'Sea of Stars Mobile' Impressions
Sea of Stars is a retro RPG-inspired game from developer Sabotage Studio that launched on PC and consoles back in 2023. The game made its debut on Android and iOS devices this week, and I've had a chance to try the Android port and will be sharing my impressions here.
I'll admit that I'm not usually a fan of mobile games, but I was tempted to try this one out for two reasons. Firstly, Sea of Stars' pixel art feels like a perfect match for mobile devices, and I was curious to see if this full-fledged RPG holds up on such systems. Secondly, the publisher of the mobile version is Playdigious, a company that has ported several PC and console games to mobile, such as Dead Cells and Streets of Rage 4. Importantly for me, Playdigious' ports usually supported controller input, which is a key aspect for me to even consider a mobile game. For these reasons, I gave Sea of Stars Mobile a spin.
This mobile version is a faithful port. It still follows the story of Solstice Warriors Valere and Zale, presented in beautiful pixel art and with memorable soundtracks. The audiovisual experience is akin to what the original version has to offer, with its beautiful animations and occasional anime-style cutscenes. There aren't as many settings to tweak, but the performance is solid, even on weaker devices.
My biggest worry before jumping into the game was with the controls, as trailers have been advertising it as a touchscreen game. This is indeed the case, and the mobile version has been updated for touchscreen controls. However, it also accepts controller input, making the experience more console-like. I've played it on the Anbernic RG505, and the device's OLED screen and D-pad-oriented controller layout are perfect for this game.
Despite the welcome controller support, I did encounter recurring instances where the text didn't correspond to controller input. I hope Playdigious polishes this out in a future update to make for a more seamless controller-friendly experience. One future update that I hope they bring is to include the Throes of the Watchmaker DLC, which was released for free on PC and consoles.
Overall, Sea of Stars is a welcome addition to mobile gaming libraries. It opens a full-fledged, retro-inspired yet original RPG experience to a new audience. The mobile port does justice to the game, which feels at home on mobile systems (especially with a controller). If you haven't played it yet, it's well worth considering at its €9/$10 price.
For more on what Sea of Stars has to offer, be sure to take a look at the full review!
Sea of Stars Official GBAtemp Review
