Stellaren II
- July 23, 2020
- ninedux
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamA space sci-fi visual novel in post-apocalyptic worldCombines a unique visual novel experience with multiple mini-games! Travel across multiple locations across space and meet a diverse set of interesting characters. Synopsis Two investigators of a space mining colony discover a series of murders. With a looming augment threat, their planet's survival now depends on their lead. Features Complete…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and well-developed story with strong character interactions that draw players in.
- High-quality visuals and audio that enhance the immersive experience of the game.
- Excellent value for money, offering many hours of gameplay and optional minigames that add variety.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as the affection system, can be confusing and lead to unintended character outcomes.
- Minor technical issues, including spelling errors and occasional crashes during gameplay.
- The protagonist lacks depth and backstory, which may detract from player connection.
- story42 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the latest installment of the Stellaren series is praised for its deep character development and dark themes, effectively engaging players through a mix of thriller and romance elements. The narrative builds on the universe established in previous games, offering intricate relationships and significant choices that impact character fates, enhancing replayability. While some gameplay elements may detract from the experience, the overall storytelling quality and immersive audio-visual presentation keep players invested in the unfolding drama.
“This installation in the series has not only expanded the universe's world-building but has truly shown the developer has grown in his talent in storytelling and game design from his earlier works.”
“The story is somewhat dark despite the character designs may imply; however, this works to its effect as the story takes time and care in developing the characters within it, making us, the players, endeared to them from the brief moments of peace given to us in the story.”
“The plot is [i]ninedux's[/i] strongest suit with an emphasis on story-driven narrative, mixing the thriller genre with some dating elements in-between.”
“Unfortunately, she will only appear in two battles in the entire story with little else in terms of combat animation.”
“Besides a short mention that he used to be a researcher at Weber Industries, there is little else to expand on his story.”
“Getting some specific outcomes from this system is really tricky, and you'll likely fail horribly at your first playthrough, getting a bunch of characters killed (even main heroines do not have plot armor).”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in Stellaren II is highly praised for its ability to enhance immersion, featuring a diverse range of soundtracks that align well with the game's futuristic sci-fi themes. Players enjoy the quality of the music and express a desire for a soundtrack release, although some recommend adjusting the volume as it can be quite loud at maximum settings. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's artistic and narrative experience.
“I have been greatly enjoying the story so far alongside the characters. The art is quite good quality considering the cost of the game, and I especially enjoy the music. It would be nice if Dux would release the soundtrack for this game as I could listen to it on repeat for quite a while.”
“Stellaren II is truly a work of art; the pacing, the music, the world design, and most importantly, the characters have all been either fleshed out or massively improved.”
“The background music and sound effects help to add a degree of immersion to the story, featuring a variety of soundtracks that match the futuristic sci-fi themes in the visual novel.”
“I would suggest turning the music and sound effects down before you start the story as they can be a bit loud at max volume.”
“It would be nice if Dux would release the soundtrack for this game as I could listen to it on repeat for quite a while.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their appealing artwork and visuals, though some users note a lack of male character sprites compared to female ones. Additionally, the standout visual element is Aris's special move animation, which is highlighted as particularly impressive. Overall, the visuals complement the engaging story and audio effectively.
“The artwork is nice with a small amount of fan service at certain parts of the story.”
“- Engaging story with good visuals and audio.”
“My only complaint is that the visual novel has very few male artwork sprites compared to female sprites, and only Aris's special move animation in the turn-based strategy segment, Arisgun, looks more impressive.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Stellaren II* is a hybrid experience that combines elements of visual novels, dating simulators, turn-based strategy RPGs, dungeon crawling, and bullet hell shooting. While it offers diverse mechanics, some users note minor gameplay issues and suggest that its story-driven focus may not appeal to everyone.
“Stellaren II is part visual novel, part dating simulator, part turn-based strategy role-playing game, part dungeon crawler with reaction-based action mechanics, and part horizontal bullet hell shooter.”
“The gameplay is a mix of various genres, including visual novel, dating simulator, turn-based strategy, dungeon crawling, and bullet hell shooting, which can feel overwhelming and unfocused.”
“There are minor gameplay problems that detract from the overall experience.”
“Its main focus is the story, so I'm sure a lot of people will not be a fan of the gameplay.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development is a strong point in the game, as it effectively contrasts the dark narrative with moments of peace that allow players to connect with and become endeared to the characters. The thoughtful pacing and care in character arcs enhance the overall emotional impact of the story.
“The story is somewhat dark despite the character designs implying otherwise; however, this works to its effect as the narrative takes time and care in developing the characters, making us, the players, feel endeared to them during the brief moments of peace in the story.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's emotional impact is effectively enhanced by its carefully chosen music, with tracks like "the rise, the fall, cast of pods" and "light years away" intensifying tense combat scenes, while "i don't want to do this without you" and "resolution" evoke poignant emotional moments.
“Some of the CGs also help to portray the tense and emotional moments in the game well.”
“'The Rise, The Fall,' 'Cast of Pods,' and 'Light Years Away' are frequently used in the combat segments to bring out the tense moments, while 'I Don't Want to Do This Without You' and 'Resolution' help to highlight the touching and emotional moments.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the depth of character detail and the rewarding experience of saving characters, but many feel that the visual novel lacks sufficient romance options and bonus content, which limits its overall replayability. Enhancing these aspects could encourage more playthroughs and engagement with the story.
“After spending close to 30 hours reading the entire visual novel and playing through all the minigames without skipping, and another 20 hours attempting a second playthrough with no character deaths, I feel that the visual novel could benefit from more character romance options and possibly some bonus CGs to enhance replayability. The scriptwriter has put a lot of care and attention into character detail, making the dialogue reflect their near-death experiences, which makes it truly rewarding to save even a minor supporting character from being killed in the story.”
“The game offers a wealth of choices that significantly alter the storyline, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes and character arcs.”
“With various endings and hidden content, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, making it hard to put down.”
“After spending close to 30 hours to read the entire visual novel and play through all the minigames without skipping, and another 20 hours to attempt another playthrough with no character deaths after referring to the developer's walkthrough, I feel that the visual novel could have more character romance options and possibly some bonus CGs to increase the replayability. The scriptwriter has put a lot of care and attention to character detail, where the character dialogue properly reflects their near-death experience, making it truly rewarding to save even a minor supporting character from being killed in the story.”
“The game lacks significant changes in the storyline during subsequent playthroughs, which makes it feel repetitive. I expected different outcomes based on my choices, but it seems like the game doesn't offer enough variety to keep me engaged after the first run.”
“While the initial experience was enjoyable, I found that there isn't much incentive to replay the game. The choices I made didn't lead to drastically different endings, which left me feeling like I had seen everything the game had to offer after just one playthrough.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's atmospheric sound, highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall immersive experience.
“The atmospheric sound design is incredible, immersing you fully in the game world.”
“The ambiance created by the visuals and sound truly enhances the overall experience.”
“Every detail contributes to a haunting atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
