On the surface, Sea of Stars is an appeal to basic nostalgia, a kind of aesthetical victory lap for the likes of Chrono Trigger and Earthbound. But the longer you play it, the more it becomes a credible, modern RPG in its own right. Already one of the genre's most beloved, while Monster Hunter Wilds, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, and of course Oblivion Remastered occupy the charts, the new Sea of Stars DLC makes Sabotage's 2023 hit feel fresh again. Dawn of the Equinox added couch co-op and a rebuilt combat system. Now, Throes of the Watchmaker is bringing an entirely new, post-main-game campaign. And not only is it totally free – we now know the release date.
RPG's main story. Set entirely inside Horloge, a miniaturized, clockwork world built by the Watchmaker themselves, although the DLC takes place after the events of Sea of Stars itself, it also serves as a contained, eight-hour long adventure on its own, complete with a new progression system, new classes, skills and combos, and even a new companion for Zale and Valere called Artificer.
Of course, there are also fresh maps, extra puzzles, and new enemies – all told, Throes of the Watchmaker almost sounds like a scaled-down pseudo sequel. Nevertheless, like Dawn of the Equinox, the new Sea of Stars DLC is completely free. If you haven't played the RPG already, or you've been waiting for a reason to start new game plus, this is certainly a convincing argument.
The release date for the new Sea of Stars DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker, is confirmed as Tuesday May 20. If you want to know more, check out our own (glowing) Sea of Stars review, from contributor Lowell Bell.
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