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PLAYING STARSTRIDE? HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

2K View2024-02-08

Game: Starstride

Platform: PC & Console

Genre: MMORPG, Sci-Fi, Ai-Generated, Adventure

Overview

Starstride is an MMORPG, and I'm not sure what it's striving to be. Is the game being made by less-than-talented developers? Is the game based mostly on AI voice acting, narrative, and sound effects? Everything just baffles me since, on the surface, everything appeared to look good until you actually get into it and realize how similar it feels to dated 2005 MMOs. I really did try to see what the game had to offer and thus I stomached as much as I could and suffered so you don't have to.

This was my first time playing this game; I hadn't played any of the previous events, presuming there were any, but it still feels quite primitive in many aspects.

Issues

I tried to pay attention to whatever little story I could glean, but I couldn't understand anything. The constant stacking of AI voice-acted dialogue cutting in and out, combined with many layers of audio both in Chinese, Japanese and English at the same time with skipping subtitles, turned it all into a muddled mess that gradually built up into a headache forcing me to have to skip over all of the dialogue.

Given that the audio in this game is virtually maxed out on your device by default, it was like walking down a tunnel only for someone to set off an airhorn at both ends.

This does not feel like a game, especially not one from 2024. The stiff animations, combat, soundtrack, crashes, AI voices, plot, and AI sexualized woman all give off an old and jaded vibe of somebody trying to weasel through AI-assistance for cash.

The list goes on and on but I have way too many complaints about this game.

Graphics & Presentation

I can't say it looks absolutely terrible; it looks good, but the fact remains that fighting monsters, mini-bosses, and just playing the game in general, from running, striking, and using skills, crafting and exploring leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that frustrates you because your skills don't work, your dodge doesn't work, you're constantly being knocked around by monsters that have practically no tell tale signs that they are going to attack and bombarded with AI voice acting left and right, and the loud nitro boost doppler effect of all the other players using their speed boost as they pass by to get around town lingers even when they are not moving.

Conclusion

I'd like to say that I actually do enjoy these types of games, where you have a lot of options for going out and fighting monsters, leveling up, gearing up, and taking on bosses, dungeons while making new friends, and so on, but this game lacks all of the features that you would expect from an MMORPG, such as a community and the ability to just sit back and have fun rather than struggling to not fall asleep.

Perhaps I came across as too harsh or maybe not, but the truth is that I was bored, fatigued, exhausted, and had a headache after playing it for three hours and I will never get that lost time back and forever have a negative outlook on this game.

I would highly recommend that you pick up Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
if you're interested in an actual polished MMORPG that is based on sci-fi.

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