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This gorgeous and charming RPG feels like a long-lost classic - Sea of Stars Quick Review

3K View2023-08-31

Sea of Stars

9.5

RPGAdventureEditors' Choice

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SHOULD I PLAY SEA OF STARS?

If you have fond memories of classic 90s RPGs like Chrono Trigger and Lunar: Silver Star Story, you won’t want to miss this one. Sea of Stars captures the magic of games of the past, but it never comes across as a clone or retread. Playing through it has made me extremely nostalgic; even though I’m experiencing it for the first time, it feels like I’m coming back to a beloved game from my childhood. Even if you haven’t played many old-school RPGs, Sea of Stars is worth checking out. It’s an amazing game that’s among the best of its class.

TIME PLAYED

I’ve played about eight hours of Sea of Stars, and I’m itching to get back to it. Based on what I’ve seen, it looks like the full game will take anywhere from twenty to twenty-six hours to complete. So far, it’s a perfectly-paced RPG that’s never given me an opportunity to feel bored. Every battle is engaging, and the story sequences never overstay their welcome.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT SEA OF STARS?

• Stunning interactive environments. I was drawn to Sea of Stars because of its gorgeous pixel graphics, but I still wasn’t prepared for how beautiful its backgrounds would be. Every location is filled with color and life. Flocks of birds flew away as I approached them. Rocks tumbled to the ground as I tried to shimmy my way across a precarious cliff.

What I really love about the locations in Sea of Stars is how interactive they feel. I was never just traveling from point A to point B. There are walls to scale, puddles to splash in, and tightropes to walk across. These little details kept me engaged even when I wasn’t fighting enemies, and they gave the game an incredible sense of adventure.

• Fantastic turn-based battles. The combat system in Sea of Stars has so much depth I could probably write an entire article about it, but it doesn’t feel confusing or overly complex. It has a lot of layers, but every mechanic feels familiar and intuitive, so it’s easy to keep track of what you need to do.

For example, there’s a timed hit system similar to the one used in Super Mario RPG. Pressing buttons at the right time can power up your attacks and reduce the damage you take when an enemy strikes. You can also boost attacks by retrieving mana enemies drop after a successful strike. When an enemy is preparing to unleash a powerful move, you can interrupt them by striking them with the right types of moves before they can finish.

That might sound like a lot to keep track of, but everything works together in a really natural way. After a while, powering up my moves and unleashing combo attacks started to feel like second nature. There are so many turn-based RPGs that ask you to push the same button over and over, so I really appreciate that Sea of Stars made its battles so involving.

• Charming story. I suspect that Sea of Stars will eventually send me on a quest to save the world, but the early hours feel more like a coming of age story. After an in media res opening, it follows two protagonists from childhood to early adulthood. I’ve always been a sucker for games that let you see the main cast as kids, and it works really well here. The friendships feel lived in, and character relationships have a sense of weight.

I’ve had a ton of fun getting to know the main characters, but I’ve also been drawn in by worldbuilding. Sea of Stars doesn’t have long exposition sequences or lore dumps, but its setting is surprisingly intricate and well-thought-out. The world feels like it has a rich history, and I’ve enjoyed uncovering its secrets piece by piece.

• Tons of compelling gameplay mechanics. Not only does Sea of Stars have an excellent story and combat system, but it mixes things up by introducing plenty of other gameplay mechanics. While resting at campsites, characters can cook dishes that they can consume for buffs during battle. Most ingredients can be purchased from vendors, but they can also be fished up or harvested from plants.

There are also a great assortment of mechanics used for puzzle solving. For instance, standing in certain locations allowed me to move time forward or backwards. The shifts from day to night are visually stunning, and I was able to use this mechanic in all kinds of ways. Jumping from a high location can potentially destroy items on the ground below, which gave me access to items and locations I normally wouldn’t have been able to reach. Even when I was traveling along a linear path, there were so many things for me to do.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT SEA OF STARS

• Minor grammar issues. I love Sea of Stars so much that any complaint feels like a nitpick, but I’ve come across a few grammatical errors during my playthrough. These are small problems that don’t interfere with the readability of the text, like missing punctuation or comma splices, but they’ve definitely been a distraction. That said, I’m pretty sensitive to these kinds of problems, and if you’re not, you may not notice them at all.

💬 Are you ready to explore the breathtaking world of Sea of Stars, or would you rather play a game that’s a little less amazing? Tell us more in the comments!