Another quick end-of-the-year replay. I don't know what my obsession was with mastering random, cheap Steam games in 2017, but Catch a Falling Star fails to stand out from the rest. The generic look and mind-numbingly easy gameplay loop are par for the course - and even though it tries to throw in a few interesting ideas, they do little to improve the experience.
I wish I could say that I stopped wasting my time on shit like this... but the fact that I'm reviewing this shit right now says otherwise, doesn't it?
Visuals: 1.5/5
Sound: 1.5/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Atmosphere: 1.5/5
Replayability: 0.5/5
Overall game score: 1/5 [1.2/5]
Visuals:
Falling Star's art style is best described as 'painfully mediocre.' The few visual elements it DOES have (a background, a basket, and falling items) are nothing more than cheap clip-art. I doubt it would take more than an hour or two to put it all together.
The only positive here is the inclusion of some unlockables. The different baskets are cute enough, and the cherry blossom background is preferable to any others. Unfortunately, two of the other backgrounds are ugly stills taken from other cheap Steam games, causing a jarring change in both perspective and style.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Sound:
The only thing Falling Star really has going for it is a halfway decent soundtrack. There are four songs - one for the title screen, and three for each original map. I doubt they're not public domain, but at the very least, they're relaxing and sweet.
Unfortunately, the sound effects are one of the WORST parts of the game. They totally disrupt the calm atmosphere the soundtrack tries to set. Put their volume to 0, and leave the music on.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Gameplay:
The player's solitary goal is to earn points by catching falling stars. A few obstacles will block progress, such as ice that slows your basket, fluctuating wind, and temporary debuffs. There are also temporary powerups, which are MOSTLY useful (minus the 'fast basket', which makes controlling much harder.)
You can only carry so many stars at once, so if your inventory is full, you'll need to empty it on either side of the screen. The only reason you might want to do so any earlier is to get rid of ice. You can also hold shift to 'lock' this mechanic, allowing you to touch the sides freely; depressingly, this might be the most thoughtful feature in the game.
By far the biggest hurdle you'll face with Falling Star is sheer boredom. The mechanics aren't offensively bad, but they're so simple and repetitive that it becomes mundane within minutes. I found myself zoning out multiple times, which often led to missing stars. The game tries to incentivize replay value with coins, which are used to unlock cosmetics, one-time powerups, and a few permanent upgrades. But I was over this tedious shit before I lost a single one of my three lives. Do you really think others will dedicate themselves to it for hours?
Overall, 1/5.
Atmosphere:
Falling Star attempts a cozy atmosphere, highlighted by its calming soundtrack and pleasant space theme. Both of these things appeal to me, fortunately, but there's not much else going on in terms of mood. The graphics are mediocre, and the mechanics are surprisingly demanding for a game that touts itself as 'relaxing.'
Overall, 1.5/5.
Replayability:
Coins and high scores don't mean much if your game isn't fun - and guess what? Falling Star is just not fun! I honestly don't know how I managed to put in the 21 hours needed to 100% it, even if the process was spread out over a few years. I'm definitely glad to officially retire this one.
Overall, 0.5/5.
I wish I could say that I stopped wasting my time on shit like this... but the fact that I'm reviewing this shit right now says otherwise, doesn't it?
Visuals: 1.5/5
Sound: 1.5/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Atmosphere: 1.5/5
Replayability: 0.5/5
Overall game score: 1/5 [1.2/5]
Visuals:
Falling Star's art style is best described as 'painfully mediocre.' The few visual elements it DOES have (a background, a basket, and falling items) are nothing more than cheap clip-art. I doubt it would take more than an hour or two to put it all together.
The only positive here is the inclusion of some unlockables. The different baskets are cute enough, and the cherry blossom background is preferable to any others. Unfortunately, two of the other backgrounds are ugly stills taken from other cheap Steam games, causing a jarring change in both perspective and style.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Sound:
The only thing Falling Star really has going for it is a halfway decent soundtrack. There are four songs - one for the title screen, and three for each original map. I doubt they're not public domain, but at the very least, they're relaxing and sweet.
Unfortunately, the sound effects are one of the WORST parts of the game. They totally disrupt the calm atmosphere the soundtrack tries to set. Put their volume to 0, and leave the music on.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Gameplay:
The player's solitary goal is to earn points by catching falling stars. A few obstacles will block progress, such as ice that slows your basket, fluctuating wind, and temporary debuffs. There are also temporary powerups, which are MOSTLY useful (minus the 'fast basket', which makes controlling much harder.)
You can only carry so many stars at once, so if your inventory is full, you'll need to empty it on either side of the screen. The only reason you might want to do so any earlier is to get rid of ice. You can also hold shift to 'lock' this mechanic, allowing you to touch the sides freely; depressingly, this might be the most thoughtful feature in the game.
By far the biggest hurdle you'll face with Falling Star is sheer boredom. The mechanics aren't offensively bad, but they're so simple and repetitive that it becomes mundane within minutes. I found myself zoning out multiple times, which often led to missing stars. The game tries to incentivize replay value with coins, which are used to unlock cosmetics, one-time powerups, and a few permanent upgrades. But I was over this tedious shit before I lost a single one of my three lives. Do you really think others will dedicate themselves to it for hours?
Overall, 1/5.
Atmosphere:
Falling Star attempts a cozy atmosphere, highlighted by its calming soundtrack and pleasant space theme. Both of these things appeal to me, fortunately, but there's not much else going on in terms of mood. The graphics are mediocre, and the mechanics are surprisingly demanding for a game that touts itself as 'relaxing.'
Overall, 1.5/5.
Replayability:
Coins and high scores don't mean much if your game isn't fun - and guess what? Falling Star is just not fun! I honestly don't know how I managed to put in the 21 hours needed to 100% it, even if the process was spread out over a few years. I'm definitely glad to officially retire this one.
Overall, 0.5/5.