Starstruck: Hands of Time
- September 16, 2024
- Createdelic, LLC
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Starstruck: Hands of Time" is a unique game that combines rhythm gameplay with an interactive rock opera, featuring a catchy soundtrack and live instruments by Elsie Lovelock. In the game, you'll play guitar in musical story segments and also control a giant human hand to demolish houses and solve puzzles in a strange miniature world. With the "Autoplay" option, you can enjoy the music and story even without the rhythm gameplay. Explore three interconnected adventures and uncover the mystery of how the little lives in the world are connected to the end of mankind.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of art styles and gameplay mechanics, creating a charming and engaging experience.
- The narrative is deep and thought-provoking, exploring themes of creativity and artistic expression, which resonates with players.
- The rhythm gameplay is fun and responsive, with options for customization, making it accessible for players of varying skill levels.
- The game is relatively short, leaving some players wanting more content and feeling rushed towards the end.
- Some rhythm sections can be challenging to follow due to unclear on-screen indicators, making it difficult for players to sight-read notes.
- There are technical issues, such as awkward camera angles and slow pacing in certain story segments, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its depth and unexpected twists, exploring themes of creativity, conformity, and the struggles of artists. With charming characters and a unique narrative that blends abstract elements with engaging storytelling, it captivates players despite some pacing issues in cutscenes. Overall, the combination of beautiful aesthetics, a compelling soundtrack, and a relatable plot makes it a standout experience, even for those who may not typically enjoy rhythm games.
“Wonderful aesthetics, beautiful music, and a story that you need to experience...”
“The atmosphere is amazing, the characters are likable, and the plot itself is far deeper than it needs to be.”
“I'm intrigued with where the story is going to go with the idea that scorned artists can sometimes turn on the world they once tried to captivate with art, and the early rejection that Edwin feels is very relatable.”
“The game's ending also creeps up on you at a point where it feels like there should be another hour of the story to explain everything.”
“Unfortunately, that does bring me to one of my complaints and that's the inability to skip cutscenes and how slow the more 'story-focused' segments are.”
“There is a bigger focus on the quirky and often dark story here, so if you're looking for a normal-paced rhythm game like Parappa or Gitaroo Man, you're in for a shock.”
- music21 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and quality, contributing significantly to the overall aesthetic and emotional impact of the experience. While many players appreciate the unique soundtrack and its integration with the gameplay, some critiques highlight that certain rhythm minigames feature songs that feel amateurish and lack clear indicators for timing, making them challenging to navigate. Overall, the combination of engaging music, beautiful visuals, and a compelling story creates a memorable and enjoyable experience for players.
“Wonderful aesthetics, beautiful music, and a story that you need to experience...”
“The visuals are fantastic, the music bops, and on top of the eccentric mix of adventure, rhythm gameplay, and sandbox destruction, it all comes together to make something truly unique.”
“Fantastic game with a wonderful presentation and an even better soundtrack.”
“For a title emphasizing music, many of the songs you play during the rhythm minigames sound too amateurish.”
“Experienced guitar hero players should note that, even though it supports guitar controllers and works great, there are some frustrating bits about the rhythm minigame: there's no real on-screen indicator for where the beat falls, which makes the charts nearly impossible to sightread, the notes wrap back around to the left side of the screen at musically random points in time (i.e. not at beat one of a bar), and you'll have to press the buttons for each note (for example, for a series of power chords, there's no 'strum', you just have to press the chord buttons each time).”
“Music: a lot of music was rewritten compared to the demo version (and the build I first played), as has been mentioned in some dev updates.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning aesthetics, featuring a blend of various art styles such as realism, hand-made sculpture, and cartoonish elements, all of which contribute to a unique visual experience. Players appreciate the dynamic visuals that enhance the rhythm gameplay, alongside charming character designs and impressive camera angles. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a standout feature, complementing its engaging story and music.
“The visuals are fantastic, the music bops, and on top of the eccentric mix of adventure, rhythm gameplay, and sandbox destruction, it all comes together to make something truly unique.”
“The passion of its creators shines through in this game, with various art styles: realism, hand-made sculpture, cartoonish styles mixed with historical documents.”
“The striking clay art style, wonderful music, the charming characters, the intriguing plot, and the overall inspired presentation hooked me all those years ago and still seem to be here in full force.”
“The graphics are underwhelming and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models look outdated and the environments feel bland and uninspired.”
“Despite the interesting art direction, the overall execution of the graphics falls flat and fails to impress.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of rhythm mechanics, adventure exploration, and sandbox destruction, creating an engaging experience that evolves with the narrative. Players appreciate the charming visuals, satisfying rhythm challenges, and the variety of gameplay styles, though some mechanics may require adjustment. Overall, the game offers a delightful mix of fun, humor, and hidden surprises, making it a standout in its genre.
“The gameplay changes along with the narrative and perspective, but the rhythm is the main part that unites everything. The mechanics of hitting the notes can take some getting used to, given how it is displayed, but it's very satisfying to get the hang of it.”
“A really unique blend of different art and gameplay styles that all mesh together and create something greater than the sum of their parts, and it actually runs on my terrible potato laptop.”
“In between the rhythm gameplay are 'adventure' segments where you can explore the town, talk to people, and also stick your hand into the diorama world and wreck stuff.”
“Needs modding or something to create custom tracks; gameplay is hard.”
“In between the rhythm gameplay are 'adventure' segments where you can explore the town and talk to people... and also stick your hand into the diorama world and wreck stuff.”
“The gameplay changes along with the narrative and perspective, but the rhythm is the main part that unites everything; the mechanics of hitting the notes can take some getting used to, given how it is displayed, but very satisfying to get the hang of it.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a clever blend of quirky, Katamari-esque destruction sequences and natural, witty dialogue that enhances its charm. Players appreciate the unique and funny vibe, which is complemented by unexpected narrative twists and a mix of lighthearted and creepy elements. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that adds to the game's appeal.
“Those brief, vaguely Katamari-esque destruction sections serve as a hilarious counterpart to the music creation.”
“The writing feels natural and the dialogue is occasionally very funny as well.”
“An insanely charming rhythm game with consistently cool surprises in its narrative gameplay and a really funny vibe.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Starstruck effectively weaves together wholesome and unsettling themes, creating a rich emotional experience that resonates deeply with players. Many reviewers emphasize that it offers a unique emotional journey worth experiencing.
“Starstruck perfectly captures three emotionally dense themes underneath its dream logic.”
“It's wholesome when it needs to be, and quite unsettling when it needs to be unsettling, too.”
“It's an emotional ride that I think a lot of people should experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its depth and engagement, complemented by likable characters and a surprisingly intricate plot.
“The atmosphere is amazing, the characters are likable, and the plot itself is far deeper than it needs to be.”
