Sea of Stars Review

For a long time, starting a new RPG, players knew that their party members would take turns pummeling enemies, each awaiting their moment before executing their action. This allowed to craft effective tactics and strategize on the fly.

Those days have long passed, with turn-based games becoming increasingly rare and giving way to more action-oriented RPGs. Understandably so, as games with action-packed combat tend to resonate with a broader audience and have demonstrated greater financial success. The internet is replete with players expressing boredom and tedium with turn-based gameplay, leading many to believe that turn-based RPGs have become a genre of the past.

Except they haven’t. Numerous fan-favorite franchises have steadfastly adhered to their roots, maintaining turn-based strategy in their combat mechanics, such as Persona and Pokémon. Some RPGs utilize turn-based combat to push the limits of complex tactical and strategic combat, as seen in games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3. And then, there’s a plethora of modern games paying homage to classic RPGs from past times, with developers endeavoring to recapture the magic of these titles while enhancing their games with a modern spin.

Enter Sea of Stars, a prime example of the latter category. It represents a modern interpretation of RPGs from the 90s, an era that birthed many isometric classics such as Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, and Breath of Fire.

Sea of Stars kicks off by introducing its main characters, Valere and Zale, two Solstice warriors born on the Summer and Winter solstices, respectively, and following the paths of the Guardian God and Goddess. This initial exposition and introduction to the game’s lore is kept purposefully simple and straightforward, with light dialogue providing essential context to grasp the significance of Solstice Warriors and their place in the narrative. Important characters are introduced seamlessly through autoplay and interactive sequences, utilizing in-game graphics that showcase Sea of Stars‘ stunning and clean pixel art, reminiscent of classic 2D RPGs. The game’s visual appeal is undeniable, featuring highly stylized 16-bit inspired pixel art enhanced by amazing dynamic lighting effects.

Following the brief introduction, I was eager to embark on my journey. The initial battles quickly taught me that despite the turn-based nature of the combat system, there was no room for complacency after each action input. Sea of Stars incorporates active input options during battles; timing the press of a button as an attack lands on an enemy amplifies its power, while doing so as an enemy strikes reduces the damage taken. Additionally, each character possesses special interactive attacks, such as Valere’s Moonerang, which continuously ricochets between enemies and Valere herself at increasing speeds as long as the button is pressed at the right moment during each rebound.

In addition to the standard strategy of exploiting enemies’ weaknesses and avoiding their resistances, Sea of Stars introduces a unique strategic element to its combat mechanics. Enemies possess powerful, unique attacks that they can unleash, signaled by a “lock” appearing above them once queued. These locks can be broken by employing specific attack types against the enemy, and if successfully disrupted before the attack is executed, the enemy forfeits its turn. While this mechanic adds strategic depth to the combat, there are instances where breaking the locks in time is literally impossible, resulting in frustrating combat encounters.

Continuing with the discussion on combat, Sea of Stars introduces several additional mechanics as the game progresses. Players can boost attacks to inflict additional magic damage, and they can expend combo points to unleash potent combo attacks. Initially, experimenting with these various mechanics proved enjoyable and engaging. However, regrettably, I found that the novelty wore off rather quickly. Since all mechanics are introduced early in the game, combat soon becomes repetitive.

This is exacerbated by the perceived lack of growth in attack power, primarily because enemies scale with the player’s level. Consequently, encounters against even the most basic foes tend to drag on, robbing the gameplay of its enjoyment. The inability to feel a sense of empowerment, with enemies seemingly matching the player’s strength at every turn, creates a disconnect from the narrative. Despite being portrayed as formidable warriors of the Guardian God and Goddess, the protagonists struggle against ordinary adversaries. While the feature of enemy scaling eliminates the need for grinding and farming, common RPG elements, it also leads to indifference towards leveling up and character development.

Furthermore, — and this is going to be very subjective — Sea of Stars‘ numbers remain relatively small throughout the game. Personally, I derive satisfaction from witnessing numerical progress in RPGs, such as hit points nearing the coveted 9,999 mark or seeing once modest attack damage skyrocket into the thousands. However, Sea of Stars‘ short duration doesn’t allow for such substantial progression, leaving players feeling relatively unchanged in strength by the game’s conclusion. As the credits rolled, it didn’t feel like I had become much stronger or accomplished anything significant, contributing to a somewhat underwhelming experience.

When it comes to exploration, Sea of Stars‘ dungeons deviate from the typical linear and flat corridors, instead featuring vertical environments with walls to climb and ropes to traverse. Later-acquired abilities, pushing objects or a grappling hook, serve not only to solve puzzles within dungeons but also as tools to gain advantages in battle; for instance, grappling onto an enemy triggers a preemptive strike. While the puzzle elements are a welcome aspect of exploration, they remain too straightforward throughout the game, only extending time spent in a dungeon without excessively engaging the payer’s brain. 

However, arguably the weakest aspect of Sea of Stars lies in its plot and pacing. Despite being an RPG, the game follows a relatively linear path. While progressing through the story, opportunities to explore off the beaten path are scarce, with few secrets to uncover. Aside from occasional short side quests within towns and a mandatory but unnecessary fishing minigame, there’s little diversion from advancing the main narrative. The lack of downtime left me feeling compelled to rush through each segment, detracting from my engagement with the game.

This issue is exacerbated by the plot’s lackluster execution. While the initial exposition shows promise, the storyline fails to captivate or evoke genuine interest. The pacing of the game doesn’t afford sufficient time to become invested in the characters or their narratives, with the story taking a backseat early on. Despite encountering intriguing characters along the journey, such as a pirate crew turned music band during their downtime, the plot fails to deliver compelling and emotionally resonant moments.

One notable sequence involves evacuating an entire village and relocating its inhabitants to a new settlement, which can then be developed over time by discovering blueprints across the world, unlocking new buildings in the new town. This sequence could have been a heartfelt moment, but the game’s rushed pacing prevents players from truly engaging with the world and its story. Consequently, it becomes just another fleeting scene, quickly forgotten. My lack of emotional investment discouraged me from investing time into rebuilding the town or even revisiting it, further highlighting the missed potential in Sea of Stars‘ storytelling.

Undoubtedly, Sea of Stars has been meticulously crafted with love, passion, and attention to detail. As someone who considers themselves a fan of old-school 2D RPGs, I found enjoyment in my time with Sea of Stars. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling of longing for a more profound and engaging experience.