The enthralling RPG experience is now accessible to subscribers of Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars, a retro RPG developed by Sabotage Studio, released today for $34.99 on PC and consoles. It is the studio’s follow-up to 2018’s best debut title, The Messenger. With its release today, the turn-based RPG has received universal acclaim from game critics and is playable for free via Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus Extra.
The plot follows Valere and Zale, two Children of the Solstice, as they prepare to take on their destiny as Solstice Warriors in an ambitious effort that echoes traditional RPG. They’re the only ones who can stop the grotesque inventions of the Fleshmancer, a villainous alchemist. Following their progress as they learn to harness the combined strengths of the Sun and Moon to achieve what is known as Eclipse Magic, the two embark on a tremendous adventure full of peril and wonder.
The critical reception for Sea of Stars has been overwhelmingly excellent. The game has gotten more than 20 perfect scores from reviewers and an aggregate score of 90 from Metacritic. Sea of Stars has been praised for reimagining and elevating the turn-based RPG genre’s greatest strengths, including its distinct combat mechanics, an engaging world prime for exploration, and a heartfelt story led by a memorable cast.
Sea of Stars is the follow-up to Sabotage’s critically acclaimed debut The Messenger, and it is set in the same universe. The launch of Sea of Stars today is the culmination of four years of work by Sabotage, which expanded greatly following the success of The Messenger in order to create a project with greater scope and scale. The company said in early 2020 that famed composer Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) would be working with composer Eric W. Brown on Sea of Stars to create an exciting original score, thanks in large part to the game’s successful Kickstarter campaign. Fans can now finally immerse themselves in the epic story of the Solstice Children.
Game Information
Sea of Stars features:
- Active Turn-Based Combat: Synchronizing button presses with on-screen animations improves a hero’s attacks and defenses. There are no random encounters, transitions to different battlefields, or grinding in this RPG’s combat system, which instead relies on interactive timed attacks and a strategic “locks” system that allows players to leverage different damage types to thwart enemies as they are preparing devastating attacks or spells.
- Unshackled Traversal: You can freely move around the world by swimming, climbing, vaulting, jumping off, or scaling ledges using a platformer-inspired navigation system that does away with the restrictions of a traditional tileset.
- A Story Rich Adventure: You’ll get to know a cast of unique individuals, each with their own story arc to develop and tell. The classic themes of adventure and friendship are explored in Sea of Stars with all the heart and unexpected twists and events you’d expect from a Sabotage Studio production.
- All Fun, No Tedium: In Sea of Stars, defeat only calls for a change in battle plans, not hours of repetition to better the odds in a rematch, so feel free to experiment in combat without fear of hitting a wall that requires grinding or farming for unique items.
- A World You Can Touch: There are various ways to explore the world of Sea of Stars and adjust your pace during your adventures. The system offers a modernized experience while paying homage to retro classics, such as sailing, cooking, fishing, and playing “Wheels” tabletop game.
- Radiant Lighting: Dynamic lighting effects combined with a world-altering day/night cycle make every area feel truly alive, expanding the visual boundaries of traditionally stylized 2D pixel art games. This is necessary in order to tell the story of heroes channeling the powers of the Sun and Moon.
