"In Stars and Time" is an RPG about the psychology of time loops. It's also my favourite video
game ever.
Some minor spoilers are up ahead, but I tried not to spoil any major story points.
Click/Tap a character or object to read what I have to say.
Some minor spoilers are up ahead, but I tried not to spoil any major story points.
Click/Tap a character or object to read what I have to say.
The tragic protagonist of "In Stars and Time".
We LOVE Siffrin!!
They cope with humour, feel drawn to the stars and fear being alone.
We LOVE Siffrin!!
They cope with humour, feel drawn to the stars and fear being alone.
As the player, you have to confirm everything he says, even if there's only one dialogue
option...
And that really pulled on my heartstrings in the later arcs.
And that really pulled on my heartstrings in the later arcs.
I really like that Siffrin is an actual character, rather than a blank slate.
I really felt for him while playing.
They are a brilliant protagonist that holds a lot of emotions, secrets and… depression.
I can't help but love him.
I really felt for him while playing.
They are a brilliant protagonist that holds a lot of emotions, secrets and… depression.
I can't help but love him.
Look.
At.
HER.
At.
HER.
She is so cute, so pretty, so strong. Mirabelle is the hero, the chosen one and just a cutie.
She is also aro/ace. And as someone who identifies as ace and is on the aromantic spectrum she has become a comfort character for me.
I also just love strong and powerful, in-touch-with-their-feminine-side girly girl characters.
She is the character I wished to see as a kid, and is thus healing for my inner child.
And her design is just so cute, I just wanna squeeze her uuugghh
She is the character I wished to see as a kid, and is thus healing for my inner child.
And her design is just so cute, I just wanna squeeze her uuugghh
Bonnie is the youngest, the child, the gremlin-energy.
They don't join the fight, because they're just a kid, but they provide snacks and support.
They have a lot of energy and are easily excited.
They don't join the fight, because they're just a kid, but they provide snacks and support.
They have a lot of energy and are easily excited.
I love how they change the dynamic of the group and bring in more lighthearted moments when everyone else is down.
Snack time is always really fun (and the music playing during it is great!)
Snack time is always really fun (and the music playing during it is great!)
At the same time, they too have quite some tragedy to struggle with - otherwise, a kid their age wouldn’t be with a group of adventurers fighting greater evils after all.
A blushing teddybear with strong feelings and muscles???
Isabeau is the fighter of the group, very emotional and an absolute sweetheart.
Toxic masculinity who?
He is the cutest little bean. A little guy (who is actually a big buff man, but I’m talking vibes)
Toxic masculinity who?
He is the cutest little bean. A little guy (who is actually a big buff man, but I’m talking vibes)
I love his interactions with Sif and Mirabelle and just how soft he is.
Also, transmasc rep!
Also, transmasc rep!
Odile is the pretends-not-to-care/actually-cares-a-lot dad of the group.
She is an intelligent woman that supports her found family any way she can, even though she seems distant sometimes.
She is an intelligent woman that supports her found family any way she can, even though she seems distant sometimes.
Since I am more of a soft-emotionally-available character lover, it took a little longer for her to grow on me, but she is truly wonderful in her own right.
I love her snarky remarks, and her harder shell makes the soft moments we get to share with her even more rewarding!
You go girl!
You go girl!
Loop is the only other character that knows about and remembers the timeloops Siffrin experiences.
For most of the game, I didn't quite know what to make of them and wasn’t sure whether they're trustworthy or not.
For most of the game, I didn't quite know what to make of them and wasn’t sure whether they're trustworthy or not.
I remember them asking Siffrin who he thought they were relatively early on in the game and the options you get to choose from as an answer???
Some of them hadn't even crossed my mind.
I felt so lost lol
Some of them hadn't even crossed my mind.
I felt so lost lol
Loop is an incredibly tragic character.
They are also one of the main reasons I want to replay the game (and I am not typically one to replay games) as I feel like I didn't spend nearly enough time with them on my first playthrough (due to my trust issues)
They are also one of the main reasons I want to replay the game (and I am not typically one to replay games) as I feel like I didn't spend nearly enough time with them on my first playthrough (due to my trust issues)
I love the worldbuilding of "In Stars and Time"!
There's so much mystery and the world feels incredibly vast.
There's so much mystery and the world feels incredibly vast.
The people of Vaugarde, the land the story takes place in, share the Change Belief, which I find super intriguing and was always happy to learn more about.
They believe that change is good and something one should strive for. It's also inherently very queer and I love it!
They believe that change is good and something one should strive for. It's also inherently very queer and I love it!
For example, people typically have at least three names – a male, a female and a neutral one – which they can choose from as they experiment with and change who they want to be as they grow older. But some parents go wild and give their kids just a bunch of names!
Just an incredibly fun piece of worldbuilding.
And as Siffrin and Odile are from different countries with their own customs and beliefs, and Odile is a researcher, all information was just sprinkled in and came about naturally as you explored and conversed with your party.
No weird exposition whatsoever!
No weird exposition whatsoever!
Everything is done with so much love and intent, from the beliefs the characters hold, to the NPCs that inhabit the world.
I was immersed at all times and had so much fun finding out more lore as the game progressed.
I was immersed at all times and had so much fun finding out more lore as the game progressed.
The artstyle is very cute!
Everything is in black and white, the characters have cute little pixel sprites that walk over the map and every now and then there are little comic-panel-cut-scenes for special events and moments.
Everything is in black and white, the characters have cute little pixel sprites that walk over the map and every now and then there are little comic-panel-cut-scenes for special events and moments.
It's even explained lore wise why there aren't any colors, and the characters express their confusion when they talk about the concept of different hues. Super fun!
Each main character has a lot of different talking sprites which are all created and carefully chosen with lots of intent.
Every time a special scene played I got super excited – and it was way more common than I originally anticipated!
I mean!
Every time a special scene played I got super excited – and it was way more common than I originally anticipated!
I mean!
Look!!
At!!!
These!!!!
So so cute!
Just, so much love was put into the art of this game. I was in awe the whole time.
It's such a simple style, but so cute and pretty and I appreciate every little drawing SO MUCH!
Just, so much love was put into the art of this game. I was in awe the whole time.
It's such a simple style, but so cute and pretty and I appreciate every little drawing SO MUCH!
The writing of this game is in all honesty absolute perfection.
I have cried tears of joy and sadness several times while I was playing, the dialogue feels natural and heartfelt and every interaction feels so real.
I have cried tears of joy and sadness several times while I was playing, the dialogue feels natural and heartfelt and every interaction feels so real.
Every little line of dialogue, every flavor text, everything the characters interact with – it all feels purposeful, nothing feels out of place.
The story is amazing and I had so much fun progressing through the different acts.
The story is amazing and I had so much fun progressing through the different acts.
I was often playing on the couch, my partner playing games on his computer next to me, and every so often I would tell him what had just happened or what a character just said, because I was just overflowing with emotions and had to share them.
Absolute brilliant writing.
I strive to get to that level someday.
I strive to get to that level someday.
Everything you see here is art from the game itself!
