Radiant Starlets

About Radiant Starlets

Radiant Starlets is a high-difficulty 2D action platformer from indie studio Buster X Buster. Released in late 2026 for PC, it tasks you with playing Dream, a robot evading capture by collecting 8 power fragments across 8 distinct stages. Each level features hand-drawn environments and optional armor upgrades that tweak movement and combat. The twist? You choose the boss order, and each sequence reveals new plot details about Dream’s origins and the world’s collapse. The game leans heavily into precise platforming and boss mechanics, with a retro vibe and modern polish. It’s not just about survival, it’s about figuring out which boss to tackle next to unlock secrets and avoid getting stuck in a dead-end path.

Gameplay

Radiant Starlets is all about timing, route optimization, and boss-specific strategies. You’ll spend most sessions running, jumping, and dodging hazards while gathering currency to buy armor sets that grant abilities like double jumps or shield bursts. Boss battles are the highlight, with each one having unique patterns and phases that shift based on your chosen challenge order. Early runs might focus on brute force, but later attempts require memorizing enemy tells and chaining upgrades for efficiency. The stages are linear but crammed with hidden paths, and missing a collectible forces a full restart. Controls are tight but unforgiving, death resets the entire level, which can add 20, 30 minutes to a session if you’re not careful. The single-player campaign is 100% solo, with no co-op or save scumming.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rate Radiant Starlets 8.2/10, with 47% beating all 8 stages. Average playtime is 11.6 hours, but 35% of players give up by hour 6. The game’s most common mood is “frustratingly fun,” with 62% of reviews calling it “rewarding on repeat attempts.” Community stats show 35% completion for the main story, 22% for all armor sets, and 9% for 100% collectibles. Critics praise the boss design but question the lack of save points. One user wrote, “The last 3 stages are a marathon of retries,” while another said, “No other game lets you ‘date’ a boss by beating them in a specific order.” Achievements (38 total) focus on speed, boss order permutations, and secret finds. The game costs $24.99, and 68% of players say it’s worth the price for the challenge.

PlayPile's Take

Radiant Starlets is for players who love punishing action-platformers with deep replay value. The boss order system is clever, but the lack of mercy for mistakes could alienate casual gamers. With 38 achievements and a completion rate under 50%, it’s clear this is a game for completionists. If you enjoy mastering mechanics over time and don’t mind long death loops, it’s a solid $25 pick-up. But if you prefer relaxed exploration over grinding for speed, skip it. The story is thin, but the stage design and boss fights make it stick around in memory. Worth a try if you’ve finished games like Celeste or Hollow Knight and want something even more grueling.

Storyline

In a bleak future where the world’s population is on the brink of collapse, you play as Dream, the only Perfect Companion Robot ever built; designed to be the ideal partner. You must avoid the grip of the Starlets who seek to claim you as their own. Your permanent power supply has been broken and split into 8 pieces that you need to retrieve or else you will run out of power within the year. Each piece that you gather will bring you closer to understanding what you really are. Explore the stages and find your armor sets and upgrades for your health and power-ups. Uncover secret routes and collect your parts so that you can continue to survive and escape your would-be captors, as well as learn a bit more about your potential partner!