I’ve been shouting about Astrologaster since 2019, when a build appeared in my inbox one day, and yet I still don’t know exactly how to classify it. I’m loathe to call it a visual novel even if, mechanically speaking, the shoe fits – you mostly listen to conversations between two people, and make a few decisions to move the story forward. But we often think about genres in certain terms, and to my mind a visual novel usually bestows its player with greater control, and a greater urgency to achieve a specific goal – “I have to catch the killer!” “I have to make this person like me!”
Astrologaster reviewDeveloper: NyamnyamAvailability: Out now on PC, iOS and Mac, coming February 18th to Switch
By comparison, Astrologaster really doesn’t care about you all that much. If I have to call it anything, I want to call it a play, set in 1592. It takes place on a stage, with characters in a scene standing on marks, the city background like something crafted from wood painted in bright colours, each scene beginning with you unfolding the stage like a pop-up book, which is especially charming on the Switch when you slowly drag your finger across the screen instead of using the shoulder buttons to flip the page. Since it’s set in the Elizabethan era, it also features authentic theatre music of the time, complete with the ever-delightful lute and a choir singing Madrigals.
Astrologaster Official Trailer – Available now Watch on YouTube
You follow the story of Simon Forman, a real-life astrologer and physician who was well-known in Shakespeare’s social circle. The in-game Forman gains considerable acclaim by curing the plague by divining a cure from the stars, and from then on receives a colourful cast of patients in his clinic. This is where you come in – instead of taking control of Doctor Forman, you’re essentially an oracle, playing the part of the stars Forman reads. A patient will describe their symptoms, and Forman will ask you for a cause. You then make a choice between different constellations, each shown with an interpretation that may or may not fit your querent’s situation.
Players not actually being omniscient is what makes divination in Astrologaster fun and frustrating in equal measure. I venture that with the descriptions provided for each constellation, you can guess a patient’s illness with little to no problem, but it becomes more difficult the more personal their questions get. In a few cases, I literally used history as my guide, which was fun because it showed me that life really does write the best stories sometimes.