Indie developer Sabotage Studios has released their sophomore game, Sea of Stars. The retro-inspired RPG is available now on PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox ($34.99). Watch the new launch trailer above.
Sea of Stars is an original story, but its inspiration is as clear as the, uh, stars. It channels the 90s era of 16-bit RPGs, such as Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger, and Phantasy Star.
It’s a world of pixel art graphics, great music, epic stories, memorable characters, and turn-based combat.
Sea of Stars also takes advantage of decades of graphical and gameplay improvements, with dynamic lighting and weather effects, and more active traversal that includes swimming, vaulting, and climbing.
Combat promises active-timed hits for increased damage and defense, multi-character combos, and no random encounters or need for grinding.
Sea of Stars takes place in the same world as the studio’s debut game, The Messenger, another retro-inspired success based on Ninja Gaiden. You don’t need to have played The Messenger first, however. Sea of Stars is set thousands of years in the past.
A free demo is also available on all the released platforms, showcasing “some gameplay systems and mechanics” without revealing any major spoilers.
Sea of Stars is rated E10+ with fantasy violence, mild blood, and mild language.
