Starr Mazer: DSP
- August 26, 2016
- Subpixel Studios
Get on Steam"Starr Mazer: DSP is a single-player Science Fiction Action game with outstanding gameplay, awesome graphics, and a wonderful soundtrack. In this side-scrolling shoot'em up, you control a squadron of pilots with diverse skills and weapons, battling through nine intense levels to take down the G'ell Super Ship. The roguelike twist on the lives/continues system, combined with the ever-evolving SK:ORE system, ensures that the fight never ends."
Reviews
- Great retro graphics and music that evoke nostalgia for classic shoot 'em ups.
- Unique pilot system adds depth and replayability, allowing players to buy new pilots with points earned during runs.
- Challenging yet fair gameplay that encourages skill improvement and strategic decision-making.
- Game has been in Early Access for a long time with little progress, leading to concerns about its future development.
- Some players report issues with hit detection and collision, making gameplay frustrating at times.
- Limited content currently available, with only one act playable, which may not justify the price for some.
- music61 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and energetic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience and evokes nostalgia for retro arcade games. However, some players find the music repetitive and forgettable, suggesting that it could benefit from more variety and additional tracks. Overall, while the current soundtrack is generally well-received, it is noted that it has undergone changes due to copyright issues, leading to a lack of consensus on its quality compared to the original.
“Good soundtrack that really helps keep you engaged and really fits with the game.”
“The music, effects, voices, pixel art, and gameplay all come together to create an outstanding experience; I have a handful of much more expensive shmups in my library, and none of them are this fun.”
“Beautiful retro 80s graphics and music, and fun even if you aren't the best at shmups.”
“Audio design is perhaps the worst part of the game, with a forgettable soundtrack and very lousy sound effects.”
“Muting the game entirely and playing your own music is pretty much a must.”
“While I can say that the current music fits the theming of the game, I can't really call it excellent.”
- gameplay52 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its fluidity, engaging mechanics, and nostalgic retro feel, with many players enjoying the unique roguelike elements and character-driven pilots. However, some criticisms include a lack of clarity in certain mechanics, such as the health bar, and a repetitive nature that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game successfully combines catchy music, appealing graphics, and solid controls, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is fun, the presentation is cool, exciting, and enthralling as a throwback to old 16-bit era shoot-em-ups.”
“The gameplay itself is fluid; you learn quickly how to play and what to do.”
“The music, effects, voices, pixel art, and gameplay all come together to create an outstanding experience; I have a handful of much more expensive shmups in my library, and none of them are this fun.”
“The gameplay decision to reset the entire game on loss is annoying and sucks out the fun.”
“Definitely buy on sale too; gameplay is both a little slow and a little repetitive.”
“However, the gameplay mechanics are somewhat obscure, for example, how the health bar works.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their outstanding artwork, vibrant pixel art, and retro aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic arcade games. Many reviewers highlight the colorful visuals, detailed environments, and engaging character designs, while some note a modern twist that enhances the overall experience. However, a few critiques mention that the graphics may feel simplistic or dated to those familiar with more advanced visuals, yet the overall presentation remains appealing and well-executed.
“Love the spirit, love the voice acting, love the visuals, the gameplay, the balancing; gosh darn it, this is so good!”
“The graphics are colorful and bright, with the stages showing some variation (night/day) between runs.”
“Excellent music, amazing graphics, high detail and polish to just about everything.”
“Large pixel-y graphics.”
“Graphics: 6 meh, I lived through 8-bit; it's not all that, kinda lazy in my opinion.”
“In all, I probably would have passed over this one due to the graphics if it were not for the issues the studio faced, but I'm glad I did find this game.”
- story7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is considered mediocre, but it effectively uses humor and character to enhance the overall experience, particularly in a roguelike context where narrative depth is often limited. The unique mechanic of losing hired pilots instead of lives adds a fresh twist, and the lighthearted banter of the pilots, referencing pop culture, contributes to an engaging atmosphere that leaves players wanting more.
“Any cracks in the overall storyline are filled in well with humor and character. This game captures the atmosphere and humor to fill those cracks.”
“The pilots on the way to their doom are chipper in their own right, quoting from great works such as Firefly and Duke Nukem as they go about their hopeless mission.”
“Makes me want to play the full story game even more!”
“Game is good, just needs better OST, mediocre story, and a faster pace.”
“The pilots on the way to their doom are chipper in their own right, quoting from the great works such as Firefly and Duke Nukem as they go about their hopeless mission of death.”
“Any cracks in the overall storyline are filled in well with humor and character; not that a roguelike (Nethack anyone?) has a whole lot of story in general, this game captures the atmosphere and humor to fill those cracks.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the entertaining voice acting and witty quips from the pilots, which add charm and personality to the experience. While some jokes may become repetitive for skilled players, the overall comedic elements effectively fill in narrative gaps and enhance the game's atmosphere. Players particularly enjoy the diverse character voices, including a memorable Jersey girl pilot and a dudebro variant, contributing to the game's engaging and humorous tone.
“Any cracks in the overall storyline are filled in well with humor and character. Not that a rogue-like (Nethack anyone?) has a whole lot of story in general, but this game captures the atmosphere and humor to fill those cracks.”
“The voice acting is legitimately funny; I especially like the Jersey girl pilot and the dudebro variant.”
“There's even some good humor here and there as the pilots and your commander, a cat, say a variety of interesting lines as things go mad-crazy around you.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that players are actively discussing game performance optimization, particularly in relation to running the game on the Steam Deck. There is a focus on how death serves as a progression mechanic, with performance impacting the scaling of rewards.
“Death as progression and reward scaling up with performance.”
“If you liked this review (or even if you didn't), consider joining the nt2g group for more reviews and recommendations, including discussions where we try to share our experiences on game performance on the Steam Deck.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable on lower-end hardware.”
“I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
“Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization leads to frustrating gameplay and long loading times.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its humor and character, effectively compensating for any narrative gaps typical of rogue-like titles. The music and voice acting of the pilots complement the overall ambiance, maintaining freshness even through repeated gameplay.
“Any cracks in the overall storyline are filled in well with humor and character. This game captures the atmosphere and humor to fill those gaps.”
“The music and the voices of each pilot mesh well with the game's atmosphere and don't reach the point of repetition nausea, even after repeating the same level multiple times.”
“The music and the voices of each pilot mesh well with the game's atmosphere and don't reach the point of repetition nausea, even after repeating the same level over and over.”
“Any cracks in the overall storyline are filled in well with humor and character. While a rogue-like (Nethack anyone?) doesn't have a lot of story in general, this game captures the atmosphere and humor to fill those gaps.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the game's high replayability, noting that it remains enjoyable and engaging even after multiple playthroughs.
“Ultimately, this is a very fun game with a lot of replay value.”
“Great replayability.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs reported by users, leading to concerns that no fixes will be implemented in the future.
“The game is extremely buggy, and most likely no fix is ever coming.”
“I experience constant crashes that make it unplayable.”
“The frequent glitches and instability ruin the overall experience.”
