As a long-time fan of turn-based RPGs, it’s been amazing to seeClair Obscur: Expedition 33and its devs get all sorts of praise. And now, I hope that praise can turn into more success for the genre, and here is an early chance for it to do so for one of its recent best titles.
Announced this morning,Throes of the Watchmakeris a free DLC expansion for the 2023 RPGSea of Stars, featuring over eight hours of new areas, enemies, bosses, puzzles, and more, like new playable classes for existing characters and a new playable character named Arty.
To put it plainly,Sea of Starsis a game that deserves your attention, much likeExpedition 33.As many gamers have hada “wait, I like this” momentwith the game after thinking they were not fans of turn-based RPGs, I think thatSea of Starsis another one that should get the same open-mindedness.
The similarities betweenExpedition 33andSea of Starsare pretty cool. Both are turn-based RPGs from small studios, both put a twist on the combat by adding timing and parrying, and both are priced lower than they probably should be (Expedition 33is $49.99 andSea of Starsis $34.99).
WhileExpedition 33has made waves for being such a stellar game in the genre, and rightfully so, there hasn’t been a shortage of really strong turn-based RPGs in recent years.Sea of Starswas one of my favorites that I played for a handful of hours after it launched, but I ended up in the hospital for a few weeks not long after that and have never found the time to go back and play it again. Hopefully, this DLC changes that.
Sea of Starsfeatures a gorgeous retro aesthetic to go along with its turn-based battles, and it even has three-player couch co-op, which seems pretty unheard of these days. All of it makes for a very interesting prospect.
Throes of the Watchmakeris endgame content, so you won’t be able to play it right away if you pick upSea of Starsnow, but it’s most likely going to be a worthwhile investment. While its retro graphics may turn others away, especially considering how attractiveExpedition 33’sgorgeous AAA visuals are by comparison, I don’t think it should. Give it a chance and you may find another favorite.
Sea of Starsis currently on sale on Xbox, but it’s also included with Game Pass (and available on Steam and PS5 as well), so there’s nothing to lose when it comes to giving it a shot.Throes of the Watchmakerlaunches on May 20.
