Starstruck: Hands Of Time Demo: Guitar...Legend?

What the hell did I just play? According to the title, it’s called Starstruck: Hands of Time, and it’s wicked. Yeah, init, bruh. In a bit of a mad panic to download as many demos as possible during The Big Adventure Event, ’tis was a mere glimpse at the screenshots that coaxed me into this indie. Little did I know what I was entering…

First of all, the options didn’t allow for any mouse input, which posed a problem: a couple of weeks ago, I upgraded/downgraded to a 60% keyboard without dedicated arrow keys. Man, that was a ball-ache to go through the settings. 

But getting to Starstruck: Hands of Time gameplay offered no real clarity. The AI informs you in the spaceship you are piloting through space to boot up an .exe file. You also choose how your hand is represented; its length, girth, and shade. Why?!

Fear not, friends! Starting this program triggers a friendly neighbourhood adventure following Edwin, his pal Zach and potential love interest Dawn as they look to get their band together and finish off what Wyld Stallions started.

instead of this being a little skit or even QTE, it’s a bona fide Guitar Hero experience

The visuals in Starstruck: Hands of Time are ace, using stop-motion like models but 3D generated. You’ve entered this toy town where you can directly control our friend Zach but are immediately thwarted on your way to a gig by the local bully. Breaking away from the story, the AI informs you that you can escape from this predicament and create a very literal path for our hero to follow by booting up a different timeline.

Now that hand customisation comes into effect as your actual hand (well, not yours, silly), appears in the town and demolishes everything in its way, unlocking a hammer and then smashing the nails that prevent Zach from entering the abandoned building where he’ll be performing. Still with me?

Heading up to the stage to greet Dawn, she invites you to perform. However, instead of this being a little skit or even QTE, it’s a bona fide Guitar Hero experience as you switch up the fretboard, either playing in the normal or hardcore mode. I played Starstruck: Hands of Time with a DualSense, but there’s the option to use a Guitar Hero controller. Coincidentally, I got my Band Hero boxset out over the weekend…

I do have a penchant for stop-motion and associated animations, so the Starstruck: Hands of Time aesthetic worked perfectly for me, but not so much the music. It was a bit too… flowery for me, and I’m a bit on an eclectic that likes everything. While I wasn’t expecting anything by Electric Wizard, it’d have been nice to slam some power chords into the mix.

Still, the controller system and timing were perfect. There was zero lag, and ignoring that I saw triangles and circles in lieu of actual frets, I felt like I was playing the instrument. Though I would have preferred the bass, and perhaps even a solo?

Yet another surprise title, I loved the absurdity of this game, and despite not connecting with the actual music, Starstruck: Hands of Time is thoroughly charming and has thus made that illustrious list, that is the Steam wishlist. Good job, Createdelic. Good job.