The Stargazers
- November 4, 2016
- Lupiesoft
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"The Stargazers" is a self-contained sci-fi game featuring giant robots, starships, and a close-knit squadron of three girls. Inspired by 50s and 80s sci-fi, pulp fiction, and mecha anime, the game explores the relationships between the girls in a yuri-themed setting. Players can expect self-contained adventures with the Stargazers Squadron, with no current plans for future installments.
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Reviews
- The art style is unique and beautifully drawn, with great looking sceneries.
- The ability to switch perspectives between characters adds an interesting dynamic to the storytelling.
- The characters are fascinating and the premise of the story is intriguing.
- The game feels unfinished, with an abrupt ending and no resolution to the story.
- There are technical issues, including bugs and missing character images, which detract from the experience.
- The lack of background music and overall short length make the game feel lackluster and not worth the price.
- story25 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it interesting and appreciating the ability to switch perspectives, while others criticize it for being incomplete and lacking resolution. Many express disappointment over the author's absence since 2021, leading to concerns about the story's future development and overall depth. Overall, while the premise and character interactions show potential, the lack of a satisfying conclusion and the feeling of an unfinished narrative detract from the experience.
“The story itself was interesting, and it was a great thing to be able to switch characters between chapters.”
“Intriguingly, the story allows you to switch perspectives at certain points.”
“Nice that you can change viewpoints mid-story.”
“I cannot recommend this visual novel because it is short, lackluster, and has no prospects of ever being improved or having the story expanded.”
“While I enjoyed the character interactions overall, the way some scenes ended abruptly, and the way the story itself 'ended' without resolution, are just too much of a negative.”
“The story stops dead without any resolution or answers; it's a cliffhanger in the worst way.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their impressive art style and stunning scenery, with users expressing satisfaction and appreciation for the visual presentation. Overall, the aesthetic quality of the game is a highlight.
“I liked the art style, and there were some great-looking sceneries.”
“The art style is surely great; no complaints here.”
“At least you can enjoy the beautiful art style.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a well-functioning perspective mechanic, but players often find themselves primarily using one character with occasional switches. This leads to a narrative experience that feels incomplete, akin to navigating an unfinished story where elements unpredictably change.
“The perspective mechanic works correctly; however, I found myself sticking mostly with one character, with a few scattered switch-ups.”
“And now that I've dealt with the mechanics, I can really get into the story.”
“The game ends up feeling like playing through the first act of the story, except that random paragraphs on each page disappear and reappear because of the perspective mechanic.”
“I found myself sticking mostly with one character, with only a few scattered switch-ups.”
“The perspective mechanic works correctly, but it doesn't enhance the overall gameplay experience.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its catchy title menu theme, which players find addictive, but overall, there is a significant lack of music and sound effects throughout the gameplay. This absence detracts from the experience, leading some players to fill the void with their own voice acting. Many express a desire for a more robust soundtrack.
“The song that plays in the title menu is really addicting!”
“I wish this game had a soundtrack available.”
“My playtime is inflated because I privately streamed it to a handful of friends and insisted on voice acting every role, in part because of an uncomfortable lack of music and sound effects. Even if it had taken less time, there's just not enough interesting going on.”
“I kinda wish that this game had a soundtrack available.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development in the series is lacking, with characters often portrayed as archetypes and episodes functioning as standalone stories. There are mentions of missed opportunities for growth, either due to the absence of significant development or the removal of existing character arcs.
“The problem here is that TOS episodes were still full stories in and of themselves, and also had a lack of actual major character development as a feature - TOS characters were archetypal.”
“Either there was no character development made through any kind of deleted content, which utterly squanders many opportunities, or there was character development which was removed.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that it offers flexibility in storytelling, which encourages multiple playthroughs.
“This adds replayability to the game, while also providing flexibility in how the story is told.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
“With multiple paths and endings, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”
