Dev Mailbag Review #1 - 2022
Highlight:
"Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space"
Bluejay's Dev Mailbag
https://youtu.be/jEW63_Mipa8
There is a trend in point-and-click adventures that build off of the past in terms of nostalgia. Some do it in a way that isn't distracting, while others spend too much time remembering the good ol days. That's really the downside of "Dexter Stardust", a point-and-click adventure that tells the story of Dexter, an ordinary guy working for a space delivery service, that gets caught up in a conflict that just so happens to be tied to his past.
The gameplay is fine, for it does what a point-and-click should do, and sticks to that. You find key items that'll help you progress through the area, and discover the story along the way. It has some moments that I found to be entertaining in terms of its sense of humor, but sometimes, it would drag those gags on a bit too long, which left me tired. It didn't help that it would spend a long time on exposition and drawn out dialogue that definitely could have used some trimming down. I was interested in going through the chapter, but these issues I just mentioned certainly left me feeling quite sleepy. It also spends a lot of time trying to feed you "memberberries", making jokes and references based around classic point-and-click adventure game moments, which were a bit distracting after awhile.
The story of Dexter and the unfolding of his past around the game's conflict is certainly curious, but the forced humor, drawn out dialogue that goes nowhere, and nostalgic references certainly get in the way. Tonally, it's trying to tell a somewhat dark story, but also wants to be whimsical and goofy, and so it feels disjointed. The gameplay itself is well made, and the item puzzles are clever, so I wouldn't give it too much of a bad rep. It's just tough for me to enjoy with those things I mentioned. Just makes me sleepy.
Highlight:
"Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space"
Bluejay's Dev Mailbag
https://youtu.be/jEW63_Mipa8
There is a trend in point-and-click adventures that build off of the past in terms of nostalgia. Some do it in a way that isn't distracting, while others spend too much time remembering the good ol days. That's really the downside of "Dexter Stardust", a point-and-click adventure that tells the story of Dexter, an ordinary guy working for a space delivery service, that gets caught up in a conflict that just so happens to be tied to his past.
The gameplay is fine, for it does what a point-and-click should do, and sticks to that. You find key items that'll help you progress through the area, and discover the story along the way. It has some moments that I found to be entertaining in terms of its sense of humor, but sometimes, it would drag those gags on a bit too long, which left me tired. It didn't help that it would spend a long time on exposition and drawn out dialogue that definitely could have used some trimming down. I was interested in going through the chapter, but these issues I just mentioned certainly left me feeling quite sleepy. It also spends a lot of time trying to feed you "memberberries", making jokes and references based around classic point-and-click adventure game moments, which were a bit distracting after awhile.
The story of Dexter and the unfolding of his past around the game's conflict is certainly curious, but the forced humor, drawn out dialogue that goes nowhere, and nostalgic references certainly get in the way. Tonally, it's trying to tell a somewhat dark story, but also wants to be whimsical and goofy, and so it feels disjointed. The gameplay itself is well made, and the item puzzles are clever, so I wouldn't give it too much of a bad rep. It's just tough for me to enjoy with those things I mentioned. Just makes me sleepy.
Reviewed on Apr 17, 2022