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THE STARSHIP DAMREY
review | 3DS
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Publisher: Level-5.
Developer: Level-5. Released: May 2013 (Europe). Genre: Survival Horror. Posted 13th March 2026. By Shane Battams © 2026 |
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Part of the Guild02, The Starship Damrey marks quite a contrast to Bugs vs. Tanks! and Attack of the Friday Monsters! from the same compilation. A first-person survival horror designed by Kazuya Asano and Takemaru Abiko, both of whom harboured extensive experience in the games industry, TSD immediately comes off as cold and unnerving, even stating a lack of direction and tutorials at the start. However, after a few hours of exploring this ship and discovering the mystery behind it, the feeling is less terror and more boredom. It’s a shame, as this unusual title shows early promise.
Awakening in a cryo pod with amnesia, your character is allowed only remote access to robots outside with a guest sign-in. However, it’s soon clear that something terrible has happened aboard the ship, as numerous crew members are deceased, machinery malfunctions are rife, and power is down across several areas. While guiding one of the robots, you must uncover what caused all this, and try to resolve the myriads issues. It’s unnerving, short on dialogue and does a good job of initially creating unease. The ending is memorable for a shock twist, though it’s a shame that there are few story sequences during the main game, outside of a few CG scenes depicting key gameplay moments.
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The Starship Damrey starts promisingly, capturing a sense of tension and isolation
The sense of unease extends into the presentation. The environments are blanketed in darkness, gifting a sense of apprehension as you turn corners, and aiding the few jumps scares. Infrequent CG scenes look good, performance is steady, and everything looks solid enough. There’s also some nice environmental storytelling, such as each crew member’s quarters containing unique items, to give some sense of their personalities. The sound is a curio in itself: there is no music whatsoever throughout the game. It certainly adds to the atmosphere, though some moments might have benefited with an accompaniment to add impact. Nevertheless, the sound effects stand out further in the music’s absence, meaning the sharp sounds of machinery or creaks hit harder.
The problems unfortunately start with the gameplay. Though touted as a survival horror, The Starship Damrey more closely resembles a point-and-click. Movement allows you to make quarter-turns while clicking lets you inspect and interact with the environment. This setup comes across a touch clunky, as the small field of view means you often have to make minor adjustments to your position to interact with points of interest. It mostly boils down to finding an obstacle, seeking out an item nearby to clear it, and then proceeding. Your robot can hold only one item at a time, which results in further simplifying of puzzles. It results in a very basic adventure game which, despite boasting minimal tutorials, needs little guidance or tips to progress.
The problems unfortunately start with the gameplay. Though touted as a survival horror, The Starship Damrey more closely resembles a point-and-click. Movement allows you to make quarter-turns while clicking lets you inspect and interact with the environment. This setup comes across a touch clunky, as the small field of view means you often have to make minor adjustments to your position to interact with points of interest. It mostly boils down to finding an obstacle, seeking out an item nearby to clear it, and then proceeding. Your robot can hold only one item at a time, which results in further simplifying of puzzles. It results in a very basic adventure game which, despite boasting minimal tutorials, needs little guidance or tips to progress.
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Perhaps if there was a bigger sense of threat, the gameplay could be more forgivable, but as you soon find out, there is little peril experienced during this game. There’s the occasional moment of perceived threat, such as malfunctioning robots that attack on sight, but no matter how many times you walk into them, they cannot damage you or cause a game over. This means those scares (some of which will cause players to break a sweat) grow stale as you know there is no imminent danger. Ultimately, it results in an experience that grows rather dull by the end.
That being said, The Starship Damrey lasts only a few hours. Aside from a couple of moments where you could get stuck, most will likely finish the game in around four hours. There are a few extras to seek out, as 20 space leeches require exterminating, and certain actions change the ending slightly and reward a side story. Reading a save from one of the other Guild games also rewards an extra story. You’d still be lucky to break six hours in total, however.
That being said, The Starship Damrey lasts only a few hours. Aside from a couple of moments where you could get stuck, most will likely finish the game in around four hours. There are a few extras to seek out, as 20 space leeches require exterminating, and certain actions change the ending slightly and reward a side story. Reading a save from one of the other Guild games also rewards an extra story. You’d still be lucky to break six hours in total, however.
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The Starship Damrey proves a disappointment, given it starts with such promise. The haunting atmosphere is laid on thick and the creepy exploration might have been enjoyable if there was deeper puzzling or a sense of threat. Unfortunately, TSD lacks both, resulting in an experience that plateaus quickly and doesn’t develop much. Those with patience and a want for an unsettling story to experience may find value in this game, but for everyone else, it’s too short and unfulfilling to really stay in the memory.
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VERDICT
"Despite showing early promise, The Starship Damrey’s haunting atmosphere is undermined by lacklustre puzzles and the absence of real threat." OVERALL: 5/10 |
OTHER PORTABLE GAMES SET IN SPACE REVIEWED
The Swapper (2014, PlayStation Vita)
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Attractio (2016, PlayStation Vita)
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