Current Events > Sea of Stars reviews are coming in

(+) Yeah! (+)

currently at 94 on Opencritic:

https://opencritic.com/game/15003/sea-of-stars

IGN - 8/10

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1sr2by2oOFI

I'll probably get it at some point.

Basically everything IGN said in their review were my exact thoughts after playing the demo.

Everything is amazing except for the battle mechanics. Theyre not terrible but theyre not very fun either.

Probably getting this once a physical release is made in 2024.

EmilyTheCEman posted...

Basically everything IGN said in their review were my exact thoughts after playing the demo.

Everything is amazing except for the battle mechanics. Theyre not terrible but theyre not very fun either.

Please extrapolate, if you can?

I'm seeing a lot of four out of five and eight out of ten. Seems solid.

Its been like a month or 2 but I just remember it being very barebones and basic aside from the little QTE reaction things which have very limited and confusing button press windows.

EmilyTheCEman posted...

Its been like a month or 2 but I just remember it being very barebones and basic aside from the little QTE reaction things which have very limited and confusing button press windows.

So other than weird in battle QTE shenanigans, it's just a standard 16 bit-era JRPG battle system? That sounds good to me.

I was fearing some dumbass, convoluted mechanics like in Resonance of Fate or something.

So other than weird in battle QTE shenanigans, it's just a standard 16 bit-era JRPG battle system? That sounds good to me.

I think its TOO standard though. Octopath Traveler for example is also a recent throwback turn based RPG but managed to keep me engaged the entire time with its battling. They managed to make it feel like an exciting chess match where this just feels like attack, attack, attack, attack until its over.

It looks good. I'm just not really an RPG guy anymore

Im just not interested in these kind of retro JRPGs but happy for everyone else I guess

Game pass too I think, if so i'll be playing it.

Xenogears15 posted...

So other than weird in battle QTE shenanigans, it's just a standard 16 bit-era JRPG battle system? That sounds good to me.

Like MarioRPG, or worse?

Tyranthraxus posted...

I'll probably get it at some point.

I was planning on buying it, but it's day 1 on PS+ extra so...definitely grabbing it through that now

Edit: It's also day 1 on Game Pass for those who have it

Is it a monthly free ps+ game or is it obly on higher sub tiers?

DeadBankerDream posted...

Is it a monthly free ps+ game or is it obly on higher sub tiers?

Extra, so the middle tier

EmilyTheCEman posted...

Everything is amazing except for the battle mechanics. Theyre not terrible but theyre not very fun either.

I hear that if you're looking for fun JRPG battle then look no further than Chained Echoes.

https://youtu.be/edF3TDXS-gM?si=YbhFxu3kIVn776Jz

• Heal after every battle
• No random encounters
• No grinding
• Overdrive bar: balance your moves to deal more damage while in the green or get too greedy and take more damage if in red

I was tempted by this, but having second thoughts over the shitty QTE thing. The reason I like turn based is because it doesn't have that kind of bullshit.

How important is it actually, though?

dioxxys posted...

I hear that if you're looking for fun JRPG battle then look no further than Chained Echoes.

https://youtu.be/edF3TDXS-gM?si=YbhFxu3kIVn776Jz

* Heal after every battle
* No random encounters
* No grinding
* Overdrive bar: balance your moves to deal more damage or get too greedy and take more damage

While I haven't beat it yet, I definitely recommend Chained Echoes as well, it makes good use of modern mechanics while having that old school feel

dioxxys posted...

I hear that if you're looking for fun JRPG battle then look no further than Chained Echoes.

https://youtu.be/edF3TDXS-gM?si=YbhFxu3kIVn776Jz

* Heal after every battle
* No random encounters
* No grinding
* Overdrive bar: balance your moves to deal more damage or get too greedy and take more damage

Oh damn that is highly intriguing, definitely gonna look into it. Thanks!

ai123 posted...

The reason I like turn based is because it doesn't have that kind of bullshit.

I blame Mario.

You can have Turn based and QTE, ala paper Mario, but SoS QTEs aren't well telegraphed without trial and error.

The music was forgettable (demo at least)

Fishing was cool tho.

Dungeon design was simple but neat

PowerOats posted...

You can have Turn based and QTE, ala paper Mario, but SoS QTEs aren't well telegraphed without trial and error.

Timed hits are just a gimmick, until they suddenly aren't. "You can do more damage if you press A now." vs. "Press A now, or get instantly dead"

Briefly checked on the demo and dug it, love these kind of RPGs that feel like a throwback to the SNES era, and it's coming to gamepass so I'll definitely give it a go

PowerOats posted...

You can have Turn based and QTE, ala paper Mario, but SoS QTEs aren't well telegraphed without trial and error.

I know you can have both.

I just prefer my nice relaxing turn based to not stress me out with 'press button now, now, NOW!' bullshit.

Shame, because otherwise this game is right up my street.

People forget how important ATB was to Chrono Trigger's battle system (and turn based in general)

SoS's battle system (from the demo at least) just didn't work because it was extremely boring. It is exhibit A for people who say turn-based is boring. It's not boring because it's turn-based though; it's because it's extremely slow.

ai123 posted...

I just prefer my nice relaxing turn based to not stress me out with 'press button now, now, NOW!' bullshit.

Give Brave Dungeon a go. It's JRPG without any bullshit.

colliding posted...

People forget how important ATB was to Chrono Trigger's battle system (and turn based in general)

SoS's battle system (from the demo at least) just didn't work because it was extremely boring. It is exhibit A for people who say turn-based is boring. It's not boring because it's turn-based though; it's because it's extremely slow.

That's why FFX is so much fun

It's fast and SNAPPY.
You select attack, pick a target, then WHACK they ded

Character switching is snappy too

Ill definitely be getting it, as The Messenger was fantastic and that alone tells me the love Sabotage Studios has for their games.

The IGN review is kind of on point to how I felt when playing the demo. Everything was great but the gameplay is just so basic, which I guess is a plus for people who really like traditional turn base games.

I'm quite curious about this. Won't mind simplistic battles if writing or level design is actually good. That kinda killed both Octopath Traveler games imo.

The combat is so mind numbingly boring. I can't imagine playing an entire game of that anymore

I don't think I'll ever find a better battle system than Bravely Default and Bravely Second.

Time to dig out the 3DS.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

This. There's just something inherently fun about obliterating meaningless encounters, and Octopath denies that.

installing game pass version now. Will try to try it out before starfield drops

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


It took me until 8hrs into the game to realize why I never had that problem, I realized I had Cyrus as my main lol. With that said, I did like that Octopath made you think instead of pressing A to attack, but I no doubt can imagine how irritating/annoying it would be to run into little minions and not blaze through them, especially when the encounter rate sucks.

Ill be playing it tomorrow.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

This is ultimately why that game just never clicked for me

PowerOats posted...

That's why FFX is so much fun

It's fast and SNAPPY.
You select attack, pick a target, then WHACK they ded

Character switching is snappy too

Shin Megami Tensei 3 is another good example. The attack animations are fairly quick, ESPECIALLY the basic attack (which may be among the fastest among turn based battles, like the basic attack animation is under a second long).

I'm mixed on this game. For a supposed indie game, it's a bit too well marketed. There's a lot of press that seems to be more astroturfing than anything and everything available online saying greatest game ever but the demo sucks

I think Octopath's battles are great; maybe OT2 fixes this but once you're at a suitable level you DO breeze through random encounters, even with the break system attached. But yes, what SoS doesn't seem to get is that normal battles should be as quick and brainless as possible.

I also think timed hits in general is a dumb idea. Every Mario RPG has battles that are way too long and unfun because of it.