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

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 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.

This title is a beautifully crafted homage to classic 16-bit JRPGs like Chrono Trigger and Golden Sun. Its pixel art is stunning, filled with rich detail, dynamic lighting, and smooth animations that make every location feel alive. The soundtrack, composed by Eric W. Brown and featuring contributions from Yasunori Mitsuda, perfectly complements the game’s nostalgic tone while offering memorable melodies that elevate key moments. Particularly speaking this all may not sound like a big deal, but when it comes to the atmosphere and overall artistic value of this title, this is one of the best out there solely because of it's presentation and OST.

The turn-based combat adds modern twists to familiar mechanics, such as timed button presses, combo attacks, and a “locks” system that encourages strategic thinking. This mechanic feels a lot like the ones you see on Mario RPG on the SNES or the Paper Mario on the N64 platforms, it is very satisfying and simple enough to make it engaging. Exploration feels rewarding, with optional activities like fishing, cooking, and puzzle-solving breaking up the pace of the main quest. The world design strikes a balance between linear storytelling and moments of freedom that invite curiosity, especially because it uses things like a world map to explore, with a lot of obviously hidden secrets out in the blue for you to try and find a way there.

However, the narrative and character development don’t always reach the same heights as the game’s presentation. This is especially bad because Garl exists, he is so much more charismatic than the rest of the group that it feels unfair. The protagonists are likable but somewhat shallow, and the story’s pacing can feel slow in the early hours. Customization is also limited, with few ways to meaningfully alter your party’s abilities or combat approach over time, though this is a good thing if you prefer focusing on the other elements despite the simplistic combat.

Despite these flaws, this game succeeds as a heartfelt and polished tribute to a beloved era of RPGs. It captures the charm and warmth of its inspirations while offering enough refinement and flair to stand on its own. This is a must-play for anyone who misses the magic of classic adventures told through pixel art and music, especially if you are a fan of the classics. I consider this one of the best RPGs that I've played, but I just can't say "of all time" due to some rough edges, and I know a lot of people ended up disappointed way more than me.

This title also lives inside of the same universe as "The Messenger", and it shows, you get immersed on a lot of it's elements if you are familiar and played this one (which I immensely recommend), and it is a nice nostalgic experience. In my opinion, this title is quite amazing, very few games can tackle the challenge of making simple enough RPGs, with good enough elements. Overall it doesn't blow you away in any of it's aspects, but the sum of the elements makes up for an incredible experience. It has some shocking events through the journey but I won't spoil anything since it would ruin the experience.