Game: Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space
Genre: Adventure, Point-and-Click, Puzzle
System: Nintendo Switch (also available on Steam (Windows & macOS))
Developers | Publishers: Dexter Team Games | Flynn’s Arcade
Age Rating: US E10+ | EU 7+
Price: US $9.99 | UK £9.99 | EU € 9,99
Release Date: March 3rd, 2022
Review code used, with many thanks to Flynn’s Arcade.
It’s really been a while since I enjoyed a LucasArts point-and-click game. These were story-driven puzzle games from the late 80s and 90s, much loved for their writing and often wacky humour.
Thanks to Dexter Stardust, I got to relive my childhood and revive an appetite for “ye olde” adventure games.
Dexter plays like a LucasArts adventure. It sounds like one. It even looks a bit like one. To top it off, the game makes obvious references to old classics like Loom and The Secret of Monkey Island. If it’s a tribute, it’s an excellent one, especially for a solo developer’s debut game.
Taco Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Our titular hero is a space errand boy who loves tacos. He’s super chill and so amiable you can’t help but like him. But he tends to get into trouble, which is great because, what good story doesn’t begin with trouble?
From the episode titles, you can guess what sort of trouble Dexter runs into: “The Robot from Planet X,” “Escape from Mars,” etc. If you’re getting the impression that this is all rather cartoony, well, it is. But it’s a well-done cartoon. One of the vehicles you’ll drive is a flying saucer, but who says you should never use tropes?
The humour is as cheesy as Dexter’s favourite nacho dip. But it’s a wholesome dollop of humour, the sort a kid and parent can both laugh along to. Embrace it as a Saturday morning cartoon and you’ll have a good time. Visually, the game evokes Matt Groening’s Futurama but you won’t find much innuendo or crassness here (in Dexter’s world, the trending curse word is “Space!”).
Story and Writing: Cheesy Goodness
Dexter is a compelling protagonist, thanks to good writing by developer Jeremy Fryc and voice acting by Munk Alejandro.
The dialogue really took me back to the 90s, as its style and humour are virtually identical to the LucasArts flavor, especially Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. Two hilarious conversations stood out: one with the viceroy on Ganymede (or as Dexter says, “Granny Mede”); and one with a girl scout on Mars, debating pixel art.
What’s unique in the writing is the inclusion of languages other than English, particularly Spanish. It helped bring supporting characters to life. I like that the developer saw no need to explain every unfamiliar word to an English-speaking audience. The fact that I didn’t understand every word did not detract from my enjoyment of the story.
By the end, I was both satisfied and ready for Season 2. This title only covers Season 1 of Dexter’s adventures, but the plot ends in a good place.
Gameplay and Puzzles: More Bite in the Middle
The game’s episodes vary in length and amount of puzzle-solving. Episode 3 is the most puzzle-heavy and also the most satisfying, with lots of locations to visit and items to experiment with. In a way, this episode feels like the real meat of the game, with other episodes simply serving as, um, the structural support of a tortilla wrap.
Generally, puzzles weren’t difficult. Rarely was I stumped for a long time. When I got stuck, it was usually because I missed seeing an item. There were 3 or 4 hard-to-spot items, but most had been hinted at.
It really helps that important clues are highlighted in dialogue text. These clues came in handy when the solution was otherwise obscure.
On the Switch version, Joy-Con controls are excellent. I never needed the touchscreen. Dexter can fast-walk if you double-tap, so set your fears to rest: Traveling between locations can be done quickly.
It took me 7 hours to finish the game, but that’s partly because I experienced major bugs in the review copy (version 1.0). Minus those bugs, which have since been fixed and patched, I reckon you can finish the game in about 3 to 4 hours.
Conclusion
Is there a place in 2021 for old-school point-and-click adventures? Absolutely, and Dexter Stardust proves it. This is a great title for kids and adults alike, with a likeable protagonist and well-designed puzzles. If you like story-driven puzzle games, go for it!
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up 
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