Starstruck: Hands of Time

I've seen enough reviews that seemed to miss the point entirely that I decided to post my own, when I never do. Short summary: Yes, the game is marketed for its Guitar Hero and town destruction segments. They exist and they're fun and they're part of the story. But if that's all you're coming for, you'll be disappointed after missing out on the other 80% of the game. The soul of the game is much more akin to its influences like Earthbound and Chulip, or any RPG-type game that's centered around story and character interaction. DO play this game if you like to walk everywhere and interact with everything. DO play this game if you like to psycho-analyze characters as if you're their therapist. DO play this game if you like to theorycraft over every little thing along the way and even after it's done (cough Undertale/ Deltarune fans cough). If you're the kind of person who interacts with every in-game trashcan they see, this game is for you. Explore and try and make sense of the world and the themes, and you'll be rewarded! [h1]In-Depth Review:[/h1] [h2]Gameplay:[/h2] [h3]Rhythm Game:[/h3] Assuming you don't have a Guitar Hero controller, this game takes a Parappa the Rapper button approach, minus telling you what you're gonna play beforehand. The notes scroll right to left, and sometimes you have to hit multiple at a time. You also shift up and down the guitar neck, which is a unique mechanic here. Plus some Osu segments. It is TOTALLY difficult at times but a fun challenge. I'm a musician and got through fairly well on the normal difficulty setting, but definitely had my ass handed to me a few times. I have a hard time giving it flack, though. It wasn't confusing past the first instance of learning, it was just on me to get gud. Just anticipate choosing an easier setting if you're not into that. [h3]Town Destruction:[/h3] Sorta Katamari, more Blast Corps on N64. You go around trying to destroy everything you can in a select amount of time to fill the meter. Items drop to help you do that. However, there's important secrets to discover by replaying these segments. If you explore the town outside of these segments enough you may see things that make you think to yourself "huh. What's that thing doing there? If only a big hand could come get it out of the way." Do it. [h3]The Rest of the Game:[/h3] Walk and talk. Explore and interact with everything. There is a calendar system, so different things happen on different days. If you do something on one day, maybe that changed something the next day? Who knows? Interact with characters and see how they change over time. Discover secrets and go on sidequests to get collectibles and entirely optional story moments. [h2]Story:[/h2] This is where the game shines. Character dialogue is often wholesome, light-hearted, and funny. Some is much less so. The overarching plot these characters find themselves in, however, is a bit uncanny and mysterious. And this becomes more clear when you're near the last third of the game. I'll keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but I'll get you acquainted with some concepts explored, which in of itself is kind of mildly spoilery. If you're already sold on the concept, stop reading and just play it instead. But if you need more info first, here you go. Time travel to stop a mysterious world-ending event from happening in the past, when it kinda looks like... nothing is really happening? You see life from the perspective of a musical protagonist who is going through some identity and friendship issues, and you may even struggle to find him likable at times (this game did what YIIK yiikn't). The cast is small, but they have a plethora of their own personalities and qualms they deal with. Some are lovable, while some you might hate from the pit of your stomach. But you WILL understand exactly why they are the way that they are. (Except for the bully character. He knows what he is and he's perfect that way.) In addition to that, the overarching plot is something uniquely metaphor-heavy and will require moments of just sitting there and thinking "Huh... okay, what could that mean/ represent for this character?" Sometimes things don't make sense immediately. But it's very satisfying to theorize along the way; especially as themes begin to connect to each other into one impressively cohesive concept regarding the nature of individuality, (un)originality, and the expectations both you and others place on yourself. It hits on both a grand and personal scale. What does it mean to copy? What does it mean to be yourself? What does it mean to be inspired? How do you want others to see you? Who are you, really? Those questions and more get explored in a way that really stuck with me after the fact. It's also funnily meta that I started the review comparing the game to its influences. And yet, I do believe this title stands well on its own. There are some references to real life people and events that will strike you off guard when they appear. But they're there for a VERY good reason. I have to say this is the first time a game's had me googling history facts as opposed to a walkthrough guide. They're implemented in a way that links well with the theme of the story, and wind up operating as some compelling metaphors for what's going on. Between all that and the parts I didn't go into- I just know the creator had to have nights they laid wide awake making all of the connections between concepts. It's been mentioned in other reviews, but still doesn't get enough credit. Between the mixture of the original story and real historical references, some really intense, yet not preachy philosophy occurs. Aside from all that, the game is actually pretty funny at times. Humor sticks around for most of the game, but doesn't get in the way of serious moments when they happen. [h2]Ending:[/h2] Feels a little weird to mention the ending in a review, but since I've seen it discussed: (very mild spoilers) [spoiler]in my eyes, the ending is a satisfying test of everything you've learned and experienced up to this point. You will be left still thinking about everything after it's done, making theories to solve some mysteries that were hinted toward but not confirmed. It's more or less the right ratio of questions answered to leaving room for interpretation. I probably like the game more for that.[/spoiler] [h2]Visuals:[/h2] I purposely saved this for the end out of spite for a few sparse reviews saying the game isn't much past its visuals. I mean... did we play the same game? Regardless, you saw the screenshots. It looks super unique. The claymation style reminds me personally of the clay models made for the Earthbound/ Mother franchise, so it's a neat experience to see a whole game play out like those models are walking around. What's even neater about the style is 100% a spoiler. I'll go light on the info here, but if you need to know: [spoiler] the claymation style is actually relevant to the plot. You can even see the leftovers of fingerprints on the character models, and those aren't there just for looks. There's also a really intense juxtaposition of the claymation style to realism at times that will give you the heebie jeebies. It also gives you the sense there's much more to this world going on than you first thought.[/spoiler] It's all gorgeous and yet makes me want to take a shower directly after looking at it sometimes. [h2]Conclusion:[/h2] I can't recommend this game enough. It's worth your time if you're a character/ story-focused kind of player. It's certainly worth your time if you're an overthinker who pins red threads together over mysteries. It's a must-play if you like to psychoanalyze videogame characters like you're EuroBrady. And if you're a fan of Earthbound/Mother, Chulip, Undertale/Deltarune, or old RPG Maker stuff, I'm pretty sure this was made for you. At the very least, the game is good and unrecognized enough I got ragebaited into public speaking for it.

In a sea of indie titles all trying to be the next hit, Starstruck: Hands of Time asks the question: is being different always a good thing? Starstruck wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve. The game even features a bibliography included in the credits section that'll tell you what its biggest inspirations are (as well as sources for various discussions the game presents). The game looks like X, sounds like Y, and follows the structure of something like Z. Despite all of this though, make no mistake- Starstruck is very much its own beast. This is an experience that is difficult to pin down as exactly like anything else. For a game which calls to question the nature of original ideas, it sure seems to have many of its own. The ways in which it presents these ideas can at times feel disconnected from the whole, yet there is almost always a synergistic feeling present throughout the game's short runtime. The soundtrack is also worth mentioning. While the rhythm section tracks can be hit or miss for me personally, I've found myself listening to the OST the past few days since playing through the game. Having just a few tracks that I find myself skipping in an OST with 50+ tracks is nothing short of impressive. Overall, I highly recommend checking Starstruck out for anybody who's even mildly interested in it. For fans of LDL and its legacy titles, the Mother series, or just indie games that break the mold, it's a title that can definitely be appreciated or at the very least, respected.

Blew my mind and the more I think about it, the more it does. A feat of artistry and creativity that isn't as fun to perfect rhythm wise as I hoped, but MORE than makes up for it. I quite literally cannot say much more without ruining the experience, but believe me, it's worth a shot alone for the amount of surprises it holds.

constantly original and yet woven from a tapestry of art that came before it. a genuine reflection on your place in the world. as the days wear on and the current governments gets more fascist, I look at games like this as something to bring me through: ones that do not shirk the horrors of the real world, but that are willing to have hope for the future. I thank the creator of this game for making it and letting me have the honor of playing it. I hope the world is kinder to us all.

Nihilistic nonsense. One of those games that draws you in with its Earthbound vibe, only to rugpull with bleak existential hand-wringing that leads nowhere. What was even the point of any of this story? As you can see from my playtime, I quit the game and ended up watching a Let’s Play, I recommend others do the same. Don’t worry, you won’t be missing anything, most of the gameplay segments are loaded in the front. If you play this and start wondering why the lead dev has such bitter resentment toward European culture, I looked up his last name, and before you ask: Yes, he is. And unfortunately maybe that explains the seething resentment behind this bleak, meandering, nonsensical story.

If anyone is expecting Earthbound: Its' not! It's an art game about art. Story and characters where interesting enough to keep me engaged until the end. I was looking forward playing the guitar hero style rhythm sequences, but unfortunately they played too awkwardly with the horizontal highway and the clumsy gamepad controls. And I didn't really get the appeal of the Giant Hand Sequences. Weird stuff. BUT there are some memorable and truly creative intermissions and some of the songs are genuinely good. As an experience it's good, but as a game it just was not my cup of tea. But like most other reviews conclude: Huge respect to the dev!

Primeiro jogado do ano e já começo com a pedrada mais autoral e diferente que já vi em algun jogo, ele é uma carta de amor a musica mas que não ignora o que torna musica algo inerente humano, ao msm tempo que ele define ela como algo que constitui o que nos faz sermos humanos mas ele tbm aborda como podemos ser desumanizados pela forma que usam ela para excluir e apagar suas origems culturais tornado em algo vazio e sem significado por deturpar ou apagar suas origems, é um jogo que consegue ser bem atual sem ser explicito mas que nao tenta esconder sua critica e o tempo todo desmontra qual seu alvo apesar de nunca dizer diretamente, é realmente um jogo muito diferente dos outros jogos de ritmo e achei muito cativante terem feito um jogo extremamente autoral com um genero que dificilmente busca isso é um jogo de ritmo narrativo, filosofico, e que aborda temas muito profundos tanto da historia como atual e que consegue misturar gameplay de aventura e humor em uma grande amalgama de mecanicas distintas mas que convergem de forma fenomenal com seus pensamentos fora da casinha no final so posso definir como jogão mas nao consigo ainda definir meu sentimento sobre ele, mas foi uma puta experiencia pra começar o ano, adorei

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This game is sensational and very creative. I simply loved it! It reminds me of my childhood, when I used to watch MTV and TV Cultura. I would like more games like this. We should have more art in games.

Personally, I enjoyed this game so, so much. It is extremely surreal but there is so much soul and creativity inside this little adventure and i'm happy to have stumbled upon it.