Starshot: Space Circus Fever
- November 12, 2020
- Infogrames Europe SA
Get on SteamIn "Starshot: Space Circus Fever," become Starshot, the star-juggler, and embark on a journey across distant galaxies to find extraordinary performers and save the Space Circus from bankruptcy. Compete against the rival Virtua Circus, led by Wolfgang von Ravel, and avoid the Intergalactic Bank's Robot-Bomb bailiffs to put on the best circus show in the universe. This 90s-inspired 3D platformer offers a nostalgic and exciting adventure.
PC
Nintendo 64
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for those who played it in the past, with charming characters and a creative story.
- The art style and voice acting are well-executed, with a lot of attention to detail in the game's atmosphere and dialogue.
- Despite its flaws, players can still find enjoyment in the platforming and puzzle elements if they are willing to overcome the technical issues.
- The controls are poorly designed, making gameplay tedious and frustrating, with many players experiencing issues with camera angles and responsiveness.
- The game suffers from numerous technical problems, including framerate drops, unresponsive controls, and difficulties with cutscenes and settings.
- As a port of an old game, it lacks modern features and support, leading to a generally unsatisfactory experience for new players.
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game features a completely original soundtrack that differs from the iconic N64 music, which some fans lament as it was highly regarded for its catchiness. While the new music is not as memorable as the original, it is still considered enjoyable. Players can access the PC soundtrack for free on the composer's website.
“The songs and the accents are re-invented to suit both languages.”
“It is a bit of a pity, because the N64 music was insanely good and catchy, but this version's music isn't bad at all.”
“The music is not the N64 music.”
“It is a completely different original soundtrack which was composed before the N64 music.”
“(The PC soundtrack is available online for free on the website of the composer: look up 'Gilles Benoit music').”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is well-received for its engaging characters, dialogue, and artistic presentation, but players find the gameplay tedious and the camera controls frustrating, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The developers want you to go through the story to enjoy the dialogue, the jokes, and the art.”
“The characters and the story are good, but actually playing it is quite tedious and the camera controls are horrible.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous issues, including broken options, poor gamepad support, lack of higher resolution compatibility, and various glitches, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
“Most of my time in the game was spent troubleshooting.”
“Broken options, bad gamepad support, no support for higher resolutions, and other glitches.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is noted for its flexibility, allowing players to change language settings seamlessly during play. However, it can also be frustrating, as some levels, like those in Starshot, confine players to small spaces with unfamiliar puzzle mechanics that may challenge their problem-solving skills.
“You can change the language in the middle of gameplay, and the voices and text instantly change.”
“Starshot loves to lock you up in a tiny room with no way out and two or three elements of a puzzle mechanic you've never seen before.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the characters and story, but find the grinding aspect tedious, compounded by poor camera controls that detract from the overall experience.
“The characters and the story are good, but actually playing it is quite tedious, and the camera controls are horrible.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its poor quality, evoking nostalgia and laughter from players who recognize its flaws. Many find amusement in the contrast between their fond memories and the game's current state, leading to a lighthearted appreciation of its shortcomings.
“I knew going into this that it was going to be awful because I read the reviews. However, I spent 15 years of my life trying to remember the name of this game that I played as a kid, and even though I barely got past the first level, this is hitting me with complete nostalgia. I'm laughing at how terrible the port of this is.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their timeless quality, featuring a French art style that evokes positive comparisons to the Rayman series.
“It really stands the test of time, and the French art style is very reminiscent of Rayman in the best possible way.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Starshot is characterized by an unexpectedly dark tone, with humor that contrasts sharply against the dystopian elements of its universe, creating a sense of unease as players uncover the underlying horrors.
“The atmosphere and the jokes are unexpectedly dark, and slowly you begin to realize how horrible and dystopic the universe of Starshot is.”
