The movement isn’t restricted to a grid, but fluid like Illusion of Gaia. Well-timed attacks deal extra damage a la Super Mario RPG. “We’re putting in the work to rethink the systems, to modernize, while also letting shine what aged well.” In the case of an old-school RPG, that means a mashup of a bunch of unique and beloved mechanics.Īnyone who plays Sea of Stars will recognize the seamless transition into combat that mimics Chrono Trigger. “We’re not just banking on them because retro can sell,” he says. You need to protect the world because you happened to be born on a specific date,” adding that “Just because something isn’t your fault doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility.”īoulanger explains that Sabotage’s mindset is to properly cater to all the genres its team members grew up loving, ultimately delivering a “definitive edition” of sorts. Boulanger says “They were basically told ‘Sorry, but your life is not your own. Sea of Stars is very much about the duality between these two characters as they fight an evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer who threatens the entire world. Boulanger tells us that “They complete each other. One is a bit more bold and upfront, one is more laid back and curious - but they’re very much in this together.” It’s a great-power-and-great-responsibility kind of tale. (And, in case the timing is lost on you, the game’s announcement coincides with the vernal equinox.) It’s also a prequel to The Messenger, as the events of Sea of Stars evidently segue into the state of the world in The Messenger. Zale was born in the summer and harnesses the power of the sun Valere was born in the winter and has the power of the moon. Sea of Stars is a turn-based role-playing game about Zale and Valere (colloquially called SunBoy and MoonGirl) who are the Children of the Solstice. Now that Sabotage has some credibility to its name, it’s time for that ambitious retro RPG. “ You jump over the pitfall, you do front flips, you kill demons, here’s a ninja, there you go.” Sabotage co-founder and creative director Thierry Boulanger tells Destructoid that an old-school SNES-era RPG was always what the studio wanted to do first, but it was too tough of a sell from an unproven team. Boulanger mocks a theoretical pitch meeting for a narrative-driven RPG, saying “Hey, look at us! We can tell a story and we have zero proof of that, but please invest in this game.” Turns out The Messenger was a lot easier for people to put their faith (and money) into. It’s a change of direction drastic enough to give you whiplash. But if The Messenger was a love letter to the likes of Ninja Gaiden, Sabotage’s followup, titled Sea of Stars, is an adoring nod to the likes of Chrono Trigger. The Messenger was undeniably excellent, a faithful homage to the retro action-platformer genre. Sabotage Studio’s second game shares roots with the developer’s debut, but they could not be more different. Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG are major influences

Kickstarter sea of stars