Sea Of Stars: A Tasty Mixture Of Old And New

A PC code was provided to SVG for this review. "Sea of Stars" will be available on August 29, 2023 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Picture this: You and your two best friends are camping out beneath the stars, taking a nightlong breather on your journey to a distant island. You're cooking food that you gathered along the day's journey. Over the meal, you share stories from your childhoods and talk about your plans for the coming days. The night would be entirely sweet and serene, except you know that if you don't reach your destination by the next eclipse, the world is going to end.

"Sea of Stars" is full of quiet moments that would feel right at home in a slice of life story about magical wanderers. Even as the characters relax and enjoy each other's company, the plot charges forward, and it's full of magical intrigue and life-or-death stakes. The game's atmosphere will make you want to stop and smell all the roses, and the overarching story will keep you engaged and playing well past your bedtime.

The characters are the real heart of "Sea of Stars," but that doesn't mean developer Sabotage Studio has skimped out on the gameplay. The turn-based combat is something virtually every gamer will be familiar with, but a handful of new mechanics add some much needed spice to the usual recipe. The story and gameplay complement each other perfectly, and the result is a gameplay experience that will keep you smiling from ear to ear for hours on end.

"Sea of Stars" is, at least theoretically, a prequel to 2018's "The Messenger," but newcomers don't need to worry. The game is set thousands of years before its predecessor, so everyone can find themselves at home in the story as it starts to unfold. The game's heroes are Valere and Zale, two children who are destined to become Solstice Warriors. After spending a decade learning fighting techniques and the art of moon- and sun-based magical abilities, Valere and Zale are ready to help other members of their order cleanse the world of evil.

Joining Valere and Zale on their quest is their childhood friend Garl. He's not a Solstice Warrior, but while his friends studied the art of being mythical heroes, he learned a few fighting techniques of his own and became a master chef to boot. "Sea of Stars" does a great job introducing its trio of heroes, and by the time the game finishes its introductory section, you'll be just as excited as they are to explore the outside world and save the day.

In traditional RPG fashion, the story really starts to expand as the characters make their way out into the world. Explaining more would spoil some great moments, but it's enough to say that the grand quest Valere, Zale, and Garl dream of experiencing doesn't turn out to be what they expected. As much as friendship is at the center of the game, the story isn't all sunshine and rainbows from beginning to end.

"Sea of Stars" is obviously inspired by retro RPGs, particularly some of the earlier "Final Fantasy" titles. The game goes all in on the turn-based combat that has fueled many other spectacular franchises, but it introduces a number of twists that make its combat feel fresh and modern despite its roots. Battles take place wherever enemies are encountered rather than being set on a combat stage separated from the actual match you're exploring. The fights are also incredibly fast-paced, with the ability to recharge mana points by performing basic attacks folding resource management into damage dealing. You don't need to slow down and drink a potion when slashing with your sword opens the door for your next magical attack.

You'll get to spend plenty of time watching the intricately designed attack animations, and "Sea of Stars" has a clever way to keep those animations engaging even after you've seen them a hundred times. With a well-timed button push when dealing or receiving damage, players can increase the power of their attacks or throw out a block to preserve some of their HP. It's a subtle mechanic that transforms attack animations from set dressing into meaningful moments of gameplay.

Along with the dodging and multi-attack mechanics, the game also gives players the option of boosting their attacks with mana orbs that fly out of enemies. Hitting peak performance in battle means carefully using basic attacks to boost MP and produce some mana orbs while enemies are between attacks and unleashing powerful magical abilities and combo moves when the openings arrive. The perfect strategy can even disrupt the magical attacks of your enemies, so a master fighter can make it through combat without taking serious damage. With potentially hundreds of combat encounters to play through, all the dynamic action is very welcome, and it takes a long time for the battles in "Sea of Stars" to wear out their welcome. 

The world of "Sea of Stars" is filled with wild locations like floating schools of magic and mountains with tunnels that operate like a flute, allowing the wind to lull a dragon to sleep. All of the settings are rendered in a charming retro style, but the second you start to move around them, you'll remember what decade it is. Small touches in the traversal system — including jumping, swimming, and more — do wonders to improve the feeling of exploration. Some locations function like mini puzzles, and the depth of the art builds hints into the landscape that guide you toward secret areas and small caches of treasure.

Exploring is fun enough on its own to absorb several hours of gameplay, but there's no shortage of non-combat activities to keep you sidetracked. Gathering ingredients for gourmet meals or taking a detour to fish in a mystical lake can flesh out your journey and break up long strings of combat encounters. When you find yourself in a town – of which there are many – you can get to know the quirky denizens of "Sea of Stars." These side characters all have their own little stories that play into the themes of friendship and down-to-earth heroism that are embodied by the name cast. Not for nothing, and in another nod to RPGs of old, "Sea of Stars" even has its own tabletop game that various characters will bring up as a way to challenge you.

"Sea of Stars" is a game for people who love classic RPGs, but who may have burned themselves out on the genre after playing "Final Fantasy VI" through for the eighteenth time. The game wears its inspirations on its sleeve, but it isn't afraid to put its own spin on systems that are often treated as settled matters. It often feels like playing the version of 16-bit RPGs that only really exists in your mind.

On the other hand, anyone who's bounced off this style of game in the past probably isn't going to get on board for "Sea of Stars." This game knows its audience, and it's not trying to make new converts out of modern gamers. That's perfectly fine. The fact that the game commits to a narrow focus and does it well is actually its greatest strength. Striking a balance between old school inspirations and modern day approachability is a tall order, but it's one that "Sea of Stars" fulfills effortlessly.