Sea of Stars, the throwback RPG from the makers of The Messenger, released in 2023 to positive reviews. We gave the game a nine and made it the cover and centerpiece of our March 2023 indie issue. It’s a good game that has added various updates like co-op over the last two years. Today, however, the game received its biggest and most impressive update with the Throes of the Watchmaker DLC. It’s a huge addition to the game, adding about eight hours of additional content and story, new mechanics, new art, and it’s completely free, which doesn’t make economic sense, but gratefully, that is not my problem to contend with. I just get to play the thing.
Throes of the Watchmaker picks up on a character who, in the main game, seemed important, but couldn’t be bothered to engage with the cast and their adventure. Sea of Stars was not lacking in plot or engaging story elements, but even at the time of release, The Watchmaker seemed like a thread that was going to be picked up later.
What’s smart about the DLC is that it sequesters itself away from the main plot and world in a way that lets it stand on its own to a certain degree. Throes of the Watchmaker does not feel like a standalone expansion. It belongs in the larger game, but the way you engage with it takes you out of the world and places you in a new location. And in a way I really appreciate, it kind of makes you start from zero, or at least very near zero.
I played Sea of Stars when it released in 2023 and had a great time, but popping back in after all this time was intimidating. Every member of my large party stood around the entrance, ready to jump in, while I was still personally trying to remember everyone’s backstory. Thankfully, the game made an executive decision for me, picked one additional party member for me to take beyond the primary protagonists, and then stripped them of all their abilities and money to make them start over with a whole new suite of attacks.
I imagine if you are playing Sea of Stars for the first time now and roll right into this DLC, it might be frustrating to lose all you’ve gained up to that point, but for me, it was a near-required blessing. I got a chance to play through a new trajectory of upgrades and appreciate all the new animations. Developer Sabotage knew players like me would be jumping into the DLC after years away, and it shows.
From there, you are treated to a smaller but substantial Sea of Stars experience. The circus and clown theme running through the whole DLC is unique compared to the rest of the game and allows for some fun boss fights and locations that feel different. The new combat abilities also challenged me without making me feel like I had forgotten core abilities that were making me fail.
The narrative is also more personal for Valere or Zale, forcing them to examine some of their own personal anxieties. I appreciated that inward look, as in the main game (and is often the case with protagonists in RPGs), they were less interesting than the supporting cast. They were owed some more in-depth characterization.
Throes of the Watchmaker is impressive, especially considering it is completely free. This is a complete, worthwhile expansion to Sea of Stars and serves as a nice potential send-off for the game. It is a commitment, considering its length, but if you played Sea of Stars and enjoyed it, there is no better way to get more, and if you don’t remember the specifics of how to play and what is happening, don’t worry. It’s made for that kind of player.
