In Stars and Time

In Stars and Time can be unforgiving, but if you're a sucker for story-driven RPGs with roguelite mechanics and tricky puzzles, you won't find many better options out there. It's a difficult game to beat quickly, with our initial run taking us just over the 45-hour mark. Aside from the small problems like some unclear visual cues and minor lag issues, the game plays brilliantly. The characters are loveable and feel incredibly authentic, and the story is deeply engaging. Just be warned - almost every item becomes important at some stage. There are heaps of rooms, hidden passages, and corridors, and you'll need to remember where everything is if you want to progress. Keep a pen and paper handy.

If In Stars and Time catches your eye, I don't think you will be disappointed. Come for the nostalgia and quirk, stay for the laughs and tears.

If you’re a person who maybe saw an antagonistic meme once about “quirky indie rpg about depression” and decided to make hating those your entire personality, move on — there’s nothing for you here. But if you’re willing to engage with content about mental health seriously, and explore the concepts of life, death, what what it would actually feel like to be trapped in a loop, forcing your friends and family to do certain tasks repeatedly — then you’ll find a thought-provoking and well-written story within In Stars and Time.