We've documented 20 accessibility features for StarVaders, including Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, Select Difficulty, No Button Combos and No Repeated Pressing. Its accessibility is strongest in Reading and Visual but it also has features in Controls, Getting Started, Navigation, Audio and Difficulty to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked StarVaders accessibility 2 weeks ago.
Accessibility Notes
You play with just the mouse, and in order to play cards you need to drag them onto the appropriate square on the grid, which requires holding down the left mouse button. As the game is turn-based, there is no need for quick reactions and no section of the game is time-limited.
There are three difficulty settings you can pick between at the beginning of a run, which changes the types (and numbers) of enemies you face off against.
Text is high in contrast but smaller than 1/20th of the screen height. You can disable camera effects in the settings menu. Squares that enemies will attack on their next turn are highlighted in red, but also given a stripy texture, so there is no dependence on colour alone for that. However, the squares a card will let you move to are presented by colour alone, and a colour similar to the regular tile colour at that, so the game is not wholly high in contrast and does in part rely on colour alone.
Game Details
Release Date: Coming soon
Coming Soon: PC
Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Battle, Strategy (Collecting, Point-and-Click and Sequencing)
Accessibility: 20 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Cards, Cartoon and Grid
Developer: Axolotl Star (@AxolotlStar)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in StarVaders which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse Alone: Can play with just the mouse/mouse-button/mouse wheel.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Roguebook (10 Controls Features)
- Marvel's Midnight Suns (9 Controls Features)
- Slay the Spire (9 Controls Features)
- Monster Train (8 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Difficulty in StarVaders which deals with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play.
Difficulty Options
Select Difficulty: Select the level of difficulty from a range of presets. This not only offers a way to adjust the challenge of a game but enables you to do so without dealing with individual criteria.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Difficulty
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Difficulty accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Difficulty accessibility:
- Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (3 Difficulty Features)
- Wargroove 2 (2 Difficulty Features)
- Marvel's Midnight Suns (2 Difficulty Features)
- Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in StarVaders which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Monster Train (6 Getting Started Features)
- Slay the Spire (6 Getting Started Features)
- Pendragon (6 Getting Started Features)
- Roguebook (5 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in StarVaders which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a high school student (14-year-old) would appreciate.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (6 Reading Features)
- Wargroove (6 Reading Features)
- Wargroove 2 (5 Reading Features)
- Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Navigation in StarVaders which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Large Clear Navigation: The in-game navigation and maps are clear to read. They offer large text and offer markers that are large and of high contrast. Where text or information is small, there are settings to zoom-in and increase visibility.
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Menu Navigation
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Roguebook (7 Navigation Features)
- Monster Train (7 Navigation Features)
- Slay the Spire (6 Navigation Features)
- Wargroove 2 (5 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Visual in StarVaders which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Visual Distractions
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
No Busy Backgrounds: No distracting backgrounds or you can make them static or blank. This includes the absence of other movement elements in the background that might distract or confuse the action. Where foreground contrast is high, this includes games with some movement in the background that doesn't make it overly difficult to distinguish what is happening.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Neurodeck (9 Visual Features)
- Slay the Spire (9 Visual Features)
- Roguebook (7 Visual Features)
- Monster Train (7 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in StarVaders which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play StarVaders, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Audio accessibility:
- Pendragon (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall