Review for The Last Star Walker (Ch. 3)
Where to start with this one? Unfortunately, The Last Star Walker struggles to deliver on the core elements of a good visual novel (VN), and I’m not sure the developer fully understands what makes a VN tick. A great VN needs both compelling visuals and a well-written script, but in this case, while the visual and audio aspects shine, the script is a hot mess that leaves much to be desired.
Visuals & Music: The Bright Spots
Let’s start with the positives. The renders in this game are beautiful. The character models and environments are clearly the result of a lot of effort, and it’s evident that the developer has spent time making them look appealing. The lighting, textures, and detail in the renders help elevate the experience, and I can give the game credit for that.
The music is also solid. It feels appropriate for the setting and the tone of the scenes, with transitions happening at the right moments to match the changing dynamics. You don’t often feel that awkward jarring shift in music when a scene changes, so credit where credit’s due here as well.
The Script: Where Things Fall Apart
Now, onto the real issue—the script. The Last Star Walker reads like a collection of random ideas jotted down on index cards rather than a cohesive, flowing narrative. After three chapters, I still have no idea where the story is going. The world-building is unclear, and there’s a distinct lack of character development or logical progression. It's hard to get invested in a plot that doesn’t seem to have direction.
The narrative shifts between two worlds—one sci-fi and one medieval—which could have been interesting, but they’re both underdeveloped, and I’m still unsure how they tie together. There’s a mention of a device in the sci-fi world that might link to the medieval one, but it's never explained clearly. Instead of fueling intrigue, the plot just leaves you confused and frustrated.
Character Choices: Meaningless and Confusing
The game starts by asking you to choose a name for your character and whether you want to play a dominant or submissive MC. You’d think these choices would impact how your character behaves or interacts in the story, but they don’t. I chose “More Dominant,” expecting my MC to act accordingly, but in the first few chapters, it’s clear that the MC’s behavior is pretty much the same regardless of the choice. Especially when it comes to the sex scenes with futa/trans content, where the MC is constantly being dominated, even if you’ve chosen a dominant option.
This issue becomes even more glaring when you opt for the default name “Kai.” In this case, you aren’t asked about dominance or submission, nor are you given the chance to name your alter-ego. This suggests that the choices you make at the start have zero impact on the story or how your character is portrayed.
The Characters: Underdeveloped & Disjointed
Kai (in the sci-fi world) is a complete "soy boy" cliché, which, okay, but the character development is stagnant at best. Meanwhile, Sai (in the medieval world) acts with more confidence and decisiveness, but you’re still treated like garbage in both universes. It seems like the choices you made about your MC's personality don’t matter at all—whether you’re supposed to be dominant or submissive, you’re just going to be treated poorly no matter what.
The interactions with other characters also feel stiff and unengaging. There’s no real chemistry, and the dialogue feels forced. With both worlds being underdeveloped and the MC’s role in them unclear, it’s hard to invest in the relationships or the story.
Slow Burn? More Like a Non-Starter
I’m all for a slow-burn story, but after three chapters, I still don’t know what’s going on or where things are headed. The updates feel short, and there’s no clear indication of progression, making it feel like we’re stuck in a perpetual build-up with no payoff. I would have been fine with a slow-burn story if there was something to grab onto, some spark of intrigue, or a coherent narrative thread. But after three chapters, all I’m left with is confusion.
Conclusion: Potential Wasted
The potential for The Last Star Walker is definitely there—beautiful visuals, good music, and the seed of an interesting concept—but the game falters when it comes to delivering an engaging narrative and meaningful character choices. The lack of a clear plot, coupled with the nonsensical character decisions and unpolished writing, drags the game down significantly.
Between the broken MC choices at the start and a script that feels like it’s going nowhere, this game loses 2.5 stars right off the bat. Since we can’t rate half-stars, I’m settling on 2 stars. I would love to see this game get the rewrite it needs, as it could be so much better with a more focused script and better execution of the player’s choices. As it stands, I can’t recommend it unless you're okay with a confusing mess of a story.
Where to start with this one? Unfortunately, The Last Star Walker struggles to deliver on the core elements of a good visual novel (VN), and I’m not sure the developer fully understands what makes a VN tick. A great VN needs both compelling visuals and a well-written script, but in this case, while the visual and audio aspects shine, the script is a hot mess that leaves much to be desired.
Visuals & Music: The Bright Spots
Let’s start with the positives. The renders in this game are beautiful. The character models and environments are clearly the result of a lot of effort, and it’s evident that the developer has spent time making them look appealing. The lighting, textures, and detail in the renders help elevate the experience, and I can give the game credit for that.
The music is also solid. It feels appropriate for the setting and the tone of the scenes, with transitions happening at the right moments to match the changing dynamics. You don’t often feel that awkward jarring shift in music when a scene changes, so credit where credit’s due here as well.
The Script: Where Things Fall Apart
Now, onto the real issue—the script. The Last Star Walker reads like a collection of random ideas jotted down on index cards rather than a cohesive, flowing narrative. After three chapters, I still have no idea where the story is going. The world-building is unclear, and there’s a distinct lack of character development or logical progression. It's hard to get invested in a plot that doesn’t seem to have direction.
The narrative shifts between two worlds—one sci-fi and one medieval—which could have been interesting, but they’re both underdeveloped, and I’m still unsure how they tie together. There’s a mention of a device in the sci-fi world that might link to the medieval one, but it's never explained clearly. Instead of fueling intrigue, the plot just leaves you confused and frustrated.
Character Choices: Meaningless and Confusing
The game starts by asking you to choose a name for your character and whether you want to play a dominant or submissive MC. You’d think these choices would impact how your character behaves or interacts in the story, but they don’t. I chose “More Dominant,” expecting my MC to act accordingly, but in the first few chapters, it’s clear that the MC’s behavior is pretty much the same regardless of the choice. Especially when it comes to the sex scenes with futa/trans content, where the MC is constantly being dominated, even if you’ve chosen a dominant option.
This issue becomes even more glaring when you opt for the default name “Kai.” In this case, you aren’t asked about dominance or submission, nor are you given the chance to name your alter-ego. This suggests that the choices you make at the start have zero impact on the story or how your character is portrayed.
The Characters: Underdeveloped & Disjointed
Kai (in the sci-fi world) is a complete "soy boy" cliché, which, okay, but the character development is stagnant at best. Meanwhile, Sai (in the medieval world) acts with more confidence and decisiveness, but you’re still treated like garbage in both universes. It seems like the choices you made about your MC's personality don’t matter at all—whether you’re supposed to be dominant or submissive, you’re just going to be treated poorly no matter what.
The interactions with other characters also feel stiff and unengaging. There’s no real chemistry, and the dialogue feels forced. With both worlds being underdeveloped and the MC’s role in them unclear, it’s hard to invest in the relationships or the story.
Slow Burn? More Like a Non-Starter
I’m all for a slow-burn story, but after three chapters, I still don’t know what’s going on or where things are headed. The updates feel short, and there’s no clear indication of progression, making it feel like we’re stuck in a perpetual build-up with no payoff. I would have been fine with a slow-burn story if there was something to grab onto, some spark of intrigue, or a coherent narrative thread. But after three chapters, all I’m left with is confusion.
Conclusion: Potential Wasted
The potential for The Last Star Walker is definitely there—beautiful visuals, good music, and the seed of an interesting concept—but the game falters when it comes to delivering an engaging narrative and meaningful character choices. The lack of a clear plot, coupled with the nonsensical character decisions and unpolished writing, drags the game down significantly.
Between the broken MC choices at the start and a script that feels like it’s going nowhere, this game loses 2.5 stars right off the bat. Since we can’t rate half-stars, I’m settling on 2 stars. I would love to see this game get the rewrite it needs, as it could be so much better with a more focused script and better execution of the player’s choices. As it stands, I can’t recommend it unless you're okay with a confusing mess of a story.