Starstruck: Prologue
Starstruck is an unconventional rhythm adventure game that harkens back to the glory days of quirky Japanese passion projects from the early PS2 era. Not to say that the game relies on nostalgia, but it has that same intangible charm you can find in games like Gitaroo Man, Stretch Panic and Chulip.
Although cast in the same mold, Starstruck very much has its own identity. The game goes for a miniature aesthetic and it’s used to great effect. The lighting is gorgeous and you can often spot deliberate imperfections like fingerprints in the 3D models that really sell the hand-crafted look. This paired with the sublime composition and sound design— heavily featuring LIVE instruments— culminate into creating an alluring, dreamlike atmosphere that’s simply a joy to take in.
– Real player with 20.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Experimental Casual Games.
Words cannot describe the sheer delight I had playing this game. It’s really something special.
A friend of mine described it as “A playable rock opera straight off the Dreamcast/PS2” and I couldn’t agree more with that statement.
To me, the world and characters of Starstruck have that kind of magic that, like, a 1970s or 80s children show has. There’s a unique kind of nostalgia that I get from playing this game; it really takes me back to my youth, playing with my Thomas the Tank Engine table set and knocking down the little cutout trees, buildings, and people with my hands.
– Real player with 19.1 hrs in game