In the ocean of throwback games attempting to mine the vibes of eras gone by (FROGUN, EX ZODIAC, YOOKA-LAYLEE, among others), SEA OF STARS is one of the few I've seen successfully evoke the past while delivering modern touches to smooth out the wrinkles of time. This game has all the scope and thrills of CHRONO TRIGGER and other SNES era RPGs, and it also plays like a dream thanks to a lot of thoughtful contemporary design choices.
The combat is a lot of fun, not just because it's a pudding made from Chrono Trigger and Paper Mario (among others), but because the extra layers of strategy and input allow you to plot out long chains of effective attacks once you learn all the ins and outs. You're never just tapping A to rush through menus for the one OP move you always prioritize. Building up combos, filling the Ultimate meter, timing parries and extra-hits to break locks. It all allows combat to ebb and flow in a way that rarely leaves you with a dull encounter. Additionally, the party leveling system and QOL considerations in item management make developing your team both in-depth and simple. When the late game difficulty spikes hit, I never felt like I was boned from not doing long term calculations like I have done in older RPGs.
What’s more, this is probably one of the best paced RPG’s I’ve ever played. Even in its longest quests the character movement, average battle time, and layout of the environments never felt like they were dragging out. An opening hour that serves as a massive-but-necessary lore dump aside, once this game gets going, it really moves. And every second is made even better by a cast of characters that you really fall in love with. Every new chapter of this game I was meeting a character who instantly became my favorite video game character of 2023, with Garl standing as the undisputed Video Game Boy of The Year. The leads, Zale and Valere, can be a little too vanilla at times (to a degree where I wondered why they didn’t just leave them silent, audience-stand-in protagonists ala Chrono), but they play into the narrative’s interesting flip on expected “chosen one” tropes that ultimately lets the supporting cast shine.
This all hits a little bit of a speed-bump in the finale, or rather, the fake finale. In a baffling choice, Sabotage gives this game an (abrupt) ending, and THEN unlocks a new game + that you need to complete to get the true ending. Chrono Trigger had multiple different endings you could experience based on when and how you finished, but all of those endings were DEFINITIVE in their own ways. Sea of Stars ends on a confusing note which I’ve seen a lot of reviewers on here confuse for a sequel-tease, unaware that the truth is buried beneath more gameplay. The credits shouldn't roll until the story has been told (looking at YOU, POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS)!
Additionally, while I do admire the ways this makes the old RPG formulas feel new again, it could’ve gone a BIT farther in some key areas. The lack of a side-quest tracker really sucks, considering how many low-key ones can emerge and then be forgotten (and ESPECIALLY considering the true ending is locked behind completing several side quests). Also, there are some critical story points that the game hides behind a concept where you need to discover items in the overworld and then have someone tell you about the associated lore. Some of this world-building directly plays into the biggest moments of this game, and I could see a player being frustrated if they missed a treasure chest and then had to deduce why a major twist is supposed to matter.
Sabotage set out to make a love letter to some of the best story-driven RPGs of all time, and they’ve ultimately made the most gorgeous looking SNES game ever with a dope RPG combat system. The “story-driven” aspect of this is where things could have, and should have, been stronger. The ending goof doesn’t take away from most of this tale’s incredible concepts and character moments; but I doubt anyone enjoying a home cooked meal would love to be told they’re getting melted ice cream for dessert, and if they want the fresh ice cream, they need to go grocery shopping.
Also, holy shit, Wheels might be one of my favorite games-within-a-game ever made! Give me more Wheels!
The combat is a lot of fun, not just because it's a pudding made from Chrono Trigger and Paper Mario (among others), but because the extra layers of strategy and input allow you to plot out long chains of effective attacks once you learn all the ins and outs. You're never just tapping A to rush through menus for the one OP move you always prioritize. Building up combos, filling the Ultimate meter, timing parries and extra-hits to break locks. It all allows combat to ebb and flow in a way that rarely leaves you with a dull encounter. Additionally, the party leveling system and QOL considerations in item management make developing your team both in-depth and simple. When the late game difficulty spikes hit, I never felt like I was boned from not doing long term calculations like I have done in older RPGs.
What’s more, this is probably one of the best paced RPG’s I’ve ever played. Even in its longest quests the character movement, average battle time, and layout of the environments never felt like they were dragging out. An opening hour that serves as a massive-but-necessary lore dump aside, once this game gets going, it really moves. And every second is made even better by a cast of characters that you really fall in love with. Every new chapter of this game I was meeting a character who instantly became my favorite video game character of 2023, with Garl standing as the undisputed Video Game Boy of The Year. The leads, Zale and Valere, can be a little too vanilla at times (to a degree where I wondered why they didn’t just leave them silent, audience-stand-in protagonists ala Chrono), but they play into the narrative’s interesting flip on expected “chosen one” tropes that ultimately lets the supporting cast shine.
This all hits a little bit of a speed-bump in the finale, or rather, the fake finale. In a baffling choice, Sabotage gives this game an (abrupt) ending, and THEN unlocks a new game + that you need to complete to get the true ending. Chrono Trigger had multiple different endings you could experience based on when and how you finished, but all of those endings were DEFINITIVE in their own ways. Sea of Stars ends on a confusing note which I’ve seen a lot of reviewers on here confuse for a sequel-tease, unaware that the truth is buried beneath more gameplay. The credits shouldn't roll until the story has been told (looking at YOU, POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS)!
Additionally, while I do admire the ways this makes the old RPG formulas feel new again, it could’ve gone a BIT farther in some key areas. The lack of a side-quest tracker really sucks, considering how many low-key ones can emerge and then be forgotten (and ESPECIALLY considering the true ending is locked behind completing several side quests). Also, there are some critical story points that the game hides behind a concept where you need to discover items in the overworld and then have someone tell you about the associated lore. Some of this world-building directly plays into the biggest moments of this game, and I could see a player being frustrated if they missed a treasure chest and then had to deduce why a major twist is supposed to matter.
Sabotage set out to make a love letter to some of the best story-driven RPGs of all time, and they’ve ultimately made the most gorgeous looking SNES game ever with a dope RPG combat system. The “story-driven” aspect of this is where things could have, and should have, been stronger. The ending goof doesn’t take away from most of this tale’s incredible concepts and character moments; but I doubt anyone enjoying a home cooked meal would love to be told they’re getting melted ice cream for dessert, and if they want the fresh ice cream, they need to go grocery shopping.
Also, holy shit, Wheels might be one of my favorite games-within-a-game ever made! Give me more Wheels!