Sea of Stars (2023)

Starting with the good things, Sea of Stars is a beautiful game with vibrant pixel art and charming animations. The game offers striking visuals from beginning to end.

The gameplay is decent good even, but gets old by the midpoint. Reminiscent of Super Mario RPG mixed with Chronotrigger. The games unique mechanic is a lock breaking system. You are given the chance to cancel enemy attacks if you hit them with a combination of elements usually from multiple characters. This is interesting but sometimes becomes myopic where combat is entirely reduced to these puzzles. By the final 20% of the game about 20 to 25 or so hours in, the combat elements felt like a real drag on the experience.

The game included puzzles and many secrets to find. Most puzzles involved manipulating blocks in some way but there was enough variety to keep it interesting. Most puzzles felt achievable to me and didn't compel me to go look up a walkthrough.

Character customization was limited and armour and weapons worked on a straight tier up system. I would have liked some cosmetic changes to different armour and weapons but there were minimal to no changes, forgivable given how good the game looked. Most character customization came from talisman slots similar to ring slots in the Dark Souls series. It never felt that impactful to me but perhaps a better player could utilize them more efficiently.

The game offers a number of custom difficulty modifiers which I appreciated. I wasn't particularly good at the game so the modifiers made it much more approachable and were also able to provide quality of life elements.

Unlike the company's first game, The Messenger I didn't find the humour landed as well with me. Though some parts are still charming and funny, the majority of the dialogue is forgettable or at worst cringeworthy. Hopefully this will improve in any ongoing projects from Sabotage Studio.

The story was serviceable if rather basic. The world itself is somewhat interesting but the game rarely delves into it as far as I'd have liked so it comes across as ultimately shallow. The games worst sin is how flat the characters are, with very limited characterization especially the main characters. Much of the story seemed centred around one character, who I personally didn't mind but if you don't like that character you probably wont like story much. Other characters you meet are interesting but again the game doesn't delve deep enough into them for my taste. Really the majority of the game is combat with limited breaks to go do other stuff.

I don't regret playing this game, and if you enjoy Super Mario JRPG style combat or beautiful pixel art I would recommend it. If a game having a good story or in-depth world is important to you probably skip it. Having played this and The Messenger I am still interested in what Sabotage Studio puts out next, though I hope they learn from this game's shortcomings.

I love this game!

I don't think it's perfect, but the sheer charm and passion this game oozes is amazing! From the amazingly expressive pixel art, its lighting and vibrant colours, to its 3 different versions of each of its banger tracks (day/night/pirate shanty), to its meta shared universe with their previous work Easter egg lore dumps. It was impossible for me not to love this game

The combat is something akin to a mix of Chrono Trigger and Paper Mario. Turn-based but with an active component for extra damage/damage reduction.

The story is pretty troupey but I'd say the characters and the world will endear you regardless.

As I've gotten older (into my late 30's) it's been harder and harder to find a game that feels like it's worth finishing.

Sea of Stars captured this feeling, along with scratching a nostalgic itch I didn't know I had. I loved everything about this game. I found myself able to play an hour or so before bed every night, and it was just difficult enough to make things interesting, but not so much that it got my heart & head racing on trying to figure out how to beat a boss.

Graphics - While it's pixel-based, the colors from this game really pop, and all of the levels are beautifully designed. (My favorite part was actually travelling into the Sea of Stars for the first time -- what an acid trip of colors lol)

Soundtrack - An 8-bit masterpiece. I recommend headphones for this one.

Overall Gameplay - Delightful level design and tons of puzzles on each level to make exploring satisfying.

Combat - Traditional JRPG turned-based party combat system, where you can time both your attacks and defense to increase damage given/decrease damage taken. Again, the dynamics are intricate enough to keep things interesting, but not so difficult you're having to replay boss fights over and over again.

Story - This is what brings it all together -- this story was amazing. For the first time in years, I felt compelled to finish a game for no other reason than just to see how the story ended. There were twists, turns, and surprises along the way that I just didn't see coming.

TL;DR - I recommend this game if you love old-school games like Final Fantasy, Super Mario RPG, Golden Sun, etc. It’s one of those rare games that reminds you why you fell in love with gaming in the first place.

Sea of Stars really did its homework. As you play it, the seasoned RPG player can pick out dozens of influences, but it doesn't just mash together a bunch of popular ideas, it integrates them all beautifully and even improves a number of them

The most obvious comparator is Chrono Trigger, which in terms of gameplay and aesthetics, Sea of Stars both honours and builds upon.

Unfortunately the story in Sea of Stars is a major weak point, so the enjoyment of playing it really comes down to how slick the experience is. It's never a chore to play, even when the objectives get a bit repetitive towards the end.

Ultimately I spent a lot of my time playing this wondering how much more incredible Chrono Trigger would have been if it had 30 years of games before it.

I'm very sad that I have to pass on this game.

I play turn based games to avoid the intense focus needed in a shooter or action games. So, when a developer adds a mechanic that requires me to time my button presses it fundamentally undermines why I play turn based games.

I want to get lost in the strategy without a need to be locked into any specific moment in combat.

This is obviously a personal preference and I can see why someone would love this game. If there is a way to turn this off please let me know.

Sea of stars is an excellent RPG clearly inspired by SNES greats - with obvious influence from chrono trigger, star ocean, and Super mario RPG. The game's art is gorgeous, full stop, and it completely nails the 16/32-bit vibe it is attempting. The story is somewhat hit or miss, with pacing issues and underdeveloped characters, but some interesting beats and fun twists.

The timing-based combat system is engaging but often repetitive, and doesn't really come into its own until you have a full complement of characters to swap in and out. I didn't have the trouble that some have complained about with the arbitrariness of timing hits and blocks for the most part (though I immediately flipped on the relic to let you see when you've done it correctly, and I'd recommend doing so to anyone having trouble). I actually enjoyed playing with the artful gambit relic a bit more than I'd anticipated - a gameplay option that punishes you severely for missing timing but rewards you in equal measure for doing well, and I wish it was accessible earlier in the game. If I had any major complaint about the combat it's that certain attacks are way overbalanced if you have a handle on timing - Valere's Moonerang and Seraï's Venom Flurry were both extremely optimal for both groups and single enemies if you can time enough hits, and by the end I was fully sick of bouncing a blue moon off of Valere over and over again, and would often play suboptimally just to avoid it.

Sea of stars was unfortunate enough to come out at the same time as another throwback JRPG, Chained Echoes, and has drawn many unfavorable comparisons to that game, but I think that is a bit unfair. If anything, the games complement each other well - Chained Echoes is a bit messy but shines in the tactical layer of combat, the overarching story, and mechanical complexity and variety of builds and skills, while Sea of stars is gorgeously rendered, more action-oriented, and an overall more polished experience, if a bit less ambitious and novel.

I 100% completed the messenger shortly before playing this game, and while there are some fun tie-ins, I don't think it's at all necessary to enjoy Sea of Stars. Honestly, the relationship between the two games is a bit odd: without spoiling things, it essentially helps you immediately guess the ending, and also accounts for certain characters that otherwise appear to abruptly exit the plot with no explanation. The inclusions are cute though, and callbacks in the soundtrack in particular made me smile, so I'd say it mildly enriched the experience.

I would play this game if you are interested in a polished, gorgeous throwback RPG, that is very faithful to the SNES/GBA era in ways both good and bad - the 2D art and simple but satisfying combat shine, but the flat plot and tedious treasure-box hunting would also fit right into titles of that era.

Sea of Stars es un juego de rol por turnos inspirado en los clásicos del género, especialmente en Chrono Trigger, uno de los referentes más influyentes de la época de los 16 bits. El juego nos cuenta la historia de dos niños del solsticio, Valere y Zale, que tienen el poder de usar la magia del sol y la luna para realizar la magia del eclipse, la única capaz de hacer frente a las monstruosas creaciones del malvado alquimista conocido como El Carnicero. El juego se ambienta en el mismo mundo que The Messenger, el anterior título de Sabotage Studio, pero mucho tiempo antes, por lo que no es necesario haberlo jugado para disfrutar de esta aventura.

Sea of Stars destaca por su cuidado apartado gráfico, que combina el pixel art con efectos visuales modernos, creando un mundo lleno de vida y detalle. La exploración es muy fluida y dinámica, permitiéndonos nadar, trepar, saltar o interactuar con el entorno de diversas formas. El combate es por turnos, pero con un sistema de sincronización que nos permite aumentar el daño o reducir el recibido si pulsamos el botón de acción en el momento adecuado. Además, podemos realizar combos entre personajes, usar objetos, bloquear ataques enemigos y aprovechar las ventajas y desventajas de los diferentes tipos de daño. Los combates no son aleatorios, sino que se producen al entrar en contacto con los enemigos que vemos en el mapa, y no hay transiciones a un campo de batalla separado, lo que hace que la acción sea más inmersiva.

El juego también ofrece una gran variedad de actividades secundarias, como cocinar, pescar, navegar, escuchar canciones o jugar al famoso juego de mesa llamado “Ruedas”. Cada sistema está diseñado con respeto a los clásicos retro, pero también con una visión moderna que los hace más accesibles y divertidos. La historia está llena de personajes originales y arcos argumentales que nos llevarán por un viaje épico, emotivo y a veces humorístico, explorando temas clásicos de la amistad y la aventura, pero también sorprendiéndonos con giros inesperados y eventos propios de una producción de Sabotage.

Sea of Stars es, en definitiva, un auténtico homenaje a los JRPG de 16 bits, pero también una obra con personalidad propia que sabe innovar y ofrecer una experiencia fresca y satisfactoria. Si os gustan los juegos de rol de corte clásico, no podéis dejar pasar esta joya indie que os hará disfrutar de principio a fin.

A very good RPG, didn't quite reach the 5 star or 10/10 rating for me. I loved the aesthetic, the animation and colors are vibrant and beautiful. Character and enemy design were likewise terrific and each location felt unique and interesting. I think individual parts are stronger than the whole, I didn't quite get into the world building or story as much as I'd hoped. I'm also not a huge fan of hiding the true ending behind a bunch of side quests, but that's a minor nitpick.

Sea of Stars doesn't shy away from the fact that it's heavily influenced by Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana and Golden Sun - heavy hitters, though I don't think it rises up to any of those in terms of quality, it's pretty darned close. Huge fan of timed hits in turn-based combat!

Soundtrack is excellent (especially in the late part of the game). Garl rules!

Combat: Good. The button presses let it be more involved than the standard turn based game JRPG. Another plus is that the game does not need you to grind levels to beat enemies or bosses. it is a bit disappointing that there are not a lot of skills and most equipment don't give other bonuses except for the usual stat raise. in the later acts, fighting standard enemies felt repetitive and I'd rather avoid combat if possible.

Graphics and Sounds: Great. The pixel art aesthetic sometimes made it hard to distinguish interactable elements in puzzles and height of some platforms due to the perspective and shading.

Story and Writing: Disappointing. Some moments felt rushed and unpolished especially towards the later acts. (Garl's talk with the council threw me off. The way that scene was handled made me feel like he was just making stuff up)

I really wish I could just delete these from the game.

Even though I enjoyed this demo, I was a bit wary of the full game because of the price and how much it tried to be like Chrono Trigger, a game I wasn't the biggest fan of. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry, as I loved this. Combat is a lot more involved than CT, with being able to restore mana on normal hits (and on blocks if you have the accessory), button prompts for nearly every ability, managing your live mana, choosing your turn order, and managing your combo points. Later on, you can even use items as a free turn every round, making the game significantly easier if you want, but it was already easy enough without item abuse. The dungeons are also pretty nice, with some puzzles and great pacing. Sadly, the puzzles in here end up not really stumping you for more than a second, at least not until the optional end/postgame. I had hoped they also had a few fewer rest spots to force better food/resource usage. All the bosses had unique designs, and there are a lot of them! While they don't get too complex, there is a lot of variety in each encounter, making it very satisfying to fight.

Speaking of difficulty, the game is a bit easy on the baseline. There are some relics (pretty much accessibility options with some QoL) that do increase the difficulty, but the first one I found in the early game (4 or 5 hours in) was after I had already spent my gold, and then later on I just misattributed it to being the super expensive item, missing out on it. Meanwhile, the more interesting one was near the end of the game. I know it's partially my fault, but maybe the relic purchases shouldn't have been tied to the main game currency, or just give one of them early on for free like they do for others. I guess I'll just do a NG+ run with the relic later on.

The main cast here is all great, and I loved one of the later characters. You could tell they put a lot of effort into the animation of that character. The story was good, but I don't usually place too much stock in them, so YMMV. It did get me engaged for nearly the entire run-through, with twists I didn't see coming. You don't need me to say it, but the music is great, and I can already see myself spamming the boss music. There were a surprising number of references to the Messenger in the back half of the game. While you don't need to really know any of the story from there, it's nice to pick up on things you would miss otherwise.

Random other things...

• They really love to give you fights with limitations, like 5+ times at least, and I loved all of them (I want more JRPGs to do this)
• I enjoyed exploring here and felt the rewards were worth it. They include skills, cooking recipes, ultimate weapons, and rainbow conches (the main collectible)
• Traversal for everything but the main map (slow as fuck) was fun, especially when you get a certain upgrade
• The "sidequests" early on were mostly just random NPCs having little side stuff to do like clearing a field or feeding specific meals but, they got better towards the end
• The minigame might have a little too much RNG early on, and it's easy to abuse a strategy, although I still enjoyed it for reminding me of other similar games
• Cutscenes were used sparingly, but I felt they were effective
• I liked how it was a low-level numbers game
• This ending is going to be so divisive that some people are going to HATE it