VTubing has become a significant cultural phenomenon over the last decade. Over the years, we’ve seen VTubers become household names in different countries. VTubing has a hold on the entertainment industry, and one of the biggest in the business is hololive. They’ve branched out to other business models as well, including games publisher holo Indie. holo Indie is an avenue for indie and fan game developers to create official hololive games, which brings us to the latest title, Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to reach the sky.
Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to reach the sky is a Metroidvania game starring founding hololive member Tokino Sora. It can be hard to stick out in the world of Metroidvania, but it’s a genre I’m always happy to play. While most of my knowledge of hololive is through cultural osmosis, I was still interested in this game. So, how does Star Soraight Fantasy hold up to someone not as invested in its title character? It’s a simple Metroidvania, one I still wanted to do everything in, but one that won’t leave much of an impression for anyone not already a hololive fan, which isn’t a bad thing.
Transported to Another World in Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to reach the sky
In Star Soraight Fantasy, you play hololive founding member Tokino Sora. During a live performance, Tokino Sora is suddenly transported to another world. She isn’t alone, though, as other hololive members are also here, but no one knows why. Items important to all of them here too, and scattered throughout the world. All that’s left is to explore this strange world and try to get back home. Only you can solve the mysteries here and get back in time to finish your performance.
That short paragraph is the whole story of the game, since it’s concise. It’s enough to get the game going, and that’s all it needs to do, but I wish I felt more for the characters of the game. If I were an active follower of hololive and its VTubers, I probably wouldn’t have these issues, but without prior knowledge, the game doesn’t reveal much about them. I think I have enough knowledge about Tokino Sora, but I can’t say the same for any of the other VTubers here. While it may seem like a minor criticism, it begins to carry over to the entire game, so it’s clear that this game will mostly cater to hololive fans instead of newcomers.
Metroidvania Inspiration
Star Soraight Fantasy is a 2D Metroidvania with some 3D environments. The core gameplay involves you exploring a 2D environment while fighting enemies. You will also have to solve puzzles as you fill out the map and find essential items for your journey. There is also a 3D area to explore called “The Nun Nun Square” that needs to be restored to its former glory. You will do this by collecting “Sora Coins” hidden throughout the map. There are also shops you can unlock to purchase upgrades, different dance moves, and expressions.
This game is filled with all the traditional Metroidvania elements you expect, and it does well enough. While it’s serviceable, it doesn’t truly excel in any of the genre’s aspects. The platforming feels too floaty, and I found myself wishing it were tighter. None of the puzzles annoyed me, but very few made me think deeply for a solution. I can say the exploration was fun, but it only had a few great moments.
The combat isn’t particularly noteworthy, either. You have a basic sword attack, with two magic attacks that are swappable, and a ranged one. Combat encounters often felt like a way to pad out rooms instead of providing enjoyable encounters. The game’s bosses also feel like this. Combat doesn’t go past this until the last couple of rooms after you get a complete kit, but that is only a fraction of your total playtime.
There is also some customization, but not in the way you expect. When in “The Nun Nun Square,” you can walk around a 3D environment and even dance or change expressions. You need to purchase new emotes, expressions, or dances, but it won’t take too long to do so. This customization is only in the 3D area and doesn’t add much to the game for me. Fans of the character will probably get more out of this than myself. Again, this game is more for current fans of hololive than fans of the Metroidvania genre itself.
A Serviceable, Fan-Focused Game
The presentation of Star Soraight Fantasy is not much to write home about. Character and creature designs are generally well done, but the environments feel somewhat bland. The music didn’t stick out to me that much either, but it might for fans. One weird feeling I had the more I played was that it felt like a mobile game that had been ported to PC. It would explain the UI and some of the control issues. Even on the start screen, it says tap to continue, which feels odd for a PC release. This never hinders the game, and it’s just a thought that wouldn’t leave me the more I played.
Although the presentation fell flat for me, it wasn’t a significant issue. You can tell this is a passion project from an independent team, which is great for hololive fans. It’s clear this is for fans, and while I am not in the core demographic, I can’t lie and say the evident passion isn’t endearing. While playing, I also did my own research into hololive and the games’ VTubers, which feels like something the developers would have wanted. A company officially licensing a fan game from passionate developers is a win in my book, even if the end product is not entirely for me.
Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to reach the sky is a game that has given me mixed thoughts. It’s a serviceable Metroidvania but does nothing to elevate the genre. While fans will probably love it, I can’t say the rest for others. Even if I can’t call myself a fan, I can say I still had a fine time with the game. It can be beaten in an afternoon, and I even went out of my way to 100% it. The evident passion on display in Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to Reach the Sky does edge it out a little, but your mileage may vary.
Disclaimer: holo Indie provided a Steam key of Star Soraight Fantasy: Magic to reach the sky for review purposes.
