Sea of Stars (Demo)

Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Windows (Steam Deck OK)
Current goal: Remain patient until the full game releases

The demo of upcoming Japanese-style RPG Sea of Stars is ticking all the right boxes for me thus far. Yes, I know that other big RPG just came out, but if you have the time, consider giving this demo a spin before the full game’s release on August 29. Sea of Stars is wonderfully colorful, with a pleasing soundtrack that is both subdued but still packed with enough happily looping melodies that I can chill out during exploration and enjoy bobbing my head along during combat.

I also love turn-based combat. It gives me the opportunity to remain engaged in strategy, contemplate the consequences of my actions while also planning ahead for possible outcomes, all without demanding both math and reaction time simultaneously. I also love RPGs that don’t have voice acting. I mean, I love games without voice acting, period. I like having the sounds of characters exist in my head and I don’t like feeling like I need to bounce back and forth between playing a game and then watching a mini-drama unfold. When I’m reading text in a game, the whole experience feels more intimate and personal. Sea of Stars has all of that, and thus far the demo teases a very satisfying RPG experience.

The Sea of Stars demo is brief, but you’ll get to know the characters a little bit, enjoy brief environmental exploration, and get a taste of its combat, which features wonderful turn-based trappings and great moments of synergy across the different characters. It’s very much worth checking out to get a sense of whether or not you’ll be in the mood for a more classical-style RPG come the end of the month. — Claire Jackson