Review: Savor Sea of Stars

I thought the Sea of Stars demo was fine.

I downloaded it a few days after it was announced during the February 2023. I didn’t finish it. The concept seemed okay, I liked the spritework, and the battle system seemed well-executed. But other things demanded my time, and I reasoned it’d be something I might get to when it’s on some subscription service.

What I didn’t expect is for the full version of Sea of Stars to leave me absolutely floored. It’s one of the best games I’ve played all year. The characterizations, stories, environments, opponents, and puzzles can feel so fresh and fun, even when they’re clearly building on or inspired by classic RPGs. It feels like an adventure that will be name-dropped alongside Chained Echoes when it comes to a modern renaissance of games inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and other formative titles.

Valere and Zale are special. Children born on the Winter and Summer Solstice, both were brought to Mooncradle and raised knowing one day, they’d enter Zenith Academy and become Solstice Warriors like Brugaves and Erlina, two older ones they follow and admire. After an instance with their childhood friend Garl, the head of the academy Moraine deems them ready to begin their training. After years, they’re prepared to face The Fleshmancer’s minions, take the test and meet with the Elder Mist to become fully fledged Solstice Warriors, and take part in their first cleansing to deal with a “Dweller” to keep it from becoming a “World Eater.” And so, we join them, and eventually their allies like their friend Garl, as they head to step into their new roles and head to Wraith Island for the eclipse.

All of that probably sounds like a typical introduction and plot for an RPG. However, the way Sea of Stars tackles it all is so special. Even when it’s setting up this plot, things happen that set it apart from more typical fantasy storylines. The implementation of characters like Garl and impetus for them joining Zenith Academy, the interactions between them and their mentors and the mentors with Moraine, and even the conversations between Valere, Zale, Garl, and the Elder Mist sew these seeds. Yes, it is a coming-of-age tale combined with one involving the saving of a world, but it’s also playing with that and doing things you might expect.

I also loved that while this is very much Valere and Zale’s story, supporting cast members don’t feel like they’re tacked-on party members and NPCs who occasionally get a brief part of the larger tale dedicated to them. Garl, in particular, felt just as important to me as his two chosen friends, and there’s something so remarkable about it. He’s not the ordinary friend who waited. He isn’t comic relief. He matters, and I love Sabotage Studio for that. And he isn’t the only one. I found myself caring so much about characters who, in other games, might have been relegated to asides or short quests. To be honest, I got the kind of additional love and attention I would have expected from a major Final Fantasy release’s supplemental characters here, and I can’t help but feel Sabotage’s insight and detail puts that of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI to shame. I felt more attached to a wizard named Malkomud, who is really central only at certain moments, than I did about Benedikta Harman.

This level of excellence isn’t just present with the character design and story. It comes up in practically every element in Sea of Stars. The environmental design is great. Both Valere and Zale are incredibly active characters, and as such they’re climbing and jumping around their environments when you’re in dungeons or other areas. This means there could be secrets around every corner, as you might be able to walk across a thin outcropping of rocks, scale certain walls to reach higher areas, or use eventual abilities you unlock to do things like use innate magic to change the time of day or gusts of winds to move blocks to solve puzzles and access areas. It’s dynamic and encourages you to explore, with all sorts of rewards like extra ingredients for cooking, items, equipment, or even access to new areas as rewards.

That same sense of movement and liveliness extends to the combat system. It’s turn-based, but there’s a sense of Paper Mario or Mario RPG timing involved. You can turn attacks into multi-hit ones or mitigate damage by pressing a button at the right time. You can “break” enemies and keep them from using stronger attacks by using the right types of damage and elements shown in the countdown window to basically mess up their concentration. You can learn combo skills between characters, allowing all your efforts when fighting to yield access to fantastic skills that can really save you at critical moments. Not to mention basic attacks restore MP and allow you to “use magic without using magic” by causing these orbs to fall that you can have other characters — even ones who can’t use Solstice Warrior magic like Garl — absorb to empower their attacks. Add to that no need to grind, due to the game keeping up with your progress and adjusting enemies accordingly, relics that can help you with timing, and the accessibility options that do things like restore health after each battle’s done, and it all feels so… fun. It’s never tedious and is genuinely a joy.

Also, it looks so gorgeous all the while. The character designs, from the sprites to their portraits, are phenomenal and distinctive, while still being clear and recognizable in any situation. The enemies end up having personality, even some of the more common ones. Environmental design is great, with clear tells when you can explore more, explicit ambiance for certain areas, and just a generally great level of attention to detail.

The result is a game that just feels welcoming and lived in. When you happen upon villages, they feel like real communities. Characters come across as well-rounded, actualized individuals. I never felt forced to retread certain paths unless I wanted to see if there was a secret there, as there was no forced grinding or unnecessary padding. However, if I did want to do more, like fish, cook, play Wheels, or hunt for Rainbow Conches, I could do that.

Speaking of Wheels, it is giving Splatoon 3’s Tableturf Battle, the Trails series’ Vantage Masters, and Final Fantasy’s Triple Triad a run for its money as one of my favorite in-world games. It’s something of a strategic affair in which you pick two of six Heroes figurines, and spin the wheels tied to them to get a “hand” of icons. You use these to match energies to act, raise bulwarks to defend, and even evolve Heroes via earning XP, all in the name of getting strong enough to fend off your opponent’s attacks while hopefully depleting their HP. Each Hero is in a different role or has certain specialties. It is such a great diversion, I often found myself looking for new Wheels champions to play against for that first time reward when you win or even a casual match.

Sea of Stars feels like something special. It lovingly honors RPGs that came before it, while also setting its own course. I kept happening upon NPCs, design decisions, and even lines of dialogue that stuck with me. Everything flows together so well and is paired with a heartfelt story that feels innovative while building upon a classic kind of adventure.

Sea of Stars will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on August 29, 2023.