Stars In The Trash Preview

Stars In The Trash is a 2D platformer that pulls on nostalgia strings with its art style, which resembles animated movies so many of us grew up on. Developed by Valhalla Cats (one of the coolest studio names I've seen) and published by them and IndieArk, this game will have us play as a kitty named Moka: a spoiled cat who has big dreams — ones filled with adventure.

I love, love it when games try to bring back that ‘80s and ‘90s cartoon look; there's something downright magical about being able to play what I grew up watching. I also think playing as animals is a ton of fun, so this was a no-brainer to try during the Steam Next Fest. While the demo is quite short — taking me merely 11 minutes to complete — I enjoyed what I got to experience. Seeing the world through Moka's eyes was lovely, as a boring ol' house suddenly seemed like a grand adventure. A great example that comes to mind is the miniature boss fight against the vacuum and the sudden nap-taking after he found a cosy blanket on the ground. It makes the way animals experience life downright magical!

While I was a bit disappointed at how quickly the house sequence ended because I wanted to see more of the shenanigans he could come across, I do wonder what else will be in store in the grand world. This is especially true after seeing the trailer, which showcases a bit of the upcoming adventure, and it looks a lot like a story we would see in a kids' movie back in the "good ol' days". That being said, what I got to play wasn't a whole lot, so it makes it a tad difficult to envision how it will work, such as how the characters will interact and how the overarching tone of the narrative will be — is this going to touch on darker subjects? After all, the store page does mention emotional stories a few times, and anyone who grew up in the ‘90s knows how traumatising the movies were (I hope I didn't trigger any The Lion King flashbacks).

Jokes aside, the game seems pretty cool, and I think the Steam page summarises it well: if you like the idea of playing as a cat and experiencing an animated-classics-like adventure, then this is a great game to keep in mind! Just remember, it's expected to be about three hours of gameplay.

Stars In The Trash's release date is yet to be announced, but you can wishlist the game now (or play the game if Steam Next Fest is currently live)!