There is a particular fondness for RPGs of the 1990s. They represent some of the first video games that sought to pull players in with complex narratives, memorable characters, and a host of filmic qualities. While not exclusive to the genre, this more cinematic quality flourished in RPGs, where world building and exposition were given the time needed to create a gaming experience that drew the player into that world. This is what Sabotage Studio is looking to pay homage to with its game,Sea of Stars.
The game is set in the same world as the studio’s previous game,The Messenger, though the two games could not be more stylistically different.The Messengeris an ode totheNinja Gaidenfranchise, a side-scrolling action platformer meant to capture the difficulty of the NES era games with tricky jumps and punishing boss fights. The connection between the two games remains to be seen, but cameos are a possibility, or there could be legends or stories that connect the two worlds. WhileThe Messengertook its inspiration from 80s action video games,Sea of Starsis squarely focused on 90s RPGs, and the love for those games shines through in the early footage shown so far.
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Off to a Good (Kick)Start
Sea of Starsstarted out as a Kickstarter project that smashed its original (very modest) fundraising goal of $133,000 CDN. The campaign ended with a pledged amount of $1,628,126 CDN, which showed that fans reacted positively to the product Sabotage Studio was proposing.Video game and tabletop Kickstarter projects had an exceptional year, with a number of projects funded with substantial contributions from fans, andSea of Starsslotted in nicely as the fourth most-funded video game of 2020.
After a period where video game Kickstarter projects sagged, as games likeMighty No. 9were released and didn’t live up to expectation, it appears that fans are warming up to video game projects on the crowdfunding platform again. Trust was somewhat eroded, but after witnessing the backlash against projects that offered the moon and delivered something substantially less than, developers are more upfront about projects and provide a more clear roadmap for potential backers.
Sea of Stars Is Like Chrono Trigger
When looking to 90s RPGs for inspiration, it goes without saying that Chrono Trigger should be near the top of the list.Sea of Starspromises to do away with level grinding, a thorn in the side of many 90s JRPGs.Chrono Trigger’s pacing is such that there is very little need to grind as one plays through the game. It makes for a game that does not drag, which is one of the reasonswhyChrono Triggeris revered to this day. By not forcing players to grind levels, focus is kept on the story, keeping the player invested and wanting to continue playing.
In battle,Sea of Starsbears some resemblance toChrono Triggeras well. The characters rocking back and forth in their fighting pose is a little nod to what Crono, Marle, or Lucca do when in battle. The enemies players will fight appear on screen, and there are no clunky screen transitions, much likeChrono Trigger. Lastly, while it hasn’t been seen in footage yet, multi-character combo attacks are said to be part ofSea of Stars, bringing to mind the Dual and Triple Techs fromChrono Trigger. Taking inspiration fromone of the best JRPG battle systemsis a wise choice.
Sea of Stars Is Like Terranigma
When modeling a game based on 90s RPG classics, borrowing from a hidden gem that came along late in the SNES lifecycle is smart, as a game likeTerranigmawas able to make the most of the hardware it was on. One of thebest Action RPGs on the SNES,Terranigmamay not be as familiar to most gamers as it was not released in North America, and with attention already focused on the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation by the mid-90s, many folks missed this game.Terranigmafeatures light elements of platforming and allows players to climb, swim, and jump across a number of areas, something thatSea of Starsis doing with its game.
When players take control of main characters Zale or Valere, they are able to move freely about the environment with a number of cliffs to jump off of, rivers and lakes to swim in, and mountains to climb up. This freedom of movement gives players a sense of exploration, somethingTerranigmaalso wanted to do with its movement.
Sea of Stars Is Like Super Mario RPG
One of the first huge collaborations between video game studios came in the form ofSuper Mario RPGback in 1996, bringing Square and Nintendo together. There are a couple of things pulled from that game that show up inSea of Stars. Leveling up inSea of Starsincludes a choice for the player to make regarding which stat to boost. This is a fairly common RPG mechanic, but inSea of Starsit is presented in much the same way asSuper Mario RPGdid, with the cute icons for each stat that can be boosted. If a player wants to go all in on attack power, they can do so. When this mechanic was revealed, fans immediately made the connection toSuper Mario RPG,a game fans arehoping might get a true sequel one day.
Another nod toSuper Mario RPGcomes in battle where players can buff spells and do additional attack damage with well-timed button presses. Timing a critical attack by tapping a button just before the attack strikes, or mashing a button to make Zale’s Sunball grow bigger, like Mario’s fireball attack inSuper Mario RPG. It adds an engaging element to battles, and while a number of games now employ some kind of quick-time attack feature,Super Mario RPGwas one of the first to do it.
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Sea of Stars Is Like So Many 90s RPGs
With little touches taken from a number of 90s RPGs,Sea of Starsfeels well rooted in that history, but looks ready to grow into something modern. The environments inSea of Starsfeel alive, with grasses wavering in the breeze, and with day and night cycles a key component of the game, the world has a lot in common withTrials of Mana,arguably the bestManaseries game. That game featured some of the finest sprite work on the SNES, andSea of Starshas a great pixel art style, updated for modern hardware.
From mystic elements and puzzles that could have been pulled fromIllusion of Gaia, to the music from composer Eric W. Brown that sounds inspired bySecret of Mana,Star Ocean,Tales of Phantasia, andChrono Triggerall rolled into one. That last one is no accident, asChrono TriggercomposerYasunori Mitsuda is slated to work as a guest composeron a few tracks forSea of Stars.
The game is still in the early days of development, but what has been revealed so far is hitting all the right notes in its homage to 90s RPG classics.
Sea of Starsis in development with an expected release in 2022.
