So I have to rant about something I have no business ranting on. But it's bothering me. Re: Sea of Stars.
I've been seeing a lot of buzz about this game. It's got really high ratings and a couple of streamers I really enjoy are playing this. I looked at some screenshots and the pixel art for the world looks beautiful so I decided to give it a watch from two different playthroughs.
What the fuck tho'?
Firstly, this game is supposed to be an homage or whatever to 90's era JRPGs. But there's "homage" and then "there's taking too much." I don't think they took enough to be called a "rip-off" or anything that extreme but it's to a level that makes me uncomfortable. On Chrono Trigger alone:
Fight Gato? Here's Gato at Home.
Fight Lavos? Here's a Lavos worm-thing.
The Kingdom of Zeal? Here's Zeal at Home.
Fight Flea the Magician in a magical void? Fight our guy in a magical void.
Remember Slurp Kiss? It's an enemy tech, how cheeky.
Remember the Bubble Burst? Hee hee.
Remember the kiwala on the mountain who calls you nosy and gives you a stat booster? We have him at home.
Remember how Ayla had a tech where she'd throw whole-ass enemies and make the earth shake? At home.
Remember how the last chapter is named the Fated Hour. So's ours! Tee hee.
Remember Yasunori Mitsuda? No? That's okay, we have him at home. Literally. We paid him to be here.
Remember when Chrono died and you had to go through a stopped moment in time for you to save him? Here's the less interesting version of that same concept!
Remember Lavos again? We have a world eater! Ooooo.
It even apes on some of the memorable scenes like encountering Magus on a promontory and at least two other boss fights. It's, like, can you stop now? I know there's nothing new under the sun so I don't want to be that person but Jesus Christ. It just feels like they took too much. And apparently there's other references and nods to other games.
Secondly, the lead characters are super bland. It's like this game thinks just because you bore me with their training montage that I'll believe they earned the outcome they got in the end. No. No they didn't. Nothing felt earned. I wanted to like them in general but they give me nothing to work with. I like the concept of them but they themselves aren't interesting. Also, their friend the cook was fucking annoying. The guy in the turban felt like someone's favored OC. He was interesting but I'd argue just make the game about him instead. He seemed to be biting into a little too much screen time. The other two are whatever, I guess.
Thirdly, the beginning part of the game is too damn long and too dull. Your game is short. More shit should be happening. Why isn't more shit happening? At one point, there's this flashback for a couple of bad guys. I liked the flashback, if only because I find those two characters way more interesting, but, again, WHY? There were multiple scenes that felt like padding.
Fourth, a lot of folks liked the music. I like a couple of the tracks but I'm not sure what anyone's talking about in regards to the rest it. Most of the tracks are kinda forgettable.
Fifth, art. The pixel art remains gorgeous. The character designs, I wasn't sold on. Some of the official art is still beautiful even with those character designs. In watching a couple of people play this game and seeing character portraits constantly, they just aren't my bag and I don't think the sprites fit the aesthetic. I don't know if I'm biased against the art style or several of the cringe characters rendered in that art style. (Pirates, I'm looking at you.)
Also, that giant memorial (for the kickstarter backers) felt ridiculous. But I guess that's also whatever.
