REVIEW: ‘Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker’ DLC Delivers Another Great Adventure

For those who have rolled credits on the core game, Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker brings a new adventure from the developers at  Sabotage Studio (The Messenger). To help one of their friends, Zale and Valere travel to a miniature world made by the mysterious Watchmaker. And to top it all off, this Sea of Stars DLC is free.

Due to the designs of the Fleshmancer, the Watchmaker’s clockwork creation has been corrupted, and only the Solstice Twins can set things right. Setting them into a miniature world of circus performances and mirror selves. But while the scale of the world in Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker is smaller, this adventure promises to be a far more personal one for our heroes.

When Sea of Stars was released in 2023, it garnered one of the few 10/10 video game review scores I have given. It was my Game of the Year and earned But Why Tho’s recognition as its Indie Game of the Year as well. It delivered a phenomenal entry in the turn-based RPG genre that effortlessly blended the heart and soul of classic examples while pioneering new elements to make it stand out.

With my love of the core game, I have eagerly awaited Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker, looking forward to spending more time in this vibrantly realized world. While the new DLC doesn’t quite land as well as the core game, it is still a fantastic supplemental journey with lots to love.

Sabotage Studio makes a big swing in the gameplay of Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker.

When Zale and Valere arrive in the corrupted world they have to save, they are promptly stripped of their powers and forced to adopt ones that fit the world’s sense of circus flair and showmanship. Zale becomes a juggler and Valere an acrobat.

These new roles serve the dual purpose of giving combat a refreshing new set of actions while also allowing the twins to be weakened for thematic reasons. By the end of the core game, the Solstice Twins are at the height of their power. Making every enemy they encounter here magically strong enough to challenge them would feel off. Forcing them into new roles in the Sea of Stars DLC solves this nicely.

While the new combat abilities change how the twins play, the core elements that made the game’s combat fun and engaging remain perfectly intact in Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker. The constant need to plan how to break enemy locks to prevent attacks continues to be a compelling gameplay hook. Learning enemy patterns and saving skills for key moments brings a rewarding high when it all comes together.

The only place where the gameplay fails slightly compared to the original is the loss of character customization. Previously, when leveling, players could choose where to allot a skill point, helping to drive their characters down the path of their choosing. This is no longer the case. While a few items can be found that give a permanent stat boost to a character of choice, it would’ve been nice to have the freedom to adjust character growth.

The Sea of Stars’ DLC features a battle with the Puppeteer, and it’s everything one can desire in a boss fight.

The apex of the combat gameplay in Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker is frequently found in boss fights. Each battle contains larger-than-life baddies that test the limits of planning and resource management. Nowhere is this more true than when the heroes come face-to-face with the mastermind of their current predicament, The Puppeteer.

Clever mechanics, gorgeous visuals, and charm combine to create this memorable boss encounter. The battle with the Puppeteer shifts repeatedly, forcing rapid adaptation, which keeps the substantial encounter from growing stale. It’s gaming perfection.

But while Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker’s strengths frequently shine the brightest during its big encounters, there is one unfortunate exception. A mid-boss near the end of the game drags down the momentum of the story just as it begins to build. The rotation of moves the enemy implements is easily learned and countered, reducing the battle to a dragged-out fight with a boring enemy with too many hit points. The only element of Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker that I was happy to be done with.

While combat is at the core of the gameplay loop, traversal and environmental puzzles add fun to the proceedings. The brilliant work done to make the core game’s environments distinct and compelling continues throughout this new adventure. Multilayered areas are fun to explore, and the puzzles range from simple to challenging. They come frequently enough to provide a break in the action, making the combat flow even better since it’s not the only thing to do.

Further incentivizing exploration is a world full of bountiful rewards. Equipment pieces and food ingredients are found everywhere and are always welcome. Some of the fights here are challenging, and being stocked up on supplies can make all the difference. The selection of foods that can be bought from vendors or cooked at campsites fits perfectly with the wonderful visual theming of the world.

The circus is at the center of the visual design of the world. Antagonistic clowns, cannons that propel the party through the environment, and puzzles using set-appropriate elements all come together to create a strong visual center. But while the circus inspires its central visual concepts, it’s not afraid to deviate from this premise.

The visual presentation ties together the rest of Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker’s goodness.

Both Zale and Valere must confront a foe specific to each of them during their eight(ish) hour adventure. These areas focus on the core concept of the villain and how they test each of the Solistice Twins’ convictions. These departures from the circus theme are perfectly handled. They provide contrast while offering great reasoning for why they stand out, allowing fresh designs without breaking the narrative concept.

Fluidly implemented animation helps breathe life into the world. The pixel art graphics are always vibrant and lifelike, making every screen explored feel alive. Combat gets its last boost from the creative animation, as skills play out with rich motions and gorgeous pop.

Last, but not least, we come to the story. Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker brings a strong narrative to its journey that blends grand adventure with character growth into a well-balanced package. The highlights of the tale come from the inner journeys taken by the two main protagonists. As they are forced to face the darker sides of themselves, they must reassess who they are and what they want to be.

What makes the personal stories so potent is the message of acceptance the narrative delivers. Rather than having their heroes acquire an unattainable level of perfection, the story takes them to a more grounded and ultimately satisfying conclusion about the nature of people.

Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker delivers a follow-up adventure to its core game that is worthy of the legacy it inherits. With only one significant setback, the experience will surely please anyone who fell in love with the game’s fantastic blend of combat, exploration, and character.

Sea of Stars Throes of the Watchmaker will be available on May 20th as a free DLC for all base game owners.