Nintendo Indie World returned in December 2021 with a presentation showcasing 19 new games. The first, and also the best, game shown during the showcase was Sea of Stars, a new Chrono Trigger-inspired RPG set in the same universe as the underrated Ninja Gaiden-like platformer The Messenger. Is this the Nintendo Switch’s next Hollow Knight-level indie darling?

When is the Sea of Stars release date?

During Indie World, we learned that Sea of Stars will be released in Holiday 2022. However, the developers admitted already in a press release that a delay is possible: “The studio is adamant that if more time is needed to publish a polished, high-quality product that timeframe may shift, citing quality as the highest priority for the coming title,” the press release said. Don’t expect this game to be released for at least another year.

Is there a Sea of Stars trailer?

Yes, there is! The latest trailer for Sea of Stars kicked off the December 2021 Indie World showcase. It highlights the game’s combat, beautiful visuals, and soundtrack. Check it out for yourself below:

What are the Sea of Stars platforms?

The developer has confirmed that Sea of Stars is launching on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch. Thankfully for PlayStation and Xbox players, the game’s website does tease that more platform announcements are coming in Spring 2022. There’s a pretty good chance we can expect it on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, even though those platforms aren’t technically confirmed just yet.

Is Sea of Stars in the same universe as The Messenger?

Sea of Stars is indeed set in the same universe as The Messenger, though their stories don’t currently seem to have too much in common. We likely won’t have the complete picture of how closely these titles are connected until we can play through Sea of Stars’ whole story for ourselves. Overall, the developers say to expect a game with a scope four times bigger than The Messenger.

While story details are mostly under wraps, we know that the game will follow two children, Valere and Zale, as they go on a journey to become Solstice Warriors and defeat a malicious alchemist called The Fleshmancer. As Children of the Solstice, Valera and Zale can combine their Sun and moon powers to perform mysterious Eclipse magic, which should give them an edge in battle.

You can almost expect to play as six unique party members, meet dozens of original characters that are pivotal to the story, themes of adventure and friendship, and lots of shocking twists.

Is Sea of Stars inspired by Chrono Trigger?

From a gameplay standpoint, Sea of Stars is very reminiscent of Chrono Trigger, as battles take place from a similar perspective, and party members can boost each other or combine their attacks. While the gameplay hues closest to Chrono Trigger, Sea of Stars’ website FAQ lists Super Mario RPG and Illusion of Gaia as influences.

That Super Mario RPG influence becomes very apparent with Sea of Stars’ timed hit system, where players can press a button as they attack or block to increase their damage output and decrease damage taken, respectively. The developers also promise that Sea of Stars will not have any random encounters or grinding if those aspects of JRPGs annoy you.

Outside of battle, players will have many traversal options as they explore the world. There will also be lots of side activities to partake in, like fishing, cooking, and a card game called Wheels. If you are a fan of classic SNES-era RPGs, Sea of Stars looks like the proper successor you’ve been waiting for.

Who are the Sea of Stars developer and composer?

Sea of Stars is developed by a Canadian indie studio called Sabotage. This is their second full game, coming after The Messenger and its DLC Picnic Panic. For Sea of Stars, the team increased its size to 23 full-time developers and crowdfunded on Kickstarter. For the Japanese and Korean versions of the game, they are working with Kakehashi Games.

The most notable contributor to Sea of Stars’ development is Yasunori Mitsuda. He was the composer on games like Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and is creating the soundtrack for Sea of Stars. Overall, this is a really promising project and one of the most intriguing indie games in the works for Nintendo Switch.

Sea of Stars will be released for PC and Nintendo Switch during the 2022 holiday season.