Starlink – Battle for Atlas
Available on PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
1-2 local players (note: a second ship must be bought)
The label “children’s game” usually tends to cast a slur on any title. Yet in the case of Starlink: Battle for Atlas, it seems to fit the final product perfectly. Beware, however, of the trap of acute collectionitis. Children, to your ships!
Here we find everything that made Ubisoft’s productions successful (but also, at times, repetitive). Starlink is a bit like an “introduction for children” to this universe. It is a science-fiction action game, and I am glad that the youngest players face a difficulty that sometimes gives them a hard time! Always winning is not good, and video games are also a way of learning to manage frustration.
Fighting in space…
… and on the ground
I was expecting an experience that wouldn’t fly very high (irony strikes) and I was very pleasantly surprised. Even if the missions can be somewhat repetitive, there are plenty of things to explore, on different planets, so that you never get bored. The flying sensations are very pleasant and smooth. What a pleasure to leave the ground and reach the stars in a few seconds! The storyline is easy enough to follow, but may need a little help from parents to grasp all its intricacies. Space battles also mean weapons and ships. There are therefore shooting sequences which, although visually not very violent, can nevertheless cause stress in the youngest players. This brings us back to the question of frustration in the event of defeat.
Among the side missions, you are sometimes asked to study the local fauna.
What makes Starlink particularly original is the addition of a plastic figurine representing the ship you steer. You must own one in order to play, the first being sold with the game (allow €80). Plugging the toy into the console makes it materialise in the game. Since each new piece in your fleet, extra weapon or pilot costs between €8 and €30, rest assured that it is by no means necessary to invest in these additional toys to finish the game. On the contrary, the principle of “clipping” weapons onto the ships loses its charm fairly quickly, and you realise that all of this could have been done naturally via a menu. Beware too of the drama if a piece gets lost: at that point, it is no longer possible to play.
Superb settings, varied from one planet to the next.
Gathering resources and improving the various planetary infrastructures will help to repel enemy invasions.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a good game, offering a vast and thrilling experience, for which the extra figurines add nothing. To loosen tongues rather than purse strings, here are a few suggestions for discussion with your children:
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The value of money, in a game and in its accessories
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To play with two, you have to buy two ships: how do you choose the 2nd one well?
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Is it less violent when you shoot at robots from a ship? (disembodiment of a form of violence)
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How do you stop in an open world where there is always something to do?
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Bonus topic to impress your children: did you know that a famous French YouTuber voices one of the main characters? (Norman)
To discover the game and its content on Twitch, follow this link: http://urlz.fr/7JkA
niels.weber@semperludo.com
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