Played: "Sea of Stars" is the almost perfect homage to 16-bit RPGs

There she is, the sleeper. The legendary snake that has coiled itself around a mountain and has been sleeping there since time immemorial. According to the story, she sleeps because the wind that blows through the holes in the mountain plays a melody that makes her slumber.

I learn all of this seemingly in passing at the start of the game - and actually see the beast a few hours later. "Sea of Stars" is brilliant at creating a dense world in subordinate clauses. Sentences that you remember later when you actually see the things described. And all those who miss the subtle elements or want to be told in detail can listen to the wandering historian around the campfire.

This is what "Sea of Stars"

is about
The story revolves around two characters chosen by fate: Zale, the sword dancer, and Valere, the staff-wielding monk. They were born on the winter and summer solstices and are therefore destined to fight opponents of a generations-old conflict. Zale controls the power of the sun, while Valere can utilise that of the moon. Naturally, the story twists and turns as they progress. Here too, "Sea of Stars" is reminiscent of the great days of 16-bit RPGs.

My biggest criticism so far: the main characters

As beautiful as the worldbuilding of "Sea of Stars" is, the two main characters remain flat - at least so far. Zale and Valere are so generic and interchangeable that I can only tell them apart because of their labelling and the - admittedly lovingly designed - character portraits. Hopefully this will change. Because the story is actually character-driven and not story-driven. And if the main characters undergo little or no development, this is detrimental to the storytelling. The other party members are given much more depth in the first twelve hours of the game and are therefore more likeable to me. I feel connected to them.

So here's something "Sea of Stars" can't do: drama. So far, the game has mainly shone in the funny parts. The funny, expressive animations or jokes always make me laugh. But empathising with the characters during tragic events? Difficult. Because they don't reflect or talk about it. It just happens and then it goes on. I don't know what the events do to the characters. Here, too, I hope that this will change.

Battles are fun, but should offer more variation

The battle system in "Sea of Stars" is also modelled on its predecessors from the 16-bit era. The battles are turn-based. To make sure you don't get lazy during the animations, you can perform critical strikes and heals or block enemy attacks by timing them correctly. This is still optional at the start of the game, but it is important that you make use of it from ten hours into the game. Some of the battles are really tough.

If the game is too difficult for you, you can adjust the difficulty level with relics. These range from automatic healing after every battle to automatic critical attacks and double hit points.

You can attack with classic physical attacks or skills/magic. You can also use combos after filling up a corresponding gauge. Last but not least, you can also use items that are primarily used for healing. Cool: Instead of using healing potions, you cook your meals at the campfire with ingredients that you find along the way. You can find corresponding recipes or buy them in shops. The fact that you can carry a maximum of ten articles with you adds depth to the combat system. You have to plan which ones you cook for the next boss fight.

The classic turn-based combat system is broken up by enemy attacks, which you can stop using certain attack patterns. These are shown to you by your opponents. For example, as shown in the following image, you must perform three moon-based and one sun-based attack to prevent the fish from attacking you with its special attack. This is usually optional in regular battles, but very important in boss battles so that you take less damage.

You can avoid fights because you can see your antagonists. There are no random battles. Nor do you have to grind. If you defeat all the opponents you encounter, that's enough to progress.

Overall, the turn-based combat system is fun. However, I would like to see a bit more techniques and magic. After twelve hours of play, the repertoire is still manageable - and the remaining available slots don't allow you to expect much more.

The presentation is a stunner

The strong worldbuilding is supported by beautiful visuals. The world of "Sea of Stars" is divided into islands. You travel through these in the upper world without fighting. This connects different zones that you can explore.

These zones are enriched with puzzles and battles. They also invite you to discover them later, as you can only reach certain areas thanks to new skills. However, this is optional - until my score. Backtracking is therefore only necessary if you want to see everything.

The islands offer a lot of variation. From Polynesian flair to mouldy graveyards and snow-covered forests, there's always something new to discover. All this in a beautiful 16-bit retro graphic style.

The scenes and battles are accompanied by music from the pens of Yasunori Mitsuda and Rainbowdragoneyes. The former has composed music for "Chrono Trigger" and "Xenogears", among others. All the pieces have their own style and fit the respective setting. You feel transported back to the 90s, not only visually but also aurally. The most important thing: so far, none of the tracks have got on my nerves, they all have something going for them.

The enemies are also varied. Unlike in "Final Fantasy 16", I don't have the feeling that I'm always beating up the same enemies in a new guise. This is also important for the combat system with blocking, as I have to learn when to press with each new enemy.

The puzzles are mostly limited to flipping switches or moving crates. This is a little repetitive in the long run. But the different settings make it seem less tedious.

In addition to the puzzles, my only criticism of the presentation is the sometimes confusing level design. Sometimes there's a lot going on on the screen - especially in towns. I don't really know where to go and spend half an hour running around aimlessly. But that's also part of the charm of these throwback RPGs. I often felt the same way in the 90s RPGs.

Interim conclusion: Brilliant throwback RPG that still has room for improvement in the story

"Sea of Stars" offers a wonderful world with a lot of depth. The presentation and music transport me back to the 90s, to the glory days of 16-bit RPGs. At the same time, Sabotage Studio gives the game a modern twist. The combat system and interaction in the world of the game are much more active than in the old games.

While the worldbuilding has depth, the two main characters have so far lacked it. I hope this will change, because I haven't finished the game yet. The side characters are stealing the show from Zale and Valere so far. I don't really know what to do with them yet.

If you like 90s RPGs in the style of "Chrono Trigger", I can recommend "Sea of Stars".

"Sea of Stars" will be released on 29 August for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC. The code for the review was provided by Sabotage Studio

Cover image: Sabotage Studio