SEA OF STARS: SUN, MOON, AND A JRPG LOVE LETTER WITH TIMING IN ITS BONES
8.5 of 10 bananas. Sabotage Studio's love letter to Chrono Trigger era RPGs has some of the finest pixel art ever made and turn based combat that asks for real timing. The story starts slow and the leads stay thin.
By the Alpha. PS5 disc listing. Updated Oct 30 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, update history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC (developed and published by Sabotage Studio, released August 29 2023). The Amazon button is the PS5 disc. At my Oct 30 2026 check the new copy came from a third-party seller, rock_30_games, shipped by Amazon, at 39.99 dollars. Sellers and prices change, so look at the seller before you pay.
Get Sea of Stars for PS5 on AmazonStore check, Oct 30 2026: new copies on offer from a third-party seller, rock_30_games, shipped by Amazon. Prices and sellers change, so look before you pay.
Sit with me a moment. I grew up on games where you pressed the button again right as the sword landed, and the hit got stronger. Most modern RPGs forgot that trick. Sea of Stars builds its whole fight around it, and my old thumbs remembered right away.
What It Wants To Be
Sea of Stars is a turn based RPG about Zale and Valere, two Children of the Solstice who combine sun and moon magic to fight the monsters of an evil alchemist called the Fleshmancer. It is a prequel set in the world of Sabotage's earlier game, The Messenger, though you do not need to have played it. You climb, swim, and explore freely between fights, and the studio brought in Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda for guest tracks.
What Works
It sits at 87 on Metacritic overall, 90 on Switch and 87 on PS5. Nintendo Life called it an instant classic. The battles have no random encounters: enemies show their next attack with locks you break by hitting the right damage types, and timed button presses boost your hits and blocks. Polygon, even in a mixed review, says the combat often shines brighter than the games that inspired it. The pixel art, lighting, and music are praised everywhere, and exploration with climbing and swimming feels fresh for the style.
What Breaks
Listen well. The story is the weak link. The Verge says it starts so slowly they nearly gave up, with long conversations and typos at launch. Polygon says Zale and Valere are so alike you could swap their portraits, and the big twists are easy to see coming. Some critics and players find the combat gets samey by the end because your moves barely change. The Verge finished its run in 22 hours, and the first stretch is the slowest.
Who Should Play
Play it if Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, or Golden Sun live in your heart, and you want a beautiful, focused adventure. Skip it if you play RPGs for deep characters first and fights second.
STRENGTHS
- Some of the best pixel art ever shipped
- Timed hits and lock breaking keep fights active
- No random encounters
- Great music with Mitsuda guest tracks
HONEST COSTS
- Slow first half of the story
- Thin, interchangeable leads
- Combat gets samey late
- Third-party seller at my check
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