I was trying to figure out why I was having so much trouble attempting to review this game, until I realize it is a visual novel so I am writing a review of just a story more so than an actual game. So take this as a warning, I am no literary critic.
Adastra was a really great visual novel that I never felt bored or tired of reading. It tells a compelling story full of queer romance and brutal space politics. As an avid Mass Effect fan as well, I love myself some queer romance and space politics.
I was worried near the start of this game that it was going to be awfully predictable plot wise. A shortcoming of many stories, especially many visual novels, is how predictable they can be. Visual novels especially are often guilty of falling into the same line of tropes. I worry was luckily unfounded. Though there were some incredibly predictable plot twists, there were many that I was not expecting. Additionally, the predictable "twists" naturally felt as if they were supposed to be predictable near the end of the story almost as a way of testing the player before throwing them into another completely unexpected twist. This alone cemented my appreciation for this game. It successfully kept me interested, I always wanted to know what was going to happen next considering my expectations were often incorrect. I think this alone cements Adastra or any other story as something worthy of praise and worthy of your time.
The other massively powerful element in Adastra are the characters. Virtually all visual novels are character focused and Adastra is no exception. Adastra's gallery of quirky critters is not the largest, but they are all super fleshed out for the most part. No single character really fell into a solid archetype that I've seen elsewhere which made them all seem fresh and unique. Again, the uniqueness of these characters kept me interested in the story throughout which I believe is the sign of success in a visual novel. For the sake of length and keeping this spoiler free, I will no go into the specifics of characters. Though it must be said, some characters are much more fleshed out than others.
I believe this is a good place to move to talking about what I did not like so much, what keeps this story from being a 4.5 or 5 star. Though every character is incredibly well written, some of them are significantly weaker than others. Additionally, some characters, though good, stay quite stagnant throughout the story in concerns to development. Thinking about it now, very few characters develop much at all. Great, abundant character development is not something I believe is always necessary, but it does leave some characters feeling a little less concerned for writing wise than others.
A final critical thought I have, for the sake of time, is that I believe Adastra could have greatly benefited from more choice. Again, choice is not something a visual novel MUST have. Adastra is a linear experience and that is completely fine. I simply feel that Adastra is the perfect game to have more choice considering the political navigation that happens within the story. Lack of choice does not damage the story of Adastra, but I feel it does hinder the experience of Adastra as a game. Simply missed potential and something I would like to see more of in the sequel.
I loved Adastra because it hits the marks of what I believe a good visual novel should have. I had a great experience going through it with my partner, voice acting the characters, giving them silly voices that accidentally fit their personalities perfectly. Without a doubt, an experience that cannot be matched in the same way.
Oh yeah, can't forget the HOT FURRY SEX. I liked it, but definitely a secondary thought for me concerning the game. Adastra is not a porn game, it just acknowledges the importance of sexuality in the experience of being alive. It does so in a tasteful way and that's all you can ask for. Do not go into Adastra looking for specially the NSFW elements because you will find yourself quite bored as they are sparse. What Adastra does offer to the space, however, is well drawn and written. It is more cute than anything else.
Adastra was a really great visual novel that I never felt bored or tired of reading. It tells a compelling story full of queer romance and brutal space politics. As an avid Mass Effect fan as well, I love myself some queer romance and space politics.
I was worried near the start of this game that it was going to be awfully predictable plot wise. A shortcoming of many stories, especially many visual novels, is how predictable they can be. Visual novels especially are often guilty of falling into the same line of tropes. I worry was luckily unfounded. Though there were some incredibly predictable plot twists, there were many that I was not expecting. Additionally, the predictable "twists" naturally felt as if they were supposed to be predictable near the end of the story almost as a way of testing the player before throwing them into another completely unexpected twist. This alone cemented my appreciation for this game. It successfully kept me interested, I always wanted to know what was going to happen next considering my expectations were often incorrect. I think this alone cements Adastra or any other story as something worthy of praise and worthy of your time.
The other massively powerful element in Adastra are the characters. Virtually all visual novels are character focused and Adastra is no exception. Adastra's gallery of quirky critters is not the largest, but they are all super fleshed out for the most part. No single character really fell into a solid archetype that I've seen elsewhere which made them all seem fresh and unique. Again, the uniqueness of these characters kept me interested in the story throughout which I believe is the sign of success in a visual novel. For the sake of length and keeping this spoiler free, I will no go into the specifics of characters. Though it must be said, some characters are much more fleshed out than others.
I believe this is a good place to move to talking about what I did not like so much, what keeps this story from being a 4.5 or 5 star. Though every character is incredibly well written, some of them are significantly weaker than others. Additionally, some characters, though good, stay quite stagnant throughout the story in concerns to development. Thinking about it now, very few characters develop much at all. Great, abundant character development is not something I believe is always necessary, but it does leave some characters feeling a little less concerned for writing wise than others.
A final critical thought I have, for the sake of time, is that I believe Adastra could have greatly benefited from more choice. Again, choice is not something a visual novel MUST have. Adastra is a linear experience and that is completely fine. I simply feel that Adastra is the perfect game to have more choice considering the political navigation that happens within the story. Lack of choice does not damage the story of Adastra, but I feel it does hinder the experience of Adastra as a game. Simply missed potential and something I would like to see more of in the sequel.
I loved Adastra because it hits the marks of what I believe a good visual novel should have. I had a great experience going through it with my partner, voice acting the characters, giving them silly voices that accidentally fit their personalities perfectly. Without a doubt, an experience that cannot be matched in the same way.
Oh yeah, can't forget the HOT FURRY SEX. I liked it, but definitely a secondary thought for me concerning the game. Adastra is not a porn game, it just acknowledges the importance of sexuality in the experience of being alive. It does so in a tasteful way and that's all you can ask for. Do not go into Adastra looking for specially the NSFW elements because you will find yourself quite bored as they are sparse. What Adastra does offer to the space, however, is well drawn and written. It is more cute than anything else.