In Stars And Time

Absolute emotional roller coaster and I'm all here for it Also the 100% was worth getting :)

Hurt me in ways I didn't know possible, 10/10 Ok, serious review stuff. This game's premise is fun! Time loop stories feel a bit underrepresented in games, mostly due to the myriad of issues that would plague such games [ I'll get to it ] but I think for the most part ISAT pulls it off wonderfully. Narratively especially, the game does a great job of setting you up and tearing you down over and over again, and sells the dynamics between the main cast and Siffrin's mental state incredibly well. It's one of those games where the gameplay enhances the narrative immensely. The visuals are very well done. The colors can feel a bit bland to look out at times, but once you start noticing the little details you'll really appreciate the care that went into it, especially the character designs. Every NPC in Dormont is unique and it helps it feel like the town's genuinely alive. I also found the worldbuilding and in-universe context for this game interesting - setting this during the "final dungeon" of an RPG party's quest gives it a rather unique air about it, though it does make the obvious battle tutorials feel a little out of place, even with their cute diagetic explanation. I think RPS kid was fine for explaining the battle system, but the 2nd tutorial does give us a fun scene later on. [ Disclaimer: "fun" may not be so "fun". really good scene though ]. In general the style is great, and the grayscale color scheme is used to great effect. If you don't know how, you'll see what I mean if you play this game. The narrative is what you're here for, for the most part. I enjoy the battles well enough, but I'll get to those later. The dynamics between the main cast feel believable and fleshed out - as they should be, for a game focusing on a small cast. The mystery of the loops is also fascinating to see unfold, trying to figure it out alongside Siffrin and Loop. I mentioned at the top this game hurt me, and let me just say insertdisc5 WILL be receiving an invoice for my therapy later. This game nearly made me cry at its ending. You WILL need to brace yourself for the twists and turns it takes. As for the battles - the rock paper scissors system is fun, and I like hitting jackpots. However, this is where the loop system comes into play. Obviously, battles getting tedious and skippable is to reinforce the narrative, and even so I never really hated battles. But it's hard to deny that the mid-late game will start to get very repetitive an unengaging gameplay wise. If you're looking for an RPG with a lot of unique fights, this just isn't that game. I still enjoy it but I'm aware I'm probably in the minority. Just keep it in mind. Also.. the music. I've been listening to Loop's theme for ages. I love all the music for the end of the game. finding out what certain songs are called devastated me emotionally for the 2nd time. ISAT is one of those games absolutely worth your time if you love emotional narratives. Highly recommend.