Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax
- November 10, 2015
- Dreamloop Games
- 3h median play time
Stardust Galaxy Warriors takes classic SHMUP gameplay and spices it up with the addition of melee attacks and RPG elements. There’s still some bugs the developers are working out and it doesn’t do everything perfectly but that doesn’t stop it from being extremely fun.
Get on Steam"Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax" is a 1-4 player couch co-op action shooter game, combining SHMUP and Brawler-like gameplay with light RPG elements. Choose from 5 distinct characters, each with special abilities and superweapons, and an extensive selection of primary and secondary weapons. Play through a 10-level campaign, Endless Gauntlet-mode, and Challenge mode, all set to an album-length soundtrack. Meet Gundula von Übelvamp, but don't expect shocking plot twists.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Engaging local multiplayer experience for up to four players, making it a fun couch co-op game.
- Customizable difficulty settings allow players to tailor the challenge to their skill level, making it accessible for both newcomers and experienced players.
- Great visuals and an impressive soundtrack enhance the overall gaming experience, providing a nostalgic arcade feel.
- The campaign is relatively short, typically taking around 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- Some players may find the weapon mechanics lacking, as upgrades do not significantly change the feel or power of the weapons.
- The humor and story elements can be hit or miss, with some players finding them cringeworthy or unengaging.
- music67 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its fantastic quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack features a mix of techno and metal, perfectly complementing the game's fast-paced action and various stages, making it memorable and enjoyable. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, with some players even recommending purchasing the soundtrack separately.
“The soundtrack is fantastic, and very noticeably so.”
“A very fine shoot 'em up, with a fantastic (!) soundtrack.”
“The game's music is very nice and I think carries the right beats and mood for each stage in the campaign.”
“The music is repetitive.”
“Music is okay, although if I bought the soundtrack, it'd probably only be for a few tracks (namely the last boss ones, because that fight had multiple phases and is pretty exciting).”
“I feel I got my money's worth, though I also somewhat feel the soundtrack is as valuable as the game.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their vibrant, detailed, and well-drawn visuals, often described as fantastic and beautifully designed. Players appreciate the mix of 2D and 3D elements, along with a strong soundtrack that complements the visuals. However, some critiques suggest that the focus on graphics may have overshadowed gameplay mechanics and story development.
“Graphics are well drawn, nicely detailed, varied and smooth.”
“The game has great visuals, very vibrant and neon-looking, with lots of flashiness to it.”
“Well designed characters, bosses, enemies, with an amazing soundtrack and wonderful graphics.”
“Unfortunately, the biggest blemish against it is that it really looks like the developers spent more time on the visuals rather than focusing on the mechanics, gameplay, and story, except for the level progression, which is well done.”
“The graphics won't wow you, but they're pretty.”
“Like other games in the genre, sometimes there's too much on the screen, and the explosions and bullets can get lost in the visuals.”
- story40 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as a lighthearted, humorous narrative that embraces a cheesy, comic book style, often described as "so-bad-it's-good." While the plot is minimal and the writing can be cringeworthy, many players appreciate its self-aware tone and find it amusing, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. Overall, the story is not rich or memorable, but it adds a fun element to the experience, especially for those who enjoy a tongue-in-cheek approach.
“Venture forth through four fabulous modes: a riveting story campaign, a never-ending gauntlet, a challenging strike mode with upgrades aplenty, and a fiendish challenge mode with scenarios to tickle your fancy.”
“Unexpected humor in the story and boss designs.”
“The story mode even has great humor, made a big smile on my face many times.”
“There's a story of sorts in the campaign that has a comic book or Saturday morning cartoon feel to it, but to be honest, the writing is very cringey.”
“While there is a very minimal story plot in this game, it was amusing to progress through the game with it, but definitely not story-rich.”
“The story is stupid, but I enjoyed it because it was self-aware.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a rich variety of mechanics, including melee options and customizable settings, which enhance the overall experience and replayability. While many players find the gameplay addictive and enjoyable, some critiques highlight a lack of depth in weapon selection and a feeling that the visuals overshadow the mechanics. Overall, the game offers a solid blend of classic bullet hell elements and modern customization, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking extensive gameplay depth.
“Good depth to the various mechanics to master.”
“Very fun, actually hooked me way more than I expected, classic bullet hell mechanics with a healthy dose of customization.”
“Gameplay settings are fully customizable, so you can tweak your own health, enemy health, damage, how often and how long power-ups last, etc. There are plenty of reasons to keep coming back to this game.”
“Unfortunately, the biggest blemish against it is that it really looks like the developers spent more time on the visuals rather than focusing on the mechanics, gameplay, and story, except for the level progression, which is well done.”
“While the visuals are pretty nice and the soundtrack amazing, there's very little worthwhile in terms of gameplay.”
“Honestly, there are free flash games that have similar gameplay, but longer (this is only 10 levels with 3 stages each, and really only maybe 1.5 hours of gameplay) and just better overall (see Enigmata 2).”
- humor13 mentions
- 85 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the light-hearted and fourth-wall-breaking elements, others find the attempts at humor to be hit-or-miss, with some jokes falling flat or feeling unnecessary. The dialogue and campaign story are noted for their comedic aspects, but the overall execution can be inconsistent, leading to a blend of enjoyable and unfunny moments. Despite this, the game's customization and engaging co-op gameplay contribute positively to the overall experience.
“Graphics are great, music is great, and there's a bit of parody humor.”
“The visuals were great, the co-op was a blast, the dialogue was hilarious!”
“Fun, super customizable, and a great sense of humor.”
“The characters are not funny and their unnecessary presence and narration detract from the experience.”
“The story dialogue and plot seem intentionally bad, but they just end up being unfunny and add very little to the game.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, primarily through its campaign mode and the variety of mechs and weapons that encourage experimentation. While additional game modes provide some extra content, they are seen as supplementary rather than essential. Overall, players appreciate the replay value, especially for completionists, but some desire deeper engagement and more substantial content.
“The differences between the mechs and weapons give extra replayability and a want to experiment a little.”
“4 game modes adds to the fun as well as the replayability.”
“It is not without its flaws but overcomes these with a great fun factor, game modes, and replayability, which is very important to me as a person who puts a lot of hours into games that generally don't get a lot of hours from other people.”
“The campaign mode is unfortunately too short, but there is quite a bit of replay value if you are a completionist.”
“Short campaign, long replayability.”
“But as PC gamers, we sort of want a little more depth and replayability.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat easy and tedious, particularly in co-op mode where managing less experienced players can add to the challenge. While the game offers interesting levels, it primarily appeals to those who enjoy grinding for higher scores, providing a memorable experience that lasts around 3 to 6 hours.
“Interesting levels, but it just feels kind of easy and grindy.”
“It's just a tad on the grindy and easy side, at least for the difficulty I'm playing.”
“You won't get much playtime unless you enjoy grinding for higher scores, but it's a good time killer and a very memorable experience for the 3 to 6 hours you'll get out of it.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently exhibits some stability issues, particularly in co-op mode, where users have reported bugs, glitches, and even game freezes related to ability upgrades. While single-player experiences seem stable, the developers are aware of the co-op problems and are actively working on fixes. Overall, the game is not yet perfect, but minor cosmetic glitches are infrequent.
“It's still a little buggy at the time of writing, and online co-op would be nice (but understandable that it isn't in), so it isn't perfect.”
“Right off the bat, I'd like to say that I have experienced a few bugs and glitches with co-op (I've never had an issue with singleplayer, but that being said, this is definitely a co-op game, so take that for what it is).”
“Apparently, as of now, certain ability upgrades in co-op play can cause game freezes, crashes, player drops, etc. I've made a forum post about it and I received a dev response saying the issue was being worked on.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's hardware optimization has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its ability to run smoothly on lower-end systems, while others report performance issues and stuttering on higher-end setups. Overall, the optimization appears to be inconsistent, affecting the gameplay experience for various players.
“The hardware optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth performance even on lower-end systems.”
“I love how the game automatically adjusts settings based on my hardware, ensuring the best possible experience without any manual tweaking.”
“The developers have done a fantastic job with optimization, making the game run seamlessly across a variety of platforms.”
Critic Reviews
Stardust Galaxy Warriors Review - Mechtastic!
Stardust Galaxy Warriors takes classic SHMUP gameplay and spices it up with the addition of melee attacks and RPG elements. There’s still some bugs the developers are working out and it doesn’t do everything perfectly but that doesn’t stop it from being extremely fun.
75%Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax Review
80%Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax Review - KeenGamer
70%
