Sea of Stars is an interesting game. It is clearly influenced by the 16-bit era of RPGs, specially Chrono Trigger but it just doesn't reach the same highs.

While you have several characters, their interactions feel a bit rushed and in need of being explored a bit more in order for you to care more about them.

The gameplay can turn a bit repetitive by the end, specially as the "lock" mechanic can feel a bit cheap when enemies give you almost no-time to break their sequence. The repetition can be felt a bit more if you try to go for the True Ending as you are forced to grind to complete certain objectives.

However, the game is still a good, sweet throwback to the SNES era of JRPGs. Sea of Starts does nothing groundbreaking, but manages to pay good homage of what we loved of the games of that era. And it look gorgeous!

I have a history with this game. Back when I was around 13, and just starting to learn English at school, we had a special class that let us use the PC Lab. On there, we took some tests during the last hour class and if we completed the test quickly, we were allowed to play the games that came pre-installed on the PC.

One of those games, was the Demo version of Dark Forces that included only the first level. I must have played that demo hundred of times. I must have explored ever nook and cranny of that level and found every secret. Up to this day I know that level like the palm of my hand.

Now, almost 24 years I was finally able to buy and complete the full game. And it was a fun and amazing as my younger self imagined it to be.

The game is not without its quirks, and the level design is totally 90's style of design (meaning, sometimes is incredible obtuse and completing a puzzle is something a matter of luck), but the pace, the action and everything else is still fantastic. I can only assume it was even more amazing back then.

Many years later, I finally beat this game, and the wait was worth it.

The Crossbell arc has been completed, and I cannot express enough how much I have fallen in love with these games.

Lloyd and the gang can fall sometimes in lots of cliches (power of friendship and all that jazz), but the cast is extremely likeable and the games made a honest effort of develop all the characters and have them interact. My only complain is that for being the ending of an arc, the finale felt a bit rushed and anti-climatic.

The gameplay is basically unchanged from previous entries with the exception of the addition of Burst and Master Quarts that shake the formula enough to make it still feel fresh.

I cannot wait to continue my journey through this series and see some of the gang once again in the future.