Review AstraSmith 4/5 · Jul 25, 2022
A flawed, but charming experience
3.5 stars. It's missing something. Maybe it's the fact that it's not actually a dating simulator, which is what I was expecting going in. Maybe it's the fact that no matter what ending you choose, they feel rather abrupt and unsatisfying. Maybe it's the ovely moralising idea that queer people should self sacrifice for the greater good, in spite of …
3.5 stars. It's missing something. Maybe it's the fact that it's not actually a dating simulator, which is what I was expecting going in. Maybe it's the fact that no matter what ending you choose, they feel rather abrupt and unsatisfying. Maybe it's the ovely moralising idea that queer people should self sacrifice for the greater good, in spite of that being completely counter to the wish fulfilment promised by the premise - as if queer people don't have enough to sacrifice in real life.
God, it sounds like I don't like this game. But, really, it was super easy and. It contained almost constant gameplay elements which made for a fast paced game through. I found myself staying up late to see what would happen next!
The characters are super fun and nuanced, containing a diverse range of identities, from lizard wizards to nonbinary, bisexual spies, all of which provide parallels an interesting counter perspectives to our central coming out narrative.
Overall, worth a play. It makes for a comfy, chill, and cuddly experience. (Gay cuddles!) Just don't go in expecting a masterpiece.