Sea of Stars

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 271 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 189 out of 271
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 271
  3. Negative: 52 out of 271

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  1. Das_Boots
    Sep 11, 2023
    2
    Trash Gimmick

    Sabotage lives up to their name . they took 7 years to develope this and delivered a turd of a finished project. Garl is insuffereable, the rest of the party have no identity , plot wise things just... happen.. without further explanation or followup; the combat is very very basic the only innovation is the moonorang ability blue haired chick has everything is is just    Trash Gimmick

    Sabotage lives up to their name . they took 7 years to develope this and delivered a turd of a finished project.
    Garl is insuffereable, the rest of the party have no identity , plot wise things just... happen.. without further explanation or followup; the combat is very very basic the only innovation is the moonorang ability blue haired chick has everything is is just timing the button at the right time ; slow movement and tons of backtracking ; in order to get the True Ending a ton ton ton of backtracking is required to unlock it along with some very very hard minigames ; the story pacing is completely awful and at times you'll just be skipping walls of dialogue that dont seem to end and just go on and on and on; on top of all that I dont know about you guys but I hate puzzles in RPG'S the amount of puzzles you do in 1 dungeon is hair pulling and nerve racking ; you'll do 2-4 tedious puzzles EVERY dungeon some even more! and it completely takes you out of the element. the occasional one would have been fine but why did they think having multiple puzzles that range from simple but time consuming to medium difficult to solve and thought it would be ok??

    The character sprites are not even 16 bit they morely resemble something in between 10 bit -12 bit and dont reflect the jrpg's on the Snes ; think Neo-Geo graphics ; it doesnt even compare to the Snes titles of the Snes like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, Breath of Fire, Illusion of Gaia and other Jrpg's that came out that era ; this game is trash worse than a story pacing that was placed on the NES with below cookie cutter story telling, tons of Grammital Errors, no side quests, 1 mini game in the form of a rigged wannabe Might & Magic ripoff that you'll spend hours trying to win at ; this game is an absolute dogturd and it took them 7 YEARS to make this filth ; yeah Sabotage is correct because they are Sabotaging your hard earned money of 31 $ when this game belongs on Google PlayStore for FREEE!!!!!    … Expand
  2. Shadowslayer64
    Sep 11, 2023
    7
    TL;DR version: Not as good as Chrono Trigger. Play that instead.

    Game is a mish-mash of systems from different JRPGs, but unlike those JRPGs, these systems serve no purpose in this game other than to just "be there." Just to say, "remember that JRPG you loved? We have that mechanic in this game yeahhhh." Music is not memorable like Chrono Trigger. Yasunori Mitsuda is in the credits, but    TL;DR version: Not as good as Chrono Trigger. Play that instead.

    Game is a mish-mash of systems from different JRPGs, but unlike those JRPGs, these systems serve no purpose in this game other than to just "be there." Just to say, "remember that JRPG you loved? We have that mechanic in this game yeahhhh." Music is not memorable like Chrono Trigger. Yasunori Mitsuda is in the credits, but he must have composed only like 1 track for the marketing. Writing and story is god awful. Little to no attention to detail on the lore and worldbuilding either.

    The best thing I can say about this is the visual style, and that's what attracted me to it, but the more I play, the more disappointed I get. Puzzles are also average at best. Hit a lever, step on a switch, put the key in a hole; basic stuff. Nothing that will stimulate your IQ. Game is also woke, which is surprising for a JRPG, but it's a western developer we're talking about (Sabotage Studio is from Quebec Canada), so that's not completely off the table either. When you do a JRPG right, you can't be woke. Japan is a homogenous culture.

    Also, it's not challenging in combat either. Pretty brain-dead. If a character dies, will resurrect for free with 50% HP. So even if you're asleep at the helm, you would likely still win.    … Expand
  3. Xanos12
    Sep 11, 2023
    5
    The beginning of the game starts promising. But after around 10 hours the story and dialogue get worse and worse. The battlesystem gets boring and annoying, you are using the same attack pattern as in the beginning of the game. The difficulty is WAY too easy. XP Scaling and leveling up feels not rewarding.
    I quit the game after 20h.
  4. adrianompo
    Sep 10, 2023
    7
    Definitely overhyped.

    The gameplay and exploration are decent, but the progression is sloppy, rendering even the good mechanics boring and repetitive over time. The soundtrack is good, but nothing really memorable. Same goes for the graphics and technical aspects. It's a pleasant but not amazing experience on this regard. The story, however... it is a pile of trash. Poorly written,    Definitely overhyped.

    The gameplay and exploration are decent, but the progression is sloppy, rendering even the good mechanics boring and repetitive over time.

    The soundtrack is good, but nothing really memorable. Same goes for the graphics and technical aspects. It's a pleasant but not amazing experience on this regard.

    The story, however... it is a pile of trash. Poorly written, shallow protagonists/villains and close to non-existant character development. A few funny dialogues here and there, but those were unfortunately rare exceptions rather than the rule.

    Though I support games like these being released (especially) by small teams. it didn't justify the hype received. The first hours were a blast, but it felt like doing chores not long after that.

    Comparing Sea of Stars with Chrono Trigger is completely exaggerated. Whoever says that is being fooled by their own nostalgia.    … Expand
  5. Fate49
    Sep 10, 2023
    6
    After Chained Echoes who really understood what makes a good old school RPG, Sea of Stars is a disapointment.
    Visuals are incredible and the soundrack is nice, but that's pretty much it
    Pacing is really weird, chara development is nearly non existent and battles are legit awful and repetitive. I really wanted to like this game but whenall you're thinking is "Chrono Trigger was doing    After Chained Echoes who really understood what makes a good old school RPG, Sea of Stars is a disapointment.
    Visuals are incredible and the soundrack is nice, but that's pretty much it
    Pacing is really weird, chara development is nearly non existent and battles are legit awful and repetitive.
    I really wanted to like this game but whenall you're thinking is "Chrono Trigger was doing this better 30 years ago", then it means Sea of Stars failed to do what it was meant to.    … Expand
  6. BlackSoul757
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So ein gutes Spiel, lange nicht mehr so viel Spaß gehabt. Man denkt ah jetzt ist es vorbei, bäm komplett neue Welt... einfach genial. Wer so spiele mag, wird es lieben… Expand
  7. ColdHand
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game blew my mind. Everything in it is perfect : the gorgeous look, the astonishing score, the clever combat mechanics, the moving story... It's definitely my 2023 GOTY and does a banging entry on my top 10 best games of all time. Ignore the (very few) bad comments : it's a masterpiece if you're even curious about turn-based RPG.
  8. kelvinphan
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. I love it in the way it give me just enough of everything. It starts with funny moments then grows into emotional scenes and ends with tear of fulfillment in my eyes. For a long time I did play a game and enjoy everthing including side-quests, mini games, even fishing (I hate fishing for most of the game)... I've missed those feeling since I completed ChronoThis game is a masterpiece. I love it in the way it give me just enough of everything. It starts with funny moments then grows into emotional scenes and ends with tear of fulfillment in my eyes. For a long time I did play a game and enjoy everthing including side-quests, mini games, even fishing (I hate fishing for most of the game)... I've missed those feeling since I completed Chrono trigger as a teenager. The battle neither hard or easy. It is a turn-base system but it adds a feature that you need to focus and think for every step you take. I feel so excited for beating every boss. I do not like grinding to level up (it waste too much time for repetivie actions), I like to beat the boss with the level I have when I follow the story. I failed sometimes, but I know I can win if I make better choices in the battle. There is no debate about the beautiful and colorful themes in this game, you an see it on the websites or just youtube. I also in love with the captivating OST. Just waiting for the moment that I can slowly dive into my favourite sound tracks and enjoy. There are also some lessons you can learn like what it means to be a normal person, a good friend and a good cook. LOVE IT SO MUCH … Expand
  9. Dan_Yeni
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    Sea of Stars its a must play indie RPG and you should be minded some points. On the opposite way of moast recent games, the classic turn based its really something dated, unless if made it right. With good mechanics, a charming and intrigate story e lots of things to explore. Dont expect to play somthing innovative, but certainly expect to play a GOOD game. If you played THE MESSENGER andSea of Stars its a must play indie RPG and you should be minded some points. On the opposite way of moast recent games, the classic turn based its really something dated, unless if made it right. With good mechanics, a charming and intrigate story e lots of things to explore. Dont expect to play somthing innovative, but certainly expect to play a GOOD game. If you played THE MESSENGER and enjoyed like me, you will be served of a lots of references if you pay attention. Done 100% in about 40 hours, with is a good amount of time for me.… Expand
  10. lPhantom_v2
    Sep 8, 2023
    9
    Sea of Stars is a love letter to classic JRPG's like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger with small inspirations from games like Octopath Traveler.

    This is a relaxing game with a great story and beautiful characters and art direction that everyone should experience, I can't wait to see what Sabotage Studio has in store for us after this game.
  11. Dubeau
    Sep 8, 2023
    8
    Sea a Stars is a fun game to play. This is JRPG 2d sprites at it's best. The story really shines here. It is deep and emotional. Combat is turn based with some button trigger mechanics. Fast and fresh enough, it keeps you interested. You have some abilities for accessing some areas. A part I didn't like was no real fast travel to speak of. Or at least, difficult to get back to some places.Sea a Stars is a fun game to play. This is JRPG 2d sprites at it's best. The story really shines here. It is deep and emotional. Combat is turn based with some button trigger mechanics. Fast and fresh enough, it keeps you interested. You have some abilities for accessing some areas. A part I didn't like was no real fast travel to speak of. Or at least, difficult to get back to some places. Graphics are retro, but you have some nice 2d render and some nice surprises at times visually. No voice overs. The music is correct. Although I found the sound balance a bit weak regarding music. No bugs on PC. I give it 85%. Well done 2d game. I have finished in 26 hours. You get flying just before the final boss battle. The ending felt like a setup for another game. I hope we get another one.… Expand
  12. CelsoBr
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Jogo maravilhoso principalmente para o pessoal das antigas, muito bem feito
  13. yusufulas
    Sep 8, 2023
    8
    Stunning pixel-art graphics, a smooth turn-based combat system with different combat mechanics and levels that you can explore in real-time make for a great adventure.
  14. HokagePace
    Sep 7, 2023
    10
    I am so thankful for this games existence, a great throwback to games I loved growing up. Good combat, beautiful scenery and great characters
  15. Grigoriano
    Sep 7, 2023
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos del año, buena historia y jugabilidad, merece la pena jugarlo.
  16. Kalynur
    Sep 7, 2023
    10
    Nostalgia for turn-based RPG games is back with this great game, beautiful and well-crafted pixels, captivating characters, amazing story.
  17. LilacZ
    Sep 7, 2023
    8
    As of writing this review I have 100%'d the game.

    Well made, enjoyable game with an overwhelming amount of effort put in. The game is slow paced and is fairly consistent from start to end and this can be both a good and bad thing Liked: + Stunning graphics and animations, this was the strongest part of the game + An impressive amount of love put in, everything feels deliberate and    As of writing this review I have 100%'d the game.

    Well made, enjoyable game with an overwhelming amount of effort put in. The game is slow paced and is fairly consistent from start to end and this can be both a good and bad thing

    Liked:
    + Stunning graphics and animations, this was the strongest part of the game
    + An impressive amount of love put in, everything feels deliberate and even side content felt fleshed out, this can be applied to every point even the things i disliked
    + Late game side content was rewarding and interesting
    + Ingredients and cooking great system, and I prefer this to usual RPG consumables

    Mixed:
    = Almost every aspect of the game stays fairly consistent and does not evolve/change too much. Anything you like or dislike, you will feel the same way for the whole game, some things like combat became a bit stale over time as a result
    = Interactive combat means combat animations has to be slower, combined with generally slow story pacing means the game can feel very slow for some

    Disliked:
    - OST and sound design felt forgettable, credits to there being multiple versions of songs and ingame jukebox though
    - Minigames were weak. "Wheels" favored 1 strat throughout and fishing was extremely frustrating and dull until upgrades (which required fishing)
    - Felt lack of certain battle mechanics like buff/debuffs, dots etc

    Bugs:
    - Encountered a bug near water dungeon that sequence broke couple locations forward, got me stuck and I lost about 1.5 hours of progress
    - Sometimes in combat characters go off screen and makes it impossible to time actions since you cannot see them    … Expand
  18. Azzigoth
    Sep 7, 2023
    9
    An absolute gem of a game. You can tell that it was crafted with love. The art style is beautiful, the combat is simple yet fun and the dialogue is standard JRPG (in order words it is decent with some cringe).

    If you are not a bitter basement dweller like our friend, Dash_Bannon, then I am sure you will have a great time with this little game if you have a few hours to kill.
  19. projectjacky
    Sep 7, 2023
    5
    The writing is at a high school fiction level, with middle school grammatical mistakes. Chained Echoes had a writer but not an editor. Sea of Stars has neither a competent writer nor an editor at all. The art is gorgeous and the gameplay is nice (for the first couple hours) but repetitive. It's the same gameplay loop in hours 1-2 as it is in hours 25-26 of your playthrough. TimedThe writing is at a high school fiction level, with middle school grammatical mistakes. Chained Echoes had a writer but not an editor. Sea of Stars has neither a competent writer nor an editor at all. The art is gorgeous and the gameplay is nice (for the first couple hours) but repetitive. It's the same gameplay loop in hours 1-2 as it is in hours 25-26 of your playthrough. Timed attacks/blocks are ambiguous and unsatisfying. Very overrated and it shows critics may have only tested the game for a few hours. As you can see user score continues to go down.… Expand
  20. Czod7
    Sep 6, 2023
    10
    The game is beautiful. I have not seen or witnessed any error in it. The game is absolutely perfect
  21. TheW4tchT0wer
    Sep 6, 2023
    5
    I'm glad to see, at the time of writing, that others feel there is something off about this game. I really enjoyed this studio's other game, The Messenger, so when I heard they were making a JRPG like Chrono Trigger, I was rather stoked. When the demo dropped over this past summer, I downloaded it immediately - and was left a bit disappointed. I knew they would have to cut certain featuresI'm glad to see, at the time of writing, that others feel there is something off about this game. I really enjoyed this studio's other game, The Messenger, so when I heard they were making a JRPG like Chrono Trigger, I was rather stoked. When the demo dropped over this past summer, I downloaded it immediately - and was left a bit disappointed. I knew they would have to cut certain features out for that, so I still held out some hope that the full product would lay my doubts to rest. Except they didn't.

    The graphics and music are all very well done and hearken back to the golden days of SNES JRPGs. However, the plot, pacing, and characters are all lacking. I feel like perhaps one of the reasons the game felt off was that there is a lot of telling, but not so much showing. Old JRPGs, you'd have the goofy character knocking things around or something like that. While there are some from other NPCs, the early cast of the game (before ultimately refunding) had their own personalities, but felt flat. The promise of it eventually getting better wasn't enough to keep me hooked. Hopefully this studio takes a crack at another retro style of game, as they do have a lot of talent! I think they just need to learn from this experience if they try for another JRPG; or hire a better writer and scenario planner.    … Expand
  22. LeBetaTesteur
    Sep 6, 2023
    10
    Sea of Stars is clearly an RPG inspired by the games we had access to when we were young. Featuring great graphics even though it's pixel art, a jaw-dropping soundtrack even though it's 16-bit, thrilling battles for its turn-based look, and a story told with intensity and humor, it will appeal to "old timers" who have loved games like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy IV, FinalSea of Stars is clearly an RPG inspired by the games we had access to when we were young. Featuring great graphics even though it's pixel art, a jaw-dropping soundtrack even though it's 16-bit, thrilling battles for its turn-based look, and a story told with intensity and humor, it will appeal to "old timers" who have loved games like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, Super Mario RPG, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga and many more like these.

    Sabotage had one thing in mind: to offer an “old school” role-playing game and they more than delivered the goods with more than thirty hours of play to find everything.

    I've been saying for 28 years that there's no RPG game, especially in retro ones, that doesn't come close to Chrono Trigger because it had a great story, great fights, stunning visuals for 16 -bits and a soundtrack that kicks asses. Well, I have to admit that Chrono Trigger has finally been dethroned and what a pleasure to announce that it is, in my opinion, the best indie game of the year to date. I even want to see it as a Game of the Year Contender at The Game Awards this year.    … Expand
  23. pervas
    Sep 6, 2023
    3
    No es un juego horroroso, pero tampoco nada especial, los gáficos estan bonitos y es soundtrack está ok, las historia es muy lenta y el combate se hace repetitvo demasiado pronto.
  24. LeonGamerB
    Sep 6, 2023
    8
    O jogo é bem interessante, pra quem gosta desse estilo inspirado nos antigos jogos do tipo vai se identificar
  25. Lanxgo
    Sep 6, 2023
    10
    O jogo é muito bom! Para quem gosta de RPG de turno, ele trouxe um game tão bom quanto os clássicos que conhecemos, uma gameplay mais inovadora (mas que foi inspirada/copiada de outros jogos) com pescaria, culinária, lutas um pouco mais dinâmicas pois te dão a possibilidade de boostar teu ataque e defender alguns golpes. Estava com saudades de um jogo assim!
  26. Noztroz
    Sep 5, 2023
    8
    Un buen Juego, que recuerda a los viejos RPG, me recordó mucho a Golden sun, pero si que tiene algunas cosas que podria mejorar, los poderes son muy básicos, tambien que había momentos que aunque hicieras mil cosas, te comías el daño de los especiales de los enemigos, algunos bosses son muy básicos, pero la historia y todo el universo es muy interesante, algunas cosas son poco intuitivasUn buen Juego, que recuerda a los viejos RPG, me recordó mucho a Golden sun, pero si que tiene algunas cosas que podria mejorar, los poderes son muy básicos, tambien que había momentos que aunque hicieras mil cosas, te comías el daño de los especiales de los enemigos, algunos bosses son muy básicos, pero la historia y todo el universo es muy interesante, algunas cosas son poco intuitivas como los momentos de acción de los personajes como, la lluvia de dardos de serai, no entendi como es atinar la mecánica o hasta que momento puedo usarlo, de resto es un muy buen juego… Expand
  27. Pocnias
    Sep 5, 2023
    8
    Magnifique jeu d'une beauté malheureusement trop souvent absente de nos jeux pixelart récents. Ce jeu est prenant malgré une histoire quelque peu bateau, et entendue assez souvent. Si vous hésitez à le prendre mais que vous avez le GamePass, n'hésitez plus et testez le via celui-ci ! Ce jeu est une pépite. A bon entendeur, foncez !
  28. Corpsedog
    Sep 5, 2023
    10
    INSTANT. CLASSIC.

    This could have easily stood out amongst the SNES-era RPG giants of the time had it released back then and it would also have been a childhood favorite. That being said, it STILL holds its own in 2023. I knew I was right to expect something great when this announced. The way you traverse the world in this game is so satisfying with its buttery smooth transitions into    INSTANT. CLASSIC.

    This could have easily stood out amongst the SNES-era RPG giants of the time had it released back then and it would also have been a childhood favorite. That being said, it STILL holds its own in 2023. I knew I was right to expect something great when this announced. The way you traverse the world in this game is so satisfying with its buttery smooth transitions into gorgeous animations of jumping, sliding, falling, edging along a cliff, diving into a lake and so on. The game just stays so fun to interact with. Yasunori Mitsuda is still crushing it with music as memorable as Chrono Trigger and the many environments are beautifully scored. The combat system is engaging, letting partners even swap out members in battle without even taking a turn to do so or worse having to switch at a static location and as such feels very fluid and makes use of every character at any time removing the feeling that you aren't utilizing each character. While not so challenging of a game so far, it has its moments and the relic to bump the difficulty will be a welcome addition for veterans or it can be very friendly for newcomers. The story is actually phenomenal and executed beautifully. It is not filled with typical JRPG tropes en masse and even side characters are very entertaining or intriguing. The unfolding plot is as engrossing and as worthy as Chrono Trigger. I mean it. This is a great game that shouldn't be judged too quickly. The characters have adequately entertaining backgrounds and it all seems to work really well while letting the player fill in some of the gaps with imagination as you stroll along and each character has just enough spark to make them endearing along the journey and not overly simple or complex. My favorite area so far has to be the Marsh on Mesa, home to Yomara. Just wow. Beautiful environment and excellent scoring here. Sprawling and very fun to navigate. There are plenty of fun things to do in this game and even more ways to do them. There are so many secrets to discover, Easter eggs, a parrot that helps locate missing treasures in the world and even a very cool minigame called Wheels.

    I can't put this down and I'm already getting a physical copy for my switch when it releases next year. What a solid RPG. This game is truly great. Ignore the negative reviews and immerse yourself in this world and you'll find plenty to love.

    Also below, check out Jirard The Completionist on youtube's very emotional and intimate connection with the history of the game and Sabotage team.

    https://youtu.be/u9mBsmiXR0I?si=VTsJXJ3oDvIYvw8G    … Expand
  29. Schatten123
    Sep 5, 2023
    10
    Eins vor weg. Die Musik ist so verdammt nervig. Aber das Game ist so detailverliebt. Einfach eine 10/10
  30. Albertomhg
    Sep 5, 2023
    9
    Un gran juego y sin duda de los mejores indies de lo que llevamos de año, un apartado visual precioso, combate por turnos clásico pero con un giro de tuerca que le da más profundidad, y una buena historia que cumple. El único defecto que se le puede encontrar es que puede llegar a ser algo repetitivo en algunos tramos, pero el juego es lo suficiente divertido para pasar esto por alto.
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PC Game of 2023
20
#20 Most Discussed PC Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Impulsegamer
    May 13, 2024
    86
    Sea of Stars is wonderfully evocative of the RPGs of yesteryear, recalling strong memories of Chrono Trigger and the like. Gorgeous pixel art is backed up with a soundtrack that for the most part is very pleasant to listen to, even if some of the loops do tend to repeat themselves a little too quickly. It seldom distracts, and almost always adds to the scene.
    Read full review
  2. GameMAG
    Dec 6, 2023
    60
    Sea of Stars is an old-school JRPG, cut on modern molds, which because of its dragging and template solutions turns from a fun adventure into a routine work.
    Read full review
  3. GameSpace
    Nov 2, 2023
    90
    Sea of Stars will keep players on their toes for dozens of hours with a huge variety of locations, enemies, bosses, side quests, riddles and puzzles. I have always kept both Chrono games very close to my heart, and now Sea of Stars took place next to them.
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