Do you ever start a game and worry that the internet lied to you about it? Does doubt ever sink in making you wonder if the game is really as good as everyone is saying? Well I am here to tell you that Sea of Stars is not that game. From the title menu to the end credits Sea of Stars was, in my opinion, a perfect game.
Pure Indie Magic
Yes, another RPG this year. I can’t help what I like. That being said however, it was nice to tap into some of that good old fashioned indie magic again. This year has been pretty AAA heavy for me so this was a nice change of pace. Indies always bring a level of charm and creativity that almost can’t be matched elsewhere. I was excited to dive into Sea of Stars’ own personal flavor of indie.
I think we can all agree that there are a ton of games to choose from these days. Deciding on what to play can be a difficult process for me but let me tell you, as soon as I booted up Sea of Stars, I knew there was no going back. It sunk its teeth into me so fast and I was welcome to it.
Sea of Stars is one of those games that just does everything right. It is one of those indie games that leaves you wondering why you even bother playing mainstream games. I was absolutely awestruck by the experience I had with this game. The journey I had with Valere, Zale and company is one I will treasure forever. I certainly won’t be forgetting it.
Solstice Warriors to Arms!
Sea of Stars draws a lot of its inspiration from classic 16-bit RPGs. It does an excellent job setting itself apart though and forging its own identity. The game’s lore is fresh and unique, piquing my interest to learn more about it. Zale and Valere are training to become Solstice Warriors, this game’s hero. The cool thing about that though is how deeply intertwined that is to the game’s history.
Zale wields solar magic while Valere wields Lunar magic. It was refreshing to see a different approach to magic rather then your typical fire or ice spells. On top of that, they are destined to rid this world of the Fleshmancer’s abominations and prevent further descent into darkness. Naturally, the story gets much deeper than that, but I don’t want to spoil too much here.
The world of Sea of Stars is uniquely crafted to suit these young Solstice Warriors. Solstice shrines are scattered around containing powerful weapons or armor to help aid them in their journey. Certain enemies can only be damaged by their Eclipse magic. The surrounding areas are all familiar with Solstice Warriors and their contribution to society. All of these things add to the immersion you feel playing this game. You are very much in a world where Solstice Warriors have been present for quite some time.
A Musically Complimented Art Style
As with most games I play, the first thing that stood out to me was the art style. Man am I a sucker for some good pixel art. The second thing I picked up on right away was the soundtrack. As you may know, I am a sucker for a good soundtrack as well. Thankfully Sea of Stars has a beautiful art style with the perfect soundtrack to match.
Exploring each new area was an exciting experience. I am always blown away by the level of detail pixel art games can have. I really felt like I was in this world with these characters. Every single pixel is perfectly placed. The game also runs smoothly, transitioning from turn-based combat back to exploration seamlessly.
Every track on this three disc soundtrack left me with a huge smile on my face. I adore a dynamic soundtrack and this is surely one. Night tracks sound slightly different, perfectly portraying the sun’s departure from the sky. The battle theme changes a few times, too, which was super exciting to hear. Overall the blend of music and art style here is perfect.
A Colorful Cast of Characters
A classic RPG adventure would not be complete without a few extra party members. Sea of Stars offers six playable characters by the end of the game. As the story unfolds, it becomes crystal clear that this story is just as much about these other four party members as it is the Solstice Warriors. Each character plays an intricate part in the story and how things play out.
Garl, the warriors’ childhood best friend is by far the most important character. His optimistic attitude carries the party through some of darkest times in the game. He also provides the service of cooking for the party. These meals can restore MP and HP in or out of battle. Ingredients are scattered around the many areas you’ll explore.
The other party members are a bit of a spoiler, but rest assured they all have their place in this fantastic story. Every characters gets fully fleshed out while also contributing to the current story being told. Even villains are given meaningful backstories which I thought was a nice touch. I truly mean what I say when I tell you that my time with Sea of Stars is one of my favorites in video games.
Explore At Your Own Pace
Now to talk about the meat of the game. Sea of Stars plays out much like many of the RPGs you might have experience with. It offers turn-based combat, a wide range of areas to explore and, of course, an overworld. We do love and overworld. This game does set itself apart well and even though inspiration may come from other games, nothing ever felt stolen. Sea of Stars is more a love letter to RPGs old rather than a rip off. It clearly respects what inspires it and creates its own unique identity in an industry all too watered down.
As you explore the world of Sea of Stars you’ll gain a number of items that make world traversal a little bit easier. Eventually traveling back to old places will be easy but for a while this game is honestly pretty linear. I never felt like I needed to travel back to old areas until the time came for me to want to collect everything. EXP enemies drop drastically lowers in quantity as you level up, so I had no reason to backpedal.
Ultimately, this was a good thing as it meant that the game felt fairly balanced the entire time. I never felt the need to grind for EXP but I also never felt like the game was too easy. However, if you want to adjust certain aspects of the game’s difficulty there are a number of relics that you can enable to do so.
Worth Every Second
The team at Sabotage Studio really outdid themselves with Sea of Stars. Every single second I spent in this game was time well spent. Whether I was battling powerful bosses, cooking with my favorite Warrior Cook or hunting down the very last Rainbow Conch, I never stopped having a blast.
Sea of Stars is a reminder why Indie games are so important to the gaming industry. It is proof that creativity and ingenuity is still alive within this medium. It was an absolute honor to experience this game in its entirety and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Sea of Stars. Next year’s DLC will surely be a joy to experience especially because it won’t cost us a thing. Here’s to more Sea of Stars and to more titles from Sabotage Studio!
