A Hoverboarding Adventure Across a Mysterious Planet
When pitching a film to a studio executive, using comparisons to well-known films is a good way to sell the idea. For instance, one might say a project is like Star Wars meets La La Land to pitch a musical set in space.
I think game developers use some of that pitching magic as well, perhaps describing a new concept as Elden Ring meets Fortnite. Surely the end result would be an absolute blockbuster?
Well, with Star Overdrive, the concept feels like a compelling mixture of SSX, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and a bit of Mass Effect thrown in.
Crash Landing on Cebet
In Star Overdrive, you play as Bios, whose spaceship looks like something out of Guardians of the Galaxy, what with its blend of sci-fi and an ’80s retro vibe. You receive a broken emergency message from your partner, Nous, who is trapped on the planet Cebet where something awful has occurred. As he heads toward the planet, Bios is shot out of the sky and crash-lands on the surface.
You find yourself alone on a huge planet with just your hoverboard as your travelling companion. Can you find Nous and discover what happened?
The story is a good one, full of mystery and intrigue. As you progress across the world, you find a lot of visual storytelling that offers clues about what has happened on the planet. I won’t spoil anything here – it’s for you to discover – but expect to also happen across additional snippets of messages from Nous that begin to fill in the gaps as you progress.
Hoverboarding Bliss
The main focus of the gameplay, and a key mechanic, is the hoverboard, which takes you across the planet in a fun and quick way. You accelerate down inclines and can perform tricks in the air to improve your speed. Later on, you will find races scattered across the map to hone your skills. This mechanic never gets dull, and there is a simple pleasure in zooming around Star Overdrive, flipping around on the hoverboard.
There is a host of exploration to be had, with puzzles to solve that won’t prove overly difficult. In terms of its exploration puzzles and some of the creatures you fight, this is a game that is very much reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Enhancing Your Journey?
Star Overdrive also features combat, but it isn’t the best part of the experience. In fact, whilst it all works well enough, it does feel a bit bland, and every time I entered a battle, I was glad when it was over.
Star Overdrive offers a lot in terms of crafting; you can collect resources from all around the world to make your board faster and nimbler around corners. You can also acquire powers along the way, much like in an RPG style. Some of these are enjoyable and aid in both exploration and combat.
And honestly, I found the experience entertaining, at least for a while. After that, the gameplay loop became a bit predictable, and there is no doubt that the world can feel very lonely at times.
Cosmic Colours and Retro Rhythms
The opening cutscenes present the world and its characters in a comic book style, using cel-shaded artwork. When you arrive on the planet Cebet, Star Overdrive does a great job with its blue skies and vast, dusty plains. There are different biomes to travel through too, all which are complete with their own distinct looks and designs.
Alongside that, and the soundtrack is excellent, featuring a mixture of synth-electronic music and guitar rock that perfectly fits the action of gliding around on your hoverboard. You can also collect cassette tapes which add new, equally excellent tracks.
A Hoverboarding Blast with Combat Quibbles
Star Overdrive delivers, what with its colourful world and strong Breath of the Wild influences. The hoverboard mechanic is the best thing about the gameplay; it never gets boring to glide along, doing tricks as you explore the planet. The story is engaging, and the world has its own secrets to discover too. That said, the combat is perhaps the weakest part of the game, failing to ever click with me. I particularly wasn’t enjoying myself during the boss battles, especially when the “Game Over” screen appeared.
Aside from that though, Star Overdrive is a game that delivers a lovely sci-fi retro adventure, and for that, it deserves your attention.
Important Links
High-Speed Hoverboard Action is Coming as Star Overdrive Boosts onto Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC This June – https://www.thexboxhub.com/high-speed-hoverboard-action-is-coming-as-star-overdrive-boosts-onto-xbox-series-xs-ps5-and-pc-this-june/
Blast into the Sky with Star Overdrive on Xbox, PlayStation and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/blast-into-the-sky-with-star-overdrive-on-xbox-playstation-and-pc/
Buy Star Overdrive on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/star-overdrive/9NFC60K6V0BH/0010
Take home a Deluxe Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/star-overdrive-deluxe-edition/9NBFZJCXXPDP/0010
