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Sea of Stars 2023
Sea of Stars is a 2023 role-playing video game developed and published by Sabotage Studio. The game takes place across an archipelago within a fantasy setting, where players control either Valere or Zale, two Solstice Warriors wielding the energies of the sun and moon. Their mission involves traveling through this world to defeat powerful creatures known as Dwellers and prevent an immortal alchemist from continuing their creation. Gameplay uses a fixed isometric perspective with pixel art graphics reminiscent of Super Nintendo Entertainment System-era RPGs like Chrono Trigger from 1995.
Sabotage Studio started developing the game in 2018 following the release of their initial title, The Messenger. Creative director Thierry Boulanger aimed to merge elements from various classic role-playing games into something fresh, focusing on capturing the essence of those older titles without simply replicating them. This approach included incorporating art and map design through seamless movement across landscapes, blending strategic and real-time combat mechanics, and ensuring rich visual and audio variety. The studio chose to self-publish the project and initiated a Kickstarter campaign in March 2020 along with a press reveal to validate the concept for both internal teams and investors.
Sea of Stars launched on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in August 2023. Reviews were generally favorable, praising its visuals and soundtrack. However, critics expressed divided views on the narrative and character development, with some noting limited depth in combat systems. During its first week, the game sold over 250,000 copies, and by November 2024, more than six million individuals had played it. The title earned multiple awards, including Best Independent Game at both the Golden Joystick Awards and The Game Awards 2023, as well as Game of the Year nominations from the Golden Joystick Awards and the Game Developers Choice Awards. An expansion titled "Throes of the Watchmaker" was released in May 2025.
Crew
- Director
- Thierry Boulanger
- Designer
- Thierry Boulanger, Phillipe Dionne
- Programmer
- Sylvain Cloutier
- Artist
- Michael Lavoie, Bryce Kho
- Writer
- Thierry Boulanger
- Music
- Eric W. Brown, Yasunori Mitsuda
Details
- Developer
- Sabotage Studio
- Publisher
- Sabotage Studio
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch 2
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
