Starlink: Battle for Atlas Reviews
Before you know it, Starlink turns playing with toys into something that feels an awful lot like work.
Instead of forcing story-based planet missions into a game that doesn't have an interesting story, Starlink should have doubled down on space combat. If it did, the flaws in the story would have been outshined by the constant joy experienced while dogfighting in space.
Overall, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a solid foundation if Ubisoft wants to make this into an ongoing franchise. Allowing you to play with or without the toys was a smart call, especially since if you're playing on the Switch and don't want to bring a bunch of toys with you. The world and characters they've created are intriguing enough for me to want to see more of it. If there was just a bit more variety, Starlink could be a fantastic franchise for both kids and adults alike.
With its exclusive use of some substantial Star Fox content, you're getting the best version of Starlink: Battle for Atlas on Nintendo Switch. And with a more accessible and ultimately enjoyable version of No Man's Sky's gameplay mechanics and Mass Effect's original vision, you're getting one of the best dogfighting/space exploration games you can buy outside of Elite: Dangerous. Its gameplay loop does run out of steam after a while thanks to the required grind, but with a surprisingly ungreedy approach to content access and toys-to-life integration, Starlink really could be the spark that reignites the genre's renaissance.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas lands on the Nintendo Switch with its additional vehicles, weapons and long exploration that make this more than just a space-based action game. While its visual environment could certainly be richer and its total price will be higher than that of most other games, Starlink presents a very engaging exploration component as well as its own Star Fox flair which fits perfectly in a Nintendo system.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is at odds with itself. Even if it has some cool mechanics, solid controls and plenty to do, there isn't enough diversity, story is underwhelming and the entry level experience is pretty limited. Even with all the content you're still better off going digital than physical, since the toy concept falls flat. Despite this, the Star Fox content is solid and it really is a fun game in short bursts. So, if you're looking for exploration game with plenty of small tasks, it's a solid choice, where as if you're hoping for the next big thing, this isn't it.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an entertaining blend of planet-hopping adventure and spaceship customization built on the back of the dormant toys-to-life genre. The level of care and detail put into making this unique slice of space isn't burdened by somewhat repetitive gameplay and exploitative systems.
Starlink: Battle For Atlas is a fun game that adults and children alike will enjoy. The planets are beautiful and the amount of customisations that can be made in the game is impressive. Ultimately, the missions get a little bit repetitive and the Nintendo Switch version leaves a little bit to be desired in the visuals department, but as far as Star Fox goes, this is better than most Star Fox games in recent times.
As frustrating as the experience can be, there's a lot of enjoyment — and potential — to actually be had..
Starlink certainly holds up in terms of gameplay and adventure. Another strong suit is the fact you don't actually have to buy any of the actual accessories since they can all be bought through the shop including the game itself, kind of like DLC. Whether or not you are a Star Fox fan, you should definitely give this game a go.
Starlink is a simple game, but that’s not necessarily bad.
If you're of a certain age, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an amazing prospect. It really nails the open world formula that Ubisoft has made famous and tones it down for kids. It's just too bad that the game doesn't hit the mark whenever it tries to achieve beyond that.
As an open-world game, Starlink lacks of creation, which probably reminds you some former Ubisoft games. But still, it has great combat experience, and allows you to explore different planets with your starship. So if you are a fan of space theme, Starlink is obviously a good choice for you.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
The only slight downfall to the game is the slightly repetitive nature of the gameplay but the overall enjoyment factor far outweighs this (especially with the unpredictable nature of the game like Space Outlaws) and at the end of your gaming day, you can walk away with a big smile on your face and then you can take it to a whole new level with all the modular toys available as toy truly meets game.
While Starlink shot for the moon and missed, it still managed to lands amongst the stars.
Despite the repetitive nature of Starlink, I still mostly enjoyed my time with it, and I think that's partially because it doesn't feel bloated content-wise. In the end, it's a game made for a younger crowd of gamers, and if I put myself in that mindset, Starlink is one hell of a good time.
There's no other title with quite the same approach as Starlink has taken and it's easily the best integration of toys to life that has been done so far.
Even without the toys, or even in spite of the toys, Starlink is a great game. Add in couch Coop and this is a fun way to get younger players into RPGs of this scope. It's also one of the few RPGs of this style that deal with space an technology and aren't just pure fantasy. With an interesting story to tell and compelling game systems Ubisoft has built a solid new IP. Hopefully they can continue to expand upon it into the foreseeable future.
An enjoyable story, solid gameplay and a respectable solution to the pitfalls of the toys-to-life concept make for a surprisingly good experience no matter how you play