Monodon monoceros, more commonly known as the narwhal, is undoubtedly the coolest sea creature in the world. It’s a whale with a giant horn sticking out of its forehead — what’s not to love? Unfortunately, gaming has turned a blind eye to the narwhal’s majesty, as developers would rather make games starring more popular sea creatures like dolphins…or SpongeBob. After years of being wrongfully ignored there is finally a game that does the sea unicorn justice, and that game is Starwhal. Not content with being a just a game with narwhals, Starwhal ups the ante by sending them to space and having them fight to the death. The premise may sound fishy, but it’s all good clean fun worth sharing with any land or sea mammal.
Here’s what I liked:
Pierce the heart — Starwhal‘s main attraction is its multiplayer. There is support for four-player couch co-op, playable with any combination of human and CPU opponents. The rules are simple: stab everyone else in the heart while protecting your own. Everyone controls their own narwhal, steering its horn while the rest of the body ragdolls around. The controls are super simple, just steer and go, but the narwhal’s fast turning and bodily physics make staying in control challenging. Bodies fly across the screen as everyone is constantly bumping into each other, with intense slow-mo effects when damage is about to be dealt. Every match is pure madness, yet is a joy in which to take part. Rounds are usually over in a matter of minutes, making it easy to get in that rematch after a particularly brutal defeat. With four unique, customizable game modes and a varied selection of themed arenas, there’s loads of fun to be had.
Neon dreams — This game goes all out with its ridiculous premise. Narwhals come in a variety of bright, eye-catching colors with a bevy of customization options. Want a hot pink narwhal with an Afro and a cape? Done. But the madness doesn’t end there. Fights take place in Tron-like arenas over crazy space-and-nautical-themed backgrounds that look like they belong on the side of an awesome van. Play some techno music on top of everything, and you get an overall presentation befitting of gladiatorial sea creatures in space.
Here’s what I didn’t like:
Left alone — While Starwhal does have a serviceable single-player selection, it doesn’t play to the game’s strengths. Called “Challenges,” the single-player levels come in two flavors. Obstacles has you trying to reach an end goal, while Targets has you hitting a series of targets laid around a course. Both modes are timed, awarding you with medals for a good performance. While the levels are doable and can be fun the first time around, attempting to beat the clock is a pain. The controls were meant for imprecise floppy fights, and that brand of silly doesn’t come through when there’s only one character on screen. A frustrating amount of dedication is required to get platinum scores, even on some of the simpler levels.
Longevity — Ultimately your enjoyment game will vary based mostly on your attention span. While Starwhal is fun, it can wear thin quickly, especially if you play it in long sessions. Multiplayer is great and all, but beyond a modest selection of game modes there’s not a lot of depth to the whole experience. The game never gets more complex than just flying into each other, which may not stay entertaining in the long run.
Wrap-up:
Saying Starwhal is a fun game requires a few stipulations. It pretty much requires friends, and hopefully those who won’t take the game too seriously. If you want great single-player or something truly competitive, this won’t be for you. It’s the type of game that’s sole purpose is to simultaneously put smiles on as many faces as possible, which is where the game truly succeeds.
Score: Try It
Starwhal was developed and published by Breakfall. It was released on December 9, 2015 for $11.99. A copy was provided by Breakfall for review purposes.
