Developer: Schneeritter Studios (Published by Shady Corner Games)
Genre: Match-3
Store: Steam, GOG, Kagura Games Store
Reviewed version: Final
Censored: No
Patch Needed: No
OS: Windows
Language: English
At first, I expected Galactic Pick-up Artist to be just another Huniepop clone, but I couldn’t be more wrong. It features so many unique elements it makes the game stand out among the rest of its genre.
Pros
The gameplay is solid and very original
Both the backgrounds and the characters are pretty
The soundtrack is good and fits the setting.
Cons
There’s a drop in quality in some sex scenes
The game is a tad short
Story
You’re an unnamed commander who is on a week-long space expedition along with his all-female crew. Of course, your priority here is not to accomplish your mission but to woo any of the girls in the short time you’re there. Due to the game’s short length, the plot is barebones and lacks character development. However, the dialogues are enjoyable, and there’s a different ending for each girl.
Additionally, it has a unique feature that surprised me in a good way. When it comes to visual-novel-styled narrative, most games usually don’t tell the player whether they made a good choice or a bad one until they reach the end. In contrast, this game tells you right away the result of your choice, though one wonders if the tips it gives you would work in real life.
Gameplay
Overview
The gameplay mixes exploration with match-3 mechanics and visual novel elements. Each day is split into three phases: Early, Late, and Night. During the Early and Late phases, you can improve your characters’ skills or date your crew members. In the night phase, you explore nebulas in search of anomalies.
L-Let’s go on a date
Its core mechanics are similar to games like Huniepop: you have to increase your affection by matching tiles of the same color before you run out of turns. However, the main difference lies in having six different statuses to raise instead of just one, and each of them has a minimum and maximum limit.
I like how original this system is and how it pushes the player to take a different strategy. Instead of just making lines, you have to plan which tile you move to avoid wasting turns or, in the worst case possible, failing the date because you matched too many tiles of the same type.
To infinity and beyond!
The exploration segments consist of exploring nebulas in search of anomalies while you avoid asteroids or hostile ships. Each of them is an obscured, procedurally-generated map with a grid-like interface, and each square becomes visible as you move through it. I have to say it took me a bit to get the hang of it, but I ended up enjoying it.
What I liked the most was how they managed to link this part with the whole dating system. The amount of stress varies based on how well you do in this section which, at the same time, influences the number of turns you have on each date. Moreover, each successful date gives the ship some upgrades like extra fuel or increased firing range depending on the girl you date.
That’d be delightful~
The game mechanics in the sex scenes reminded me of the ones found in other games like Wish or Mirror. Like in the previously mentioned games, you have a limited amount of turns and actions to increase the girl’s desire; nevertheless, more actions become available as her desire increases. The mechanics are solid, even if it doesn’t take much effort to unlock everything. The best part is you can replay each scene in the Free Play section in the main menu, but this time without turn limits.
Art
I have mixed feelings about the art. On the one hand, both the backgrounds and the characters’ models in the dialogue segments are pretty but, on the other, there’s a noticeable drop in quality in the sex scenes. Some characters look a bit off-model as if the art was rushed (Ilya’s scene, in particular, stands out the most).
Music and Voice Acting
The game features partial voice acting, meaning the actresses only said a few lines, moans, and noises to convey the girl’s mood instead of complete lines. They did a good job, although I think it’d have been better if Miyuki was just breathing heavily at the start of her sex scene. It just feels a bit odd to hear her moan loudly before doing anything to her. Regarding the soundtrack, it’s pleasing to listen to and fits the setting and the vibe of the game.
Bugs & Issues
The game was buggy back when it was released, having both minor and game-breaking bugs, but the devs fixed all of them. While I think they should have delayed the game’s release date a few days to get enough time to fix those issues, it’s noteworthy how fast they took care of them.
Final Thoughts
Galactic Pick-up Artist is a neat and original dating sim fans of the genre will like. The game is enjoyable even if it’s flawed and takes a bit to get used to its game mechanics, so give it a chance, especially if you’re looking for a game that differs a bit from your typical Match-3 game.