REVIEW: Sea of ​​Stars is the big surprise of Xbox Game Pass 

Developed by Canadian Sabotage Studio, Sea of ​​Stars is a throwback to the past that brings much of what we love about the 16-bit generation while reinventing gameplay mechanics in an engaging and fun way.

Charming and full of life

Formerly known for the neoclassical platform game The Messenger, Sabotage Studio now brings an RPG filled with the purest nostalgia for arcade games. Super Nintendo e Mega Drive, Sea of ​​Stars. 

Despite all this love for the past, especially for games like Chrono Trigger e Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars, Sea of ​​Stars does not get carried away by the homage to the golden age of games of the genre, bringing established mechanics with a new and extremely blunt look with the type of experience that the game delivers so well.

The game's story is directly linked to the relationship that both protagonists have of friendship, and that power they carry goes far beyond what they trained for so many years to achieve, as disciples of Solstice Warriors, a group whose mission is to protect the world. the threat of an ancient and malevolent force.

Born destined to be heroes, the duo Valere and Zale actually just wanted to be kids, to play alongside their little friend Garl. Unfortunately, when entering the temple to begin his training, they had to leave him behind, keeping the delicious memories of the dish that the kind cook loved to prepare.

But life, as we all know, is full of cross paths, and the duo's path led them to join their childhood friend again, now all grown up, while they are tasked with traveling the planet in search of possible threats to peace, while developing their skills.

The heart of the team 

Even without special powers like those of Valere and Zale, Garl's heart more than makes up for this lack, and it is he who drives the coming and going, so to speak, of Sea of ​​Stars. His inherent kindness is simply contagious, and even innocently taking care of matters at the various stops that the gang makes on their journey, there is not a single moment in the game in which he does not have a strong participation.

Sea of ​​Stars, at first glance, looks a lot like Square Enix's classic, Chrono Trigger, due to the combo-based combat and the constant switching of skills as you use magic points and when attacking with your weapon, recharge them. The similarities, however, soon make way for new and creative mechanics based on the elements that our heroes gradually become masters at manipulating.

Alternating between moon and sun-based attacks, the duo uses and abuses enemies' weaknesses to come out on top in the many fights throughout the game, and such talents translate very well to the commands the player needs to hit in time to increase. the maximum amount of damage they do. That timing was something very common in the excellent RPG starring Super Mario, and Sea of ​​Stars borrows the idea, making clever use of it without overdoing it.

The news doesn't stop

A few hours after starting the game, the protagonists obtain the power to release fragments of power when attacking enemies, and when these are absorbed, they grant them a certain amount of strength for their next attack. Since enemies have specific weaknesses, this mechanic, when used well, gives you a way to turn the situation in your favor, further increasing the range of skills at your disposal during battles. 

With each level up, in a very similar way to the games in the series Mario & Luigi, all characters have access to four distinct choices of stats to increase, varying in the amount of points. Thus, it is possible to customize your team the way you want right from the beginning of the adventure, and the more varied the characters become, the more versatile the gang becomes to face the great challenges that the adventure has in store for them.

beautiful to die

And while the gameplay shines brightly, it doesn't overshadow the other compelling aspects of the game, such as its jaw-dropping presentation. of all the many current releases with a retro theme, this is one of the most beautiful we've ever seen, as it has masterfully designed graphics, with vibrant colors that give its characters a life saturated with personality, not to mention the world in which the story takes place. if Sea of ​​Stars were a game actually released in the generation it's based on, it would be by far one of the most beautiful.

Not to mention all the amazing sound work this game has. Sabotage Studio had already shown immense musical talent in The Messenger, and with Sea of ​​Stars, there is a completeness and agreement between the visual and the auditory that is simply beautiful to enjoy during the many hours of gameplay present in this title. Even without a single voice line, this release manages to convey emotion and feeling through its presentation in a surprising way.

It is worth mentioning that Sea of ​​Stars it has a beautiful complete localization for Brazilian Portuguese, which we love. It is full of jokes and adds a lot to the presentation value of the game, giving even more personality to all the characters who participate in the adventure of the amiable trio.

Our verdict

Even though it is a game with a clear stamp of honoring the golden age of console RPGs, Sea of ​​Stars it stays current thanks to its flexible and extremely simple gameplay. And even in its simplicity, the game is always in constant evolution, presenting news all the time, which add value to combat, with fun and easy to learn mechanics. 

Don't be fooled by all the color and beauty that the game delivers in every corner, as there's a lot to expect from its plot, which is full of emotion and twists, not to mention the strong friendship that your team members nurture a by the other. Garl in particular is one of the cutest, most upstanding characters we've ever seen. This is a group that won't leave your imagination anytime soon.

Sea of ​​Stars is one of the big news this year and a pleasant surprise for fans of RPGs in search of something beautiful and with excellent content to play. Just like she did with The Messenger, Sabotage Studio has raised the bar even higher for what you can expect from a retro style RPG with this game.

Sea of ​​Stars is part of the games catalog of Xbox Game Pass and can be played both on PC through the application provided by Microsoft, and on consoles Xbox One and the S series e X. It is also available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 e 5 and Steam. We tested the game on a Xbox series s and Nintendo Switch. 

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Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim (04 / 09 / 23)