Stellar Interface
- June 15, 2016
- ImaginationOverflow
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Stellar Interface" is a rogue-like space shooter with ever-changing space battles and a synergistic perk system. Explore the randomly-generated galaxy, collect over 100 perks and consumables, and complete over 100 missions for the StellarNET Entertainment System lottery. Your journey will be unique each time, as no two plays are the same. The goal is to find the most outrageous perk combination to defeat the Last Overlord.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
Xbox
Reviews
- Stellar Interface combines rogue-like elements with classic shmup gameplay, offering a unique and addictive experience with a variety of ships, weapons, and upgrades.
- The game features a great soundtrack and retro pixel art style, enhancing the overall enjoyment and nostalgia for fans of the genre.
- Replayability is high due to randomized levels and power-ups, making each run feel fresh and encouraging players to experiment with different builds.
- The game suffers from a lack of clarity in its UI and upgrade descriptions, making it difficult for players to understand the effects of certain power-ups.
- There are reports of frequent crashes and technical issues, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
- Some players find the difficulty curve to be steep and frustrating, particularly with certain bosses and the random nature of upgrades affecting run success.
- music28 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its engaging and upbeat soundtrack, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. While some users noted that certain tracks can be repetitive, many praised the variety and quality of the compositions, likening them to iconic game soundtracks. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The soundtrack is upbeat and energetic.”
“Also, the music is incredible, ranging from end-game Kirby-esque songs to Castlevania-esque music for the final area and boss.”
“The music includes several very catchy tracks that keep you pumped up in your quest to decimate hundreds of little ships.”
“Music is tied to maps, so you won't hear new soundtracks until you start unlocking more maps!”
“The electronic OST can be repetitive, but who cares when you have waves of enemies to blast through?”
“The music is repetitive.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating elements. Many players appreciate the addictive nature and unique boss mechanics, alongside the rewarding unlock system and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic SNES games. However, some criticize sluggish controls, stuttering issues, and a lack of originality, leading to a sense of boredom despite the potential for fun and challenge.
“Reminds me of old style SNES games like EDF with the addition of randomized powers, levels, and more RPG/rogue mechanics. Lots of fun to grind on the go; works very well on Steam Deck.”
“Addicting gameplay—'one more run'... you'll be doing this a lot.”
“The gameplay was easy to learn, and after a few upgrades to my ship, the controls were easy to master.”
“The gameplay is sluggish and boring, and every stage I played had a serious stuttering problem, despite supposedly running at '60 fps.' It's really quite the snorefest.”
“Gameplay is a bit dull; it's just your usual enemies you would expect in every shooter game like this.”
“Overall 5/10: it has some cool ideas and mechanics, but it gets boring quickly.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming retro pixel art style that evokes classic shmup aesthetics, complemented by well-designed textures and a vibrant soundtrack. While some users appreciate the nostalgic visuals and the creative use of randomized backgrounds, others note that the graphics can feel static and underdeveloped. Overall, the art style is praised for its clarity and appeal, making it a fitting choice for fans of retro games.
“The game has a beautiful pixel-art style with randomized backgrounds full of nebulas and huge planets, or sometimes abandoned space stations, asteroid fields, and others.”
“With regard to the graphics, well done: the textures resemble a retro look as already mentioned for the menus, bosses are well designed, and the spacecrafts look cool.”
“Stellar interface is a smart blend of the rogue-like and shmup genres, with a fabulous arcade aesthetic and musical score to boot.”
“The graphics are really very static; it feels poorly developed with poor coding.”
“The graphics style is decent pixel art, nothing too fancy, but it's clear.”
“Classic retro-style shmup graphics.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers solid replayability, particularly due to its variety of ships, random levels, and perks that keep the experience fresh. While some players note a lack of variety after extended play, many appreciate the game's ability to be picked up and enjoyed repeatedly, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of the genre.
“An easy game to pick up and play here and there with good replay value given the variety of ships, random levels, and random perks.”
“Fun rogue-like 2D arcade space shooter with great replay value.”
“Awesome, challenging, and full of lots of replayability.”
“Random drops and random maps encourage replayability.”
“If you want an old-school shooter with lots of replay value.”
“Compared to other shooters I've played, this has a ton more replay value.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is minimal, with players noting a lack of narrative depth, focusing instead on the gameplay mechanics and random missions. The overarching theme emphasizes perseverance and the unpredictability of life, as players engage in challenging runs with various missions and upgrades. While the game lacks a traditional storyline, it offers a rewarding experience through its dynamic gameplay and achievements.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“You have different achievements and missions to do, so every run is most of the time different.”
“It's good fun for a shmup fail like me, and I suspect that even talented players will find ample challenge in completing the missions and achievements with finesse.”
“A difficult but addicting horizontal shooter/roguelite with no story to speak of, but a large number of ships and weapons to choose from.”
“In each run you have three random missions.”
“Complete randomized missions and have upgrades ready for the next one.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players initially experienced sluggish gameplay and stuttering issues, subsequent updates significantly improved performance, leading to a smoother experience even during busy scenes. Overall, many users now find the game runs well and is worth the price.
“Well worth the price, runs great with little loss of performance even when the screen gets very busy, all in all a very decent 9/10 from me.”
“The gameplay is sluggish and boring, and every stage I played had a serious stuttering problem, despite supposedly running at '60 fps.' It's really quite the snorefest.”
“The creator also updated this game a lot after launch and improved performance and gameplay, which was a game changer for me.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, with many expressing a likelihood of pursuing achievements over time. However, they also note that the user interface can be misleading, which may complicate the grinding experience.
“It's way too grindy and all of the UI is misleading.”
“Definitely a game I'll likely end up grinding some achievements out of as I play over the years.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring moments of brilliance alongside some that fall flat, resulting in a varied comedic experience.
“The game's highs are fantastic and its lows are downright hilarious.”
“The humor in this game is sharp and witty, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the clever jokes and funny scenarios throughout the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overshadowed by issues with menu navigation, which users feel detracts from the overall experience.
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report high stability with minimal performance loss, even during busy scenes, leading to positive reviews and high ratings.
“Well worth the price, runs great with little loss of performance even when the screen gets very busy, all in all a very decent 9/10 from me.”
