Even there are tons of games on the market that combine traditional turn-based combat and roguelike genres, I haven’t really played many. Despite this, I am well aware of the popularity of this mashup, with Slay the Spire and Loop Hero being games that I’ve heard plenty of praise about from my colleagues. So I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about, and decided to check out In Stars and Time from InsertDisc5. Did it manage to make me a believer in the formula? Let’s find out.

From trailers, the graphical fidelity wasn’t something I expected, lacking any semblance of color. I was quite intrigued, but there was this nagging feeling in the pits of my stomach. I was struggling to fathom how the repeating nature of a roguelike and the narrative chops of an RPG would marry. Actually, scratch that because I actually reviewed a game with this combination, and Loop 8 failed spectacularly.

Given the DNA behind In Stars and Time, the story and how it progresses isn’t what you’d expect. The bulk of the adventure has already been completed. You’ve gathered the party members, traveled the world, and collected the four orbs that act as keys to open up the entrance to the final castle. The foundation is cliche, but that doesn’t matter. What does is how the repetitive cycles of a roguelike will come into play.

Well, Siffrin, who I control, is aware of the loops. Each time they trigger one, they return to the past and gain the perk of adapting their replies in conversations. Basically, a second run might unlock responses that lead to a different branch of chatter, revealing additional backstory. It’s a creative method to get information that will later be crucial in solving puzzles – previously unsolvable puzzles.

Furthermore, a big draw for an RPG is the innate ability to flesh out these coded husks and give them a semblance of vibrancy. Due to In Stars and Time occurring during the climax, however, the development and bond building has happened. I was frightened that meant dialogue wouldn’t be as interesting as it could be, but, luckily, it seems I’m sorely mistaken.

This title does fantastic when it comes to setting expectations. I knew the details of the overarching narrative had already been solidified in the background. By understanding that, the camaraderie I saw from the jump wasn’t as jarring as anticipated. In fact, I reckon it’s bloody grand, being slathered in silliness. I even burst into laughter once, not due to hilarity but thanks to how out of left field the retort was.

When all is told, my session didn’t last long, clocking in at fifteen hours. During it, I could see that In Stars and Time is exploding with personality. It’s clear that dumb humor was the goal when penning the script, and I can confidently say that they nailed it beautifully. InsertDisc5 leaned into the lunacy hard, and their commitment is why it works as well as it does. 

Whether it be the childish mannerisms of, well, the bulk of the cast or those serious undertones from the one adult in the group, they mesh sublimely. Watching the banter fly felt authentic, reeling me into this universe without trouble. It establishes close connections by scattering breadcrumbs to their past, allowing me to infer unseen instances of growth. I enjoyed the time that I invested into my session and the ramblings that I had the pleasure of reading, especially one certain aspect.

See, Siffrin adores a good pun, and they aren’t afraid to take every opportunity to lay on a real thick one here. Sure, a lot of them can be seen as being cringeworthy, reaching dad joke heights, but that’s precisely why they resonated in such astounding fashion – they’re absolutely terrible, and I love it. 

I’m a huge fan, and that delight is helped further by the dynamic Siffrin has with Isabeau, the muscle head of the gang. He has this habit of egging on their behavior, excitedly celebrating whenever peer pressure wins. As I said, it’s definitely stupid, but there’s no denying how charming it is. It’s pleasant, and to boot, it’s simple to discern emotions. Punctuation usage is done to great effect to emphasize glee. 

Look, I came into In Time and Stars without expectations of an in-depth plot line, and then the bombshell dropped. There’s a deep metaphor hidden between the lines. It explores before criticizing sensitive topics like religion. I won’t get into it since I believe the magic is in discovery, but when you see it, it’s surprising.

It caught me off-guard since, after seeing the rambunctious shenanigans, in no world did I think it would cover that subject. It gave the narrative dimension, but the caveat is, like the mystery, it doesn’t click until a handful of hours in. Before that moment, I didn’t care about anything happening. Sure, while I’m certainly a fan of the characters, it’s only after a set period that the story catches on.

Rock, Paper, and Scissors is a method many use to settle disagreements, but In Stars and Time implements it as a means of determining enemy weakness. Look, my poor memory is documented, and I struggle with complex vulnerability systems. It takes embarrassingly long to grasp, but that’s no longer a problem. I knew what would be advantageous or what my foes were resistant to when I saw their type.

I appreciate the ease that it gave me, and granted, thanks to how streamlined it is, there isn’t much strategy. I got accustomed to mindlessly spamming attacks for optimal damage. I fell into a routine of repeating a pattern. While nothing is fundamentally wrong with that notion, it reveals a subjective gripe that muddled my experience ever so minutely.

A facet of turn-based RPGs that’s a favorite of mine is when I can see everyone’s stats increasing. Knowing that, at a specific level, they might be taught an ability that could prove devastating is exhilarating. Sadly, that feeling isn’t a factor in this game. Thanks to the roguelike DNA, proceeding through the only dungeon heavily relies on rewinding to the beginning.

Naturally, doing so causes both events and techniques to reset. I’ll be straight; that was discouraging. My sense of progression was hindered because I had to return to the start incessantly. I’m aware that that’s the nature of the design, and if I have hopes of rolling the credits, I have to bear it, but it still sucks. To borrow a trope of breaking up, it’s not the game’s fault; it’s on me.

To be fair, In Time and Stars does try to fight against a feeling of pointlessness. See, those aforementioned moves can be carried on, but not entirely. After adding one to my arsenal, I also acquire a memory alongside it. These remain with me through every cycle, which is the key. By equipping them, it causes the individual to remember that skill, even if they aren’t at the level that organically learns it.

This feature is objectively sufficient. I can retain anything beneficial that will make subsequent runs a breeze. The thing is that it’s psychologically difficult to grasp. I’m not sure if it’s OCD or if I’m an idiot, but I felt overwhelmed by the thought of deciding what to bring over. If that’s not terrible enough, I’ll find other memories that grant amazing techniques, making it impossible to choose since it causes my anxiety to do somersaults.

From screenshots, you can see that In Time and Stars is flaunting a monochrome aesthetic. Yes, it’s a visual choice, but I want to highlight how InsertDisc5 went as far as melding the lack of color into lore. The black-and-white overworld is officially canon, and I’m smitten with small flourishes like that. It helps breathe life into this world, giving the title a meta feel. Thanks to shading, you can differentiate trees and homes, as well as pick out any details.

What profits most, however, is the character portraits. Apart from being beautifully drawn, I have to highlight their various facials. They’re super expressive, which does a bit of heavy lifting in getting that emotion I mentioned earlier across. If you take that in conjunction with the dialogue, it paints a pretty concise picture of the cadence their words are spoken with. Let’s not ignore the fact that Mirabelle is adorable.

Alright, I lied because the style isn’t purely for the artistic flare, or at least, I don’t believe so. It takes a single listen to the soundtrack to see, or I suppose hear, what I mean. Depending on your age, a solitary note will blast you back to your childhood of playing on the Game Boy. Yup, I couldn’t shake the idea that In Time and Stars is an homage to that era, only the quality isn’t as grainy and is replaced by crisp musings.

The score is splendid, specifically the opening. I never needed to turn the volume down and throw on a podcast. Where it peaks, though, is the sound effects that are used to emphasize shock during silly moments – think of a kid being caught fishing through the cookie jar. It’s rather impactful and makes exchanges feel a tad bit more emotive.

To conclude, In Stars and Time isn’t the disaster I was ready for. It has good ideas and a charming cast that ties the experience with a bow. What ultimately hurts it is when it meanders into the hands of a JRPG elitist snob like myself. I missed the progression and being able to grind out levels to turn into a stud.

Still, as a package, this title is stellar. The music is superb. I love that it’s emulating the look and feel of a Game Boy title, and the writing is delightful. I don’t think the roguelike angle meshes with the JRPG one seamlessly, but that’s on me. When the narrative is important, having to rehash plot beats is tiring. Regardless, I still recommend In Stars and Time, but not if you’re like me.

 

Graphics: 8.0 It’s a wonderful looking adventure and I really do think InsertDisc5 did a great job with meticulously designing the map. It’s simple, sure, but the attention to detail in that simplicity is amazing.	Gameplay: 7.0 Everything works as it should. I’m able to fast forward conversations to make subsequent runs easier to digest, and battling isn’t complicated. I will say the lack of challenge does hurt it for older gamers, but for kids, it’s perfect.
Sound: 8.0 I think InsertDisc5 nailed it with the sound effects. The music is great, too. There’s not much to say about this section that I haven’t above. It gets a thumbs up, especially because it reminds me of my youth.	Fun Factor: 6.5 Sadly, In Stars and Time didn’t manage hold my attention for long periods. I love the excitement of working towards something, like abilities, or higher damage output, and that’s simply not here.
Final Verdict: 7.0

in Stars and Time is available now on PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

A copy of In Stars and Time was provided by the publisher.