Stellar Hunter 2

Some games challenge your skills. Some games make you think. Some even tempt your inner urges to murder, murder, murder, even if murdering consists of nothing more than a lump on an enemy's head from the sole of your boot.

And some games? Some games are just meant for relaxation. Stellar Hunter 2 is one of those games, and should ONLY be used for relaxation, 'cause frankly, it's not that good at anything else.

Concept

Stellar Hunter 2 does not boast some grand scheme for snagging stars out of the night sky. No story is needed: you're simply given a strange, circular capturing device with some magnetic pull and set loose on a series of levels full of stars. Catch as many stars as you can until they all vanish, then move on.

The rub? Well, there isn't one, actually. Just catch stars. The stars sometimes move in strange patterns, so it's... occasionally... a teensy bit difficult...

Yeah, let's get down to brass tacks. Stellar Hunter 2, no doubt like its predecessor, is a pretty game. Thaaaaat's about it.

Controls

You move the mouse around to catch stars. Wooooo. I often found that my browser screen moved when trying to move the mouse too high on the playing field, so even in this, Stellar Hunter 2 is a little glitchy - though given the relaxing method of play, it's no big deal.

Graphics

Ah, the graphics. One of two areas that actually matter in Stellar Hunter 2. Overall, this is indeed a pretty game: the star patterns are fun to watch, especially when they form intricate patterns, and the vibrant, cosmic streaks they leave in their wake are nifty enough to dazzle the eye.

Trippy, man.

Sound

Aside from the tinkling of stars upon capture, Stellar Hunter 2 relies entirely on a looping set of calm techno-and-happy-sci-fi songs to keep the ears enthralled. For the most part, the soundtrack works: it smacks of space travel, and is perfectly suited for the subject matter. Now, if it would just loop a little less often...

Challenge Rating

What challenge rating? There isn't one. This isn't a hard game. At all. Hell, I found myself completing levels while taking screenshots, and my disc of star capturing wasn't even MOVING. The challenge was getting snapshots of beautiful star clusters before they got sucked up by my static circle. And since there's no minimum number of stars needed to complete a level, you can happily miss most of 'em and still see the whole game through without worry.

Conclusion?

Stellar Hunter 2 is an interactive screen saver. You can play, if you want; conversely, you can sit back and watch the stars dance without so much as touching your mouse. There are no serious repercussions for utterly ignoring the game. Relaxation? Yes. Game play? Not so much.

PLAY STELLAR HUNTER 2