I finally found a little game that is not afraid to do things its own way.

'Starstruck' is one of those little gems that have a huge heart and are simply made with love and care. It doesn't try to be an avant-garde, modern-era product, but dares to explore its own quirks and somewhat crazy ideas, something I really appreciate. Its world and characters have a lot of charm, and the gameplay, while easy and somewhat relaxed, contains some moments of brilliance with its music tracks and “hand mayhem” events. It's a very “90's” game, in the sense that it tries to be just a game and explore the unique possibilities that the medium brings to it in narrative, gameplay and sound/visuals. The artstyle here sports a very appealing blend of handmade dioramas and figurines, real "live-action" videos and lighthearted 3D models.

If you like what Love-de-lic does in their games, you'll find a similar experience here in terms of vibe and characters, as well as the strength of its story.

It's time to Break the Mold!

It took me a while after beating the game, thinking about how well it accomplishes its homage to Love-de-Lic, for me to realize the game's themes also reflect this game's very existence. Don't think I've ever seen that before.

The presentation alone is top notch and justifies the purchase, but it's a solid game that doesn't talk down to the audience on top of that, which is always good to see.

It's also one of those games that make me worry for the state of this godforsaken industry when you see it still has less than 200 reviews at the time of this writing, which is just criminal. Here's a little drop in that bucket to maybe change that.

Thanks for the game, I loved it.