Overview
Sea of Stars is a pixel-art RPG developed and published by Sabotage Studio, the Quebec studio behind The Messenger, released in 2023. It's a very successful tribute to 16-bit-era JRPGs: you get a party of heroes, turn-based combat and a world explored from a top-down view, with controls designed for today.
Story and world
You follow Zale and Valere, two Children of the Solstice who wield the magic of the sun and of the moon respectively, as they set out on an adventure to protect their world. The story plays it safe: it follows a fairly expected path for the genre.
Gameplay
Combat is turn-based, but with attack and parry timings: pressing the button at the right moment lands an extra hit or reduces the damage taken. When an enemy prepares a special attack, locks appear above it, and you have to break them with the right damage types to interrupt the attack. These timings keep the fights active; you're never just mindlessly cycling through menus.
Exploration comes with no random encounters at all: enemies are visible on the map and fights start right where you are. You can also climb, jump and swim freely through the environments.
Graphics and music
The pixel art and the lighting are superb. The soundtrack is composed by Eric W. Brown, with guest tracks by Yasunori Mitsuda, the composer of Chrono Trigger.
Verdict
The story plays it safe, but the polish is flawless. Sea of Stars is a very successful tribute to 16-bit JRPGs.