Stars in the Trash Review
Catventure Stars in the Trash showcases expressive hand-made animation in an otherwise unremarkable game.
Stars in the Trash. Credit: Valhalla Cats
Stars in the Trash from Valhalla Cats is a love letter to classic animation. The style reminds me, particularly, of the art of storied animator Don Bluth, who worked in film and classic video games like Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace. While the game’s animation is beautiful, the platforming gameplay is overly simplistic and clunky.
In Stars in the Trash, Moka is a pampered housecat who lives in a suburban home but dreams of adventures outdoors. One day, Moka manages to escape and chases an alley cat into the city. Now, you must help Moka contend with a sadistic stray animal catcher who commands an army of sewer rats and rescue Moka’s best dog friend.
Stars in the Trash. Credit: Valhalla Cats
The narrative here isn’t very special. I appreciate that it’s conveyed without dialogue, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this year’s best silent animal story, Flow. However, the visual presentation shines. Backdrops are rendered in textured watercolor, while traditionally animated 2D cartoon characters done in the style of some of the classics populate the foreground. Moka and friends are expressive and a joy to watch. I just wish some of the animation was more varied; repeating animations for certain actions, such as playing with a ball or scratching cardboard, get old after seeing them a couple of times.
The platforming gameplay is simplistic and feels like filler in between story beats. Moka jumps and grabs ledges, rolls to dodge, interacts with objects, and does a single attack combo. None of the puzzles are challenging, and the few boss fights are a breeze. If not for the high quality of the character animation, I don’t know that I would have had the patience for this game despite its short playtime because it would be dull.
Stars in the Trash. Credit: Valhalla Cats
Stars in the Trash is worth checking out for its animation. Young children may enjoy the game most, as its simple action and forgiving difficulty make it very friendly to budding gamers. I admire what Valhalla Cats has achieved here with its graphics and characters, but I’d like to see them apply these qualities to more rewarding games with a little more complexity.
Stars in the Trash is available now for PC (Steam).
Overall Score: 6/10
Played on: Steam Deck
