Starlink Battle for Atlas Review – Stupider Like a Fox!

Starlink is a toys-to-life game from Ubisoft Toronto in which a gang of adventurers desperately work together to save all life in the Atlas star system. An ancient threat rises to destroy the galaxy and the only solution is teamwork, dedication and a whole lot of luck.O

Or if you own a Switch, the solution is Fox.

“What the eff?” you ask?

Starlink Review

Nintendo exclusive content means that in addition to the regular cast available in Starlink Battle for Atlas, you can take control of the Arwing as the iconic leader of Team Starfox. Fox’s ultimate ability lets you summon members of Team Starfox to help you take down the more dangerous foes.

I was going to include a video of some classic Lylat Wars style shootin’ n tootin’ but every time I activate the ability, the music goes wild and I forget that I’m writing a review for the game. 

Oops!

Don’t Stop Me Now!

After Peppy got me to chuck a couple of sick barrel rolls and I calmed down I started to explore the first planet. Almost immediately our protagonist is ambushed by a sizeable group of low-level grunts.

A cinematic plays that introduces these cheap enemies as Imps and suggests which configuration of weapons would be most suitable to tackle these foes. While I didn’t have the physical toys I was in no way limited with my selection of weaponry.

The full armoury was available to me right off the bat. I quickly learned that as easily as I would duck in and out of battles, so too would I interchange blasters, missiles lasers and gravity cannons to gain an advantage over my opponents.

I really appreciate being able to enjoy the full game without clearing out my shelf and wallet to fit all these toys in.

Extra Purchase Not Necessary

The game is really big and the exploration is very enjoyable. It can take a bit of time to travel between worlds and points of interest but I think that’s completely fine considering we’re dealing with interstellar travel.

It suits the world the game is set in and after you’ve made the journey once, you’ll be able to fast travel to the destination. This cuts out travel time for those who are in a rush to smash troublemakers.

I don’t wanna get too deep into the story but a ‘real loose unit’ intent on ultimate power is awakening ancient powers to reanimate a legion of crystal powered murder-bots.

It’s some classic sci-fi fun but it does come with a bit of a childish tone. One of the editors at PowerUp! pointed out to me that it’s like a Saturday morning cartoon and that has been more accurate than any description I’ve generated in my playtime.

It’s not a terrible thing, the jokes are just often a bit cheesy. The tough characters feel less like hardened veterans of interplanetary fighter pilot combat and more like edgy 15-year-olds.

The ones who got a couple of beers in last Christmas after Mum went to bed and reckon they know their shit now. You know the ones.

I distinctly remember the three Carlton Drys Dad left out for me in 2010, so this game works for the adolescent I never ceased to be.

The Hunt is On

At its core, Starlink is a spaceflight exploration game with arcade shooting. Players need to explore the systems and planets, scan local flora and fauna and make sure they shoot bad guys in the face while they’re at it.

It works really well, especially with the Starfox characters and a huge amount of content to explore. Best of all, with such a huge universe to explore, Ubisoft has made it simple to swap between missions with the press of a button. 

I think this game can be easily enjoyed by adults and kids alike. The unique worlds are chock full of unique flora and fauna as well as enemies and allies to observe, battle and aid in a constant struggle against the forces of evil.

However, I would recommend to purchase this game on the Switch as my deepest enjoyment has stemmed from the unique missions available to Team Starfox as they rally to stop one of their greatest foes.

Starlink Battle for Atlas was reviewed on Switch using a digital code provided by Ubisoft.