Starlink: Battle for Atlas

Visually, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is beautifully presented on the Nintendo Switch from its high quality cut-scenes to detailed in-game graphics from the diverse planets which are a true joy to visit. The visual detail on these planets is quite impressive and more importantly, they do look different and do look alien in origin. There’s also some great special effects employed from sun-flares to massive dust-storms that just makes the whole experience a very immersive one and the frame rate is very stable on the Switch.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a stellar achievement. Through its fun and accessible cast of characters, solidly made toys-to-life component, and beautiful graphics, Ubisoft has hit the ground running. With the addition of a healthy amount of Star Fox content, the Switch version is definitely the preferable way to go, but regardless of your system Starlink is a remarkably entertaining game, and an auspicious launch for a new gaming universe.

There’s no other title with quite the same approach as Starlink has taken and it’s easily the best integration of toys to life that has been done so far.

A great game of exploration.

With its exclusive use of some substantial Star Fox content, you’re getting the best version of Starlink: Battle for Atlas on Nintendo Switch. And with a more accessible and ultimately enjoyable version of No Man’s Sky's gameplay mechanics and Mass Effect’s original vision, you’re getting one of the best dogfighting/space exploration games you can buy outside of Elite: Dangerous. Its gameplay loop does run out of steam after a while thanks to the required grind, but with a surprisingly ungreedy approach to content access and toys-to-life integration, Starlink really could be the spark that reignites the genre’s renaissance.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a fast-paced and gorgeous space adventure that offers the toys to life option for collectors and a strong digital edition for those who just want to play. With fantastic controls and epic music, the game is marred by a drop in texture from time to time and unfortunately repetitive and stale dialogue outside of the campaign. Building and leveling up ships is a lot of fun, and some of the battles can be truly epic. Starlink has quickly become a game hard to put down and I hope this is the beginning of a growing franchise.

Starlink as a new franchise isn't perfect, but it's still a whole lot of fun. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 71]

As an open-world game, Starlink lacks of creation, which probably reminds you some former Ubisoft games. But still, it has great combat experience, and allows you to explore different planets with your starship. So if you are a fan of space theme, Starlink is obviously a good choice for you.

Ubisoft has managed to create a really great title. It has a good story and a great gameplay that will make us play it for many hours. Its graphic and sound section will delight science fiction fans. However, you may not like the price of additional ships and if you do not buy them, you will not be able to enjoy the full game.

A great space opera for kids, which includes fast combat, deep exploration and some strategic elements. The use of toys and split screen multiplayer fits perfectly in the game. Switch version adds Starfox (with his own campaign, starship and allies).

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a surprise hit for Nintendo Switch. Furthermore, embedding Star Fox in was a masterstroke. From a surprisingly good score and audio cues from characters, to stunning vistas and scenery, there are many positives to be had. There will be many who appreciate the large number of tasks to do, but others will be deterred by the repetitiveness of them, although these are largely optional. The main issue is essentially asking what point of sale is the best value for money as no option is cheap.

I eventually abandoned the physical toys for the convenience of quick onscreen tweaks, and the road to victory had some bumps and dips with balance issues and some repetitive mission structures. Nonetheless, I found a lot to like in Starlink’s uncomplicated and wholesome sci-fi campaign. And I have no doubt that the 11-year-old version of me would be at least twice as thrilled.

Starlink is a streamlined but impressive space opera in a wide open star system, giving you the freedom to get lost in space or just warp around for the story, and on Switch it makes awesome use of the Star Fox crew. The physical toy element is a lot of fun and adds a great dose of tactile play, but if it isn't for you you're at no disadvantage for going digital.

A title that begs for a sequel. As a proof of concept, it’s an absolute success as there are plenty of impressive moments and pieces of tech that help it stand out from other massive action games.

The story has enough to keep you engaged and the inclusion of Star Fox is inspired. I don’t think this is the game that will reboot the toys-to-life genre, but I believe that it has enough to live on as a standard IP. I, for one, would be delighted to play through more adventures in the Starlink universe.

With a gorgeous visual design – even on Nintendo Switch, it’s a striking-looking game – an enjoyable gameplay loop, fantastic audio design, and a lively cast of characters, there’s plenty to like in Starlink: Battle for Atlas.

Like a mashup of Star Fox and No Man’s Sky, Starlink: Battle for Atlas features space combat, exploration, and a solid story to scratch your deep space itch. While presented as a toys-to-life game, the toys are entirely optional. Instead, opt for the digital version, which will get you additional content and greater convenience for about the cost of a physical Starter Pack. It’s definitely the best way to play.

It looks great, plays beautifully, can be surprisingly challenging, and puts a fresh and fun spin on toys that come to life inside games.

Starlink Battle For Atlas revives the ‘toys to life’ concept but making a step forward in the process. Ubisoft Toronto achieves their intention to conjugate both exploration and flight phases with a true sense of wonder from the very start until the end. Recommended not only for children but also for hardcore players.

While Starlink shot for the moon and missed, it still managed to lands amongst the stars.

Crammed with gorgeous worlds, thrilling combat, and engaging mysteries, plus an arching plot that doesn’t speak down to its audience, Starlink is toys-to-life, all grown up.

At its core, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a fantastic space exploration game, with solid flights, fights and enemies, but can be a complicated toys-to-life proposition to recommend, and understand.

One surprising but welcome feature is an option for split-screen, local cooperative play. At any point another player can hop in and play right alongside you.

A fantastic sci-fi game that’s well worth playing no matter how old you are. The physical toys are attractive enough to adorn any shelf, and robust enough to actually be played with, while a large collection of ships isn’t essential for completing the game, and there’s even an option not to use them at all. It’s a shame then that the story doesn’t quite live up to rest of the game’s promise, but you might be having too much fun to notice.

Even without the toys, or even in spite of the toys, Starlink is a great game. Add in couch Coop and this is a fun way to get younger players into RPGs of this scope. It’s also one of the few RPGs of this style that deal with space an technology and aren’t just pure fantasy. With an interesting story to tell and compelling game systems Ubisoft has built a solid new IP. Hopefully they can continue to expand upon it into the foreseeable future.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an ambitious action and exploration game for the Nintendo Switch that brings with it an array of toys which will be required to fully unlock every element in the game. Featuring a great degree of customisation, lengthy exploration and even the presence of Nintendo’s own Fox McCloud, its visual environment feels like a bit of a let down and the overall cost to obtain everything will be higher than for other games but this is certainly an interesting and worthy adventure to engage with.

Once you put aside Starlink’s somewhat confused nature and design, what you’re left with is a genuinely enjoyable open space adventure. It offers a fun little story (boosted by the presence of the Star Fox crew), enjoyably exotic worlds to scoot around, and tight, clean, and efficient combat. Remembering that ultimately Starlink is aimed at a younger audience, it’s hard to argue that the development team have in any way gone wrong in delivering both something new, and something that recalls the nostalgia from their own childhoods.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a surprising experience. Ubisoft Toronto created a rich game, plenty of contents and sutable for all ages. Unfortunately, it lacks in variety, but could be a good base for a new series.

A great re-imagination of the toys-to-life concept with great ideas, a solid line of toys and great visuals. Unfortunately it seems that together with the rather mediocre story in the last third Ubisoft Toronto ran out of inspiration when it comes to mission design.

Starlink marks a bold and intriguing return for the toys-to-life genre. An engrossing if ultimately flawed space journey.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas can become a good starting point for a new franchise with a toys-to-life concept done the right way. Sadly, its repetitive nature lacks the ingredients to keep you hooked.

Ultimately the toys-to-life aspect feels like it gets in the way of an otherwise competent and fun space shooter that’s packed to the brim with things to do. Flying ships feels great and the occasional difficulty spikes rarely take away from the excitement of tearing through the atmosphere onto a new planet’s surface. But not all platforms are created equally, with the Switch’s Star Fox content shining as a bright point.

Starlink: Battle For Atlas feels a bit like No Man's Sky with a bigger development budget. The game is a very decent space-opera and the toys are cleverly used. The narrative is quite a let-down though and the price is still high, even for players who only want the digital content.

Our hope is that Starlink can really become an ever-expanding game. Like the universe.

A solid and very enjoyable space-fighter themed take on Ubisoft's traditional open-world formula. It has a good amount of content and is a genuinely fun experience. The only thing dragging it down is the vestigial toy system, which works against the rest of the gameplay. Fortunately, the digital version of the game allows you to entirely side-step that trouble and contains enough content at the regular retail price to make it worthwhile.

Starlink is a solid and interesting title with some good ideas, and the physical ships work pretty well. It may get a little bit repetitive, but overall is an enjoyable adventure.

The world and characters they’ve created are intriguing enough for me to want to see more of it. If there was just a bit more variety, Starlink could be a fantastic franchise for both kids and adults alike.

As conflicted as I am about Starlink Battle for Atlas, one thing is clear: if you’re buying it, you should definitely get the Nintendo Switch version. Not because you get the extra Star Fox content, but rather two in-game starships — that advantage means your chances for survival instantly double without breaking the bank.

Starlink is a game I expected to groan and roll my eyes at. Instead I found myself enjoying it on multiple levels. The StarFox content makes it a must-own on Switch though. It feels like a chapter in his journey. Nintendo has done well to partner with Ubisoft on their projects, and it is paying off. While the toys are unnecessary this game is heaps better than it has any right to be.

It's a clever take on a somewhat redundant genre, and it's hard not to be impressed initially with Starlink: Battle For Atlus. Despite some serious repetition there's a whole lot to like here and the Star Fox content makes the Switch version the one to get, if you want it. Its the closest thing to a Nintendo Switch Star Fox but I suspect you could see it in bargain bins before too long.

Combat does get harder later, but it stops short of doing anything new or interesting. But it does its job well enough for a parent to steal the controller of their kid for a few battles. That old rivalry with Star Wolf needs to be settled.

Starlink is a real little Space Opera open world, which is both very neat in its implementation but also in its gameplay and game system, more complex than it seems. In any case, we take a lot of fun to "clean" all the objectives of these 7 planets, in the purest tradition of Ubisoft games ... And despite its lack of variety. Except maybe with the StarFox scenario on Switch, definitely the best of the three versions even with the (small) downgrade.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas preserves some of the complexity that makes deep space sims so rewarding by striking a healthy between fidelity and delight; a complicated toys-to-life scheme may dampen the experience for some, however.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a promising new IP dedicated to younger players, allowing them to explore a vast and fascinating universe. Despite the bland story and a certain repetitiveness, we were conquered by the compelling gameplay. If Ubisoft is able to fix the weaker aspects of the game, the future of Starlink could be promising. Sadly the decision to sell separately every single element of the game could keep the players away.

Starlink Battle For Atlas is probably the best way of doing a toys-to-life game, but the game itself is a bit repetitive. Thankfully the fights are spectacular and there are many amazing combo's to make, which kind of saves the game.

While Starlink may be a bit expensive for some, there's a tremendously fun game hiding beneath the toys-to-life options. The core combat loop stays satisfying throughout the journey. It's a great first entry in a new IP and I'm excited to see what else Ubisoft does to expand on the universe and gameplay.

The toys are unnecessary, but Starlink: Battle for Atlas is still an enjoyable space adventure.

A good game that's robbed of greatness by a lack of ambition and terrible toys-to-life implementation. Everything it gets right – the clever mix-and-match shipbuilding, the combat, the controls, the imaginative alien worlds, the decent space opera storyline – can’t escape the vortex of tedium that comes with pedestrian mission design, planets that are mechanically the same, and the crushing knowledge that people who buy just the Starter Pack are getting an unquestionably inferior experience.

Clearly, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is repetitive and its storytelling is more than conventional. But the dogfight and the big open world are just so much fun. A good addition to the toys/video games cross-over.

This is as close as I’ve ever come to the action Picard experience. The rush of breaking orbit, discovering ancient ruins; these are the surface pleasures of the sci-fi daydream. This game does not offer up the spiritual majesty of truly great science fiction, the full Picard diplomat uncovering new truths about life, but it doesn’t have to. It’s precisely what I’ve been searching for for a long, long time.

Starlink is an interesting and enjoyable open-world game, one that fully understands the appeal of exploring new planets and dogfighting in the cold depths of space. With a small fleet of ships at your disposal, it can be a lot of fun to progressively assault and weaken the Forgotten Legion's hold on the galaxy. It's just a shame that if you're interested in the physical models, you'll have to spend more to get the same experience as the digital version.

The game did manage to successfully birth a soul into those pretty pieces of plastic. Players will want to nurture them, and Atlas is a fine enough place to do just that.

It’s clear there’s some friction between the vision for Starlink and what we’ve come to expect for Star Fox as the two don’t mesh together perfectly, but what Ubisoft manages to accomplish is pretty remarkable. It’s a good game with a lot of small flaws, and this imperfect union shows amazing potential. It’s repetitive and certainly could use some more polish, yet it’s still strangely addictive and fun. If Nintendo is smart, they’ll continue this collaboration with Ubisoft, only hopefully next time it will be a dedicated Star Fox project instead of a tacked-on console exclusive.

Starlink: Battle For Atlas is a fun game that adults and children alike will enjoy. The planets are beautiful and the amount of customisations that can be made in the game is impressive. Ultimately, the missions get a little bit repetitive and the Nintendo Switch version leaves a little bit to be desired in the visuals department, but as far as Star Fox goes, this is better than most Star Fox games in recent times.

Starlink is a fun game, with great toys to play with and solid combat to back it up. Unfortunately, the sloppy story and barren explorable worlds hold back what could have been a great return to form for the toys-to-life genre.

Frustrating platform elements and rote missions prevent Starlink from being as good as its promise deserves.

A fascinating combination of gaming trends that doesn't quite stick the landing. [Issue#336, p.68]

It's a shame that, for all those nifty custom USB sockets, there's no real connection to be found here. [Christmas 2018, p.112]

Instead of forcing story-based planet missions into a game that doesn’t have an interesting story, Starlink should have doubled down on space combat. If it did, the flaws in the story would have been outshined by the constant joy experienced while dogfighting in space.

A muddled mess of good intentions and corporate greed that ruins a promising space adventure with needless repetition and horribly expensive toys to life gimmicks.

My time with Starlink: Battle for Atlas was surprising, but that doesn’t mean that it was positive. It’s got lot of potential that goes unrealized since the story and quests are a wash and the toys-to-life aspect is DOA, but the ship mechanics are dead-on and it’s not hard to imagine how some retooling and editing could result in the best Star Fox game ever made. This Battle has been lost, but I believe that Ubisoft can ultimately win this war.