Sea of Stars Reviews
Sea of Stars' well-considered inspirations are shot through with smart, modern sensibilities, creating a more-than-welcome addition to the contemporary throwback RPG club.
Sea of Stars may not truly recapture the magic of '90s RPGs, but it's still a polished, enjoyable blend of old and new.
Sea of Stars is an excellent tribute RPG that channels the best parts of its ‘90s-era forebears. It's not wholly original, but there are enough twists in its story to keep it interesting after the combat loses its luster.
A welcome homage to JRPG classic Chrono Trigger and one of the best-looking 2D games of recent years, even if it's not really doing anything new.
It's a joy and a relief to realise that Sabotage hasn't merely mimicked classic '90s JRPG, but committed to understanding what makes them tick. Its nostalgia is neither gratuitous nor cynical, instead working disparate references together with original ideas into a coherent whole. While it's a little disappointing to discover that there's isn't great depth to the turn-based battles and other systems, the immense quality and detail in the pixel art, soundtrack, location design, characters and plot ensure that Sea of Stars remains a stunning achievement to the end.
Sea of Stars is a stellar throwback that appeals to fans like me who love 16-bit RPGs, but it also functions as an excellent entry point. Annoyances that hindered early games that inspired Sea of Stars are nowhere to be seen. Simple actions like moving around the world feel great, the story picks up quickly, and farming experience is effectively unnecessary. It all leads to a smooth, consistently thrilling adventure with fun combat, all in a gorgeous and inviting world.
Sabotage Studio unearths a time capsule in this incredible retro-style RPG.
Sea of Stars aims for, well, the stars, but lands somewhere a bit lower. Its charming world and brilliant combat carry much of the adventure. However, when Sea of Stars wants very much to be a narrative-driven game with a big cast of characters, it’s difficult to overlook the story’s shortcomings.
As a kid growing up alongside some of those early Super Nintendo and PlayStation RPGs, Sea of Stars feels like the classics I remember; and I mean that in the purest sense. When you’re toddling about, hardly old enough to understand some of the words on the screen, nostalgia often compensates for aspects that may have grown less appealing through the years. However, if I were to dream up any old favorite from memory, I’d imagine it’d turn out something like this. Sea of Stars is endlessly charming, bright, and packing a ton of heart — another timeless addition among the classics.
Sea of Stars is a wonderful astral conjunction between the classic and the modern. We are facing a JRPG that must be played by every fan of the genre, an indie that culminates as one of the best of 2023 and that only needs to have been a little braver in its narrative to achieve perfection.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sea of Stars has clearly been made by people with a deep and abiding love of JRPGs. That level of passion is hard to mimic, and the result is a heavily playable game with morish visuals, a cracking story and deeply considered level design. However, while it is very good, it isn't quite perfect. Combat needed to be deeper (or at least escapable) and while the dynamism was a great touch, it wasn't enough to carry it all the way through to the end.
In true Sabotage fashion, Sea of Stars faithfully captures the nostalgic appeal of retro turn-based games while improving upon its systems with contemporary innovations. The witty, self-aware dialogue and charming cast of characters are bolstered by thoughtful design choices and a compelling narrative. Sea of Stars is an instant classic that retro RPG fans and newcomers alike will not want to pass up.
Sea of Stars is a proper homage to old-school RPGs, thanks to a splendid pixel art and a combat system that, while not fully expressing its potential, refreshes the concept of the turn-based system.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sea of Stars manage to stand amongst its inspirations as a fantastic role-playing experience. Beautiful graphics and a fairly charming story are joined by creative turn-based combat and mind-bending dungeons, making for an incredibly fun adventure. With so much to love, one can only hope that Sea of Stars will go on to inspire other games as well.
Sea of Stars is the new benchmark for turn-based RPGs, with sublime combat, a cast of charming characters and a soundtrack that's an all-timer.
Stunning vistas paired with a stirring soundtrack and refined combat shoulder Sea of Stars, one of 2023’s most charming RPGs.
A beautifully made retro-inspired RPG that will instantly transport you back to the 16-bit golden years, for better or worse.
Overall, Sabotage’s retro-inspired RPG is a strong offering that is doubly impressive considering it’s only the second project from this budding indie studio. There are too many points to expound upon — be it the soundtrack, story, combat, gameplay, or graphics — but they are all skillfully implemented. Even on the technical side, there are no complaints. Sea of Stars is simply a really fun, well-rounded game that any fan of RPGs will surely enjoy.
Sea of Stars shows modern RPGs how it's done in this incredible throwback to SNES classics. It's an absolute joy to play from start to finish, though the story, writing, and flat characters leave some potential untapped. Even so, this is a gorgeous adventure that you won't want to miss.