Sea of Stars is a retro-inspired turn-based RPG brought to you by Sabotage Studios. Their second foray into retro-inspired games is now here. This time, they’ve created a captivating turn-based JRPG adventure complete with unforgettable characters, an intriguing plot, and a soundtrack that can rival those of the biggest names from the past.
As Radiant as the Sun
Sea of Stars is a game suitable for both JRPG newcomers and seasoned veterans. Players who are new to the genre can easily get started with the “how to play” section, whilst veterans can enjoy a unique challenge through the game’s relics feature. The game offers two different types of relics: blue for a lighter experience and red for a more challenging one. It’s worth noting that these relics can be turned on or off at no cost or change to the overall experience.
The game’s battle system is simple yet captivating. The lock system is a useful feature that allows you to weaken enemy attacks or spells by using certain types of damage, such as slashing, blunt, sun, or moon. With practice, you can even nullify enemy attacks completely by mastering the lock system.
In addition to the lock feature, other aspects of battle demand practice. Proper timing of actions is crucial, as it can lead to more attacks, heightened spell damage, or decreased enemy damage. The inclusion of these features in battles can add more variety, but mastering them requires ample practice, particularly in timing enemy attacks. However, the use of relics can simplify these features, if you feel like the systems are a little too challenging you can reduce the difficulty.
Sabotage Studios has also done an incredible job cutting out the grind of the classic JRPGs by creating a balanced experience from start to finish, by following the story you are never under-levelled or overpowered.
With the removal of the grind from the game, you may often find yourself running low on funds when you want to buy upgrades for your equipment. Battles only yield experience, not gear or gold. Therefore, it’s crucial to carefully explore the diverse environments in the game. By thoroughly exploring each area, you might discover the upgrades you require or valuable items that you can sell to accumulate the gold you need.
In JRPGs, grinding is a commonly used tactic, but Sea of Stars takes a different approach by encouraging players to explore each distinct location. This keeps the game fresh and exciting, as opposed to repeatedly battling the same creatures for an advantage. Instead, I was able to appreciate the effort and creativity put into crafting each environment.
If you do find yourself struggling for gold or upgrades for your equipment, the defensive timing feature during battles can take a toll on your characters. As you progress to new areas, you will encounter new enemies with different attack patterns that you will need to familiarise yourself with. While learning these patterns can keep the game exciting and challenging, it may become frustrating for those who have not taken the time to explore.
As Enchanting as the Moon
The plot of the game features two Solstice Warriors, Kale and Valere. At the beginning of the game, you can choose which one will be the primary character, but both will always be present in your team. The story centres around the Solstice Warriors’ battles against Dwellers, powerful enemies that pose a threat to the world. To defeat them, the battles must take place during an eclipse, which can be created using the solar power of Kale and the lunar power of Valere.
Many are familiar with the Solstice Warriors, but now is your chance to embark on your quest and become a legendary hero. As a young and enthusiastic aspiring Solstice Warrior, you will embark on an adventure and witness your growth into a capable young adult, sent to aid in the eradication of a Dweller.
To begin your journey, you must undergo a trial and receive a prophecy from the Elder Mist. Once you’ve completed this, you can embark on your journey to confront the first Dweller and unravel the mysteries that lie ahead.
Solar, Luna, Dweller
The game’s entire design is simply stunning, encompassing everything from the surroundings to the enemies, characters, and bosses. All the characters are unique and bring with them different ways that interact with the features of the battle system. The environments utilise elements of verticality and puzzles. The puzzles throughout the game have been created to a high standard and gradually become more challenging, resulting in an ultimately satisfying experience when solved.
Sea of Stars features a wide range of intriguing characters that are scattered throughout the game’s world for you to engage with. These characters are both unusual and captivating. Some offer small side quests others offer links to aspects of the world you may have already interacted with. You can often find yourself making sure you speak to every NPC contained within towns or villages just to make sure you do not miss anything.
The boss designs in Sea of Stars are always interesting, no matter which part of the game you are in. They perfectly fit with their unique surroundings and don’t break the ambience that the game provides. Every boss in the game looks formidable and offers a unique method of tackling them. You can either utilise the unique locks feature, swap characters mid-fight, dismantle aspects of the boss before confronting the primary threat, or participate in scripted story-based events that revolve around the main characters and their abilities linked to the sun and moon.
After achieving victory, it feels like conquering another challenge, largely due to the way the story is written and how most boss encounters are significant milestones for the character.
Although Sea of Stars is a great game, it falls short in terms of playtime. It has an estimated playtime of around thirty hours, which is shorter compared to the average JRPG which usually takes fifty to one hundred hours to complete. However, this playtime can be increased by doing side quests, defeating hidden bosses, or acquiring ultimate weapons. I played the game for a total of thirty-five hours, completing the entire story, defeating hidden bosses, obtaining ultimate weapons, and completing most of the side quests. To the best of my knowledge, I have only missed one hidden side quest.
It appears that Sabotage Studios could have enhanced the game’s world by providing additional background information on its characters, locations, and overall setting. With the opportunity to explore more expansive worlds, players could have had a more immersive experience.
Sea of Stars has an excellent battle system, but the timing system can sometimes feel harsh, especially when exploring new areas. Sabotage Studios has designed enemies with varying levels of delay on their attacks, including multi-hit attacks. Learning each enemy’s attack patterns can be challenging, and it can significantly impact the outcome of battles.
During the game, you will encounter a few cutscenes that showcase a distinct art style. However, these cutscenes are rare and short, particularly for a JRPG, especially during significant moments of the game. Despite being well executed, the scarcity of these cutscenes may leave the players wanting more.
A Retro-Inspired Masterpiece
Playing Sea of Stars was a delightful experience that captured the essence of classic JRPGs. It could easily hold its own against some of the greatest games in the genre, with clear nods to its predecessors throughout. You can see that the developers poured an immense amount of passion into the game, and this is reflected in every aspect of the world, including the expertly crafted soundtrack that seamlessly blends into the game. Sabotage Studios once again delivers an incredible retro-inspired gaming experience.
Sea Of Stars Launch Trailer
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