bland levels, dumb camera (I thought we had that down after Super Mario 64), annoying vocalization sounds, weird story bits, and ugly anime cutscenes do not make this proposal any more appealing.”
“The story is almost not needed.”
“It's a simple yet effective story; it doesn't make much sense, but it doesn't have to since the main protagonist doesn't remember much anyway, so you can learn along the way.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, resembling titles from the early 2000s, and only supporting 4:3 resolutions. While some reviewers find them simple and unpolished, others appreciate their charm and how they complement the overall experience.
“Sounds and graphics go pretty well together.”
“Graphically it seems a little simple and unpolished, but it has its charm as you go with it.”
“Graphically, it seems a little simple and unpolished, but it has its charm as you go with it.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the cheerful soundtrack and voiceovers. However, the graphics are criticized for appearing dated, reminiscent of early 2000s titles, and only supporting 4:3 resolutions.
“I personally liked the cheery soundtrack and voice overs.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, largely due to poor controls that exacerbate the experience.
“The controls are absolutely horrible, making the game way more tedious than it needs to be.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding takes away from the overall enjoyment and immersion.”
