Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars feels like something special. It lovingly honors RPGs that came before it, while also setting its own course. I kept happening upon NPCs, design decisions, and even lines of dialogue that stuck with me. Everything flows together so well and is paired with a heartfelt story that feels innovative while building upon a classic kind of adventure.

The production philosophy of Sea of Stars can be described with a single verb, a single categorical imperative: "to prune". Like a gardener who observes a tree and chooses which branches to cut away, Sabotage Studio has studied the JRPG of the past to preserve the best elements and prune the obsolete ones. Away with the random fights, away with that bulky inventory full of objects never used, away with the obsession for grinding; welcome happy grafts like the ones based on Mario & Luigi system: Superstar Saga, with timing able to keep up the player’s involvement even against basic enemies, an element to be mastered to the best of their ability during fierce battles against bosses. The spectrum of repetition is largely exorcised, but two protagonists of singular flatness and a small range of abilities slightly decrease the quality of the experience, without being able to affect a fun product, magnificent to see, to listen to, to live. There’s no excuse not to try Sea of Stars, available on day one on both Game Pass and PS Plus (and, despite this, 100.000 copies of the game were purchased on launch day). And how sweet it is to be shipwrecked in this sea of stars.

It was the little things that prevented me from claiming Sea of Stars as perfection. Without spoilers, one character does something VERY naughty, that ends in some very bad things happening, and everyone seems just okie dokie with it after the fact. No one brings up it was their fault, just because they’re good in battle, I guess. However, it is hard to criticize Sea of Stars, as it does what it intends exceptionally well, and it delivers something we’re all familiar with, in a very refreshing way.

Sea of Stars is a love letter to classic role-playing games. Its story is quite mature, its artwork and soundtrack are exquisite and its turn-based combat system is very satisfying. Undoubtedly, this is a new indie gem.

Sea Of Stars may come across to some as little more than a tribute act to the classics, but I hold no truck with such sniffy dismissiveness. If it is a tribute act, it’s definitely more UK Pink Floyd Experience than your mate’s crappy pub band that plays Arctic Monkeys covers. Sabotage Studios has created an unforgettable, essential RPG that stands on the shoulders of giants and boldly looks ahead to the future. Sea Of Stars is damn-near perfect, and more than deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the titles that inspired it.

Sea of Stars is a sensational achievement for Sabotage. The studio is two for two in providing impressively designed and genuinely innovative takes on classic genres. Some pacing issues aside, the complex narrative, deep and strategic combat, thoughtful level design, and fantastic visuals and music all combine to make this one of the easiest recommendations we can make. If you consider yourself a fan of old-school RPGs, you must play Sea of Stars. And if not? The execution and polish here are so good that we’d suggest you give it a try anyway. There are few games that would be a better introduction and representation of what makes JRPGs great. Sea of Stars is an instant classic and a new high-water mark for modern retro-styled indies. You really shouldn’t miss out.

Sea of Stars is more than just an excellent turn-based RPG that pays homage to the greats.

Sea of Stars has everything from an excellent tribute to the biggest names in Japanese role-playing games of the 90s. A well-paced story, a cast of characters to which we quickly become attached for their assumed personalities. It manages to do the same amazing job as its role models, thanks to its jaw-dropping art direction and adventure-perfect soundtrack. If the fights are engaging and push the player to think about each confrontation, they tend to lengthen the good dynamics of the title. It is especially by the lack of evolution of gameplay for the characters that the players will be able to find a certain weariness. If Sea of Stars is therefore not as revolutionary as its spiritual masters in their time, it should still have a place of choice on a shelf of your toy library in 2023. It may well establish itself as the independent game of the year if Silksong remains discreet or even claim prices from much fiercer competition. More than a great performance for a UFO from the 90s.