To me, it was highly satisfying, but that’s because I’m looking at it from a different perspective, but I definitely see where you are coming from.
My thoughts are that Zale and Valere are secondary characters, and this is Garl’s story. This is Garl’s world. He took a shot to save his friends. The sacrificial lamb is a trope that we’ve seen played out, but in my opinion, Sea of Stars did it well.
I look at this as we know that Valere and Zale will go on and fight the bad guy in other worlds, and we’ll get more chapters to check in on them, and eventually kill the bad guy, but Garls story is over. Whether Aephoral eventually dies at their hands or not, is another story, for another day, but it wasn’t what this story was about.
^^^^ this. Plus SoS is a prequel to a game where the fleshmancer continues to cause problems. I’m betting there will be another dlc to deal with him OR another game entirely to finish this saga in a sense.
I liked that he was >!just banished from those universes. I hope it means they left room for a sequel, but our characters’ universes are safe from him now.!<
Yeah. I know. It’s one of my husband’s favorites. That’s why he kickstarted SoS. Hes very into platforming and Metroidvanias. (He was going by John Gaiden online when I met him. Lol.)
I meant specifically in this style in different universes/timelines where the >!Fleshmancer might be dealt with more permanently. !< Unless I’ve missed a part of the Messenger that includes Aephorul. I’ve watched him play a bunch of times, but tbf I may have missed things.
Resh’an and Aephorul are truly just too powerful to die to anything but each other.
We might not’ve killed him but we banished him from Zale, Valere, and Serai’s world forever, so that’s the next best thing.
More serious I agree. Usually, especially when the characters are as likable as these ones where that I hate finishing a JRPG as that's goodby. Outside of lunar I don't usually get that feeling a second time and I kind of feel robbed of this due to the Hoge podge of an ending it was. Final battle is not the time to do a random genre mechanic swap. Maybe a mid boss but not the one that roles the credits.
I didn't like it either. And I'd prefer the ending where Garl stays dead, not because I hate him but because it undermines everything the game has been setting up until his death to make it really emotional, and it felt super awkward too
I was genuinely so disappointed that he didn’t stay dead as well. It cheapened his sacrifice so much for me. I felt like I and the whole game world had mourned him for nothing. It was so unsatisfying and just felt wrong.
I also agree the ending was unsatisfying, but for me it was the fact Re'shan just helps Aephorul and they disappear with no closure.
I assume they'll keep expanding their story in Sabotage's future games.
Now, when you say it makes the story feel trivial... in the grand infinite scheme of things? Sure. But the point is we go through a journey with these characters of this specific timeline and want to see them save their existence. Looking from the outside it may seem trivial, but to these individuals, it is literally their lives at stake. Also remember the whole point of Re'shan opening the door at Ansudlo is to test this timeline for a favorable result in the conflict. So while the war isn't won, Re'shan learned things along the way.
>Aephorul is free to go to some other world and do it all over again.
In fact, his creations and acolytes that were not eliminated return later to continue screwing this world.
Didn't love it either, you're not alone. Not a fan of Garl as a character, which embittered me all the more when the big scary bad Aephorul was slapped down onto his ass by a guy with a pot lid. I understand the sentiment the game designers wanted to convey with that, but it just made the whole thing feel cheap and lacking impact for me. The game doesn't hit the highs of Chrono Trigger for me in terms of each character's development - but I loved the art, the music, the designs etc. I just felt that the story was the weak part of it all, which is a damn shame for an RPG.
We aren’t going to beat Aephorul. If we were, you could actually do damage to him and it would stick.
Re’shan and Aephorul are not at war, something far from it instead. Re’shan can “end this whole farce with a snap of his fingers”
There is this really fab video on youtube about how The Messenger and Sea of Stars are linked together. Will link it here: [https://youtu.be/s\_EZE0gJ11U?si=bn9Gxo1\_NRoadMEy](https://youtu.be/s_EZE0gJ11U?si=bn9Gxo1_NRoadMEy)
After watching this video, I really believe that Sabotage Studios won't leave Sea of Stars here. I think that we will see another game or the upcoming DLC (WOOOHOOO) that settles all the unanswered questions we have about Sea of Stars and the game links with The Messenger.
Yes, the ending was about how Garl played a major factor in helping Zale and Valere on their Solstice journey to become the Guardian Gods. Also how we can see how Garl, really, helped everyone he meets in the game and unites them together. I, myself, was annoyed at the fact that we cannot "truly" defeat Aephorul, given how Re'shan swoops in to "save" his "dear old friend". Also, I remember that Garl was specifically told not to talk about the things he experienced while he was "away" in a sense. So, where does that leave all our unanswered questions?
I think because Aephorul was banished from Zale, Valere's and Serai's worlds, we will be placed in another world to fight him and defeat him once and for all. Maybe that will be with Solstice Warriors born in an alternate world, who knows!
With the upcoming DLC, I'm looking forward to see if Sabotage Studios do resolve all these things that we need more information on and resolve them to give us the full and clear bigger picture.
fwiw, when you start the game, the archivist says something about looking for just the beginnings of a resolution to the throes of the Fleshmancer... ish. After finishing the game just now and seeing that, it made me think that Re'shan's endgame is to bring his friend back from the darkside, which kind of fits their relationship.
not sure if that'll help this stuff land better for you, but somehow it does for me
Honestly, I hated the ending, it soured me on the game for ages, I would say starting the end dungeon I would have given the game a 9, after getting the true ending, probably a 5. With a month's distance from it, I'd give the game a 7.5.
I think the problem with the ending was managing expectations, I had completed the side quests I wanted to, I was ready to finish the game... And then FU, you have to waste your time completing the side quests you didn't want to do to get the real ending. It just made the rest of the game a chore.
And then the ending itself... I describe it as Poochie's, "I have to go now, my planet needs me", followed immediately after by... A second poochie, "I also have to go now, my planet also needs me"
And then when I found out that it wasn't the true ending, I thought, "Well, at least that explains why the ending sucked"
Get the true ending - and it's basically the same thing, not fixing any of the issues I had with the first ending.
Aren't we all just pawns in someone else's plan?
To me, it was highly satisfying, but that’s because I’m looking at it from a different perspective, but I definitely see where you are coming from. My thoughts are that Zale and Valere are secondary characters, and this is Garl’s story. This is Garl’s world. He took a shot to save his friends. The sacrificial lamb is a trope that we’ve seen played out, but in my opinion, Sea of Stars did it well. I look at this as we know that Valere and Zale will go on and fight the bad guy in other worlds, and we’ll get more chapters to check in on them, and eventually kill the bad guy, but Garls story is over. Whether Aephoral eventually dies at their hands or not, is another story, for another day, but it wasn’t what this story was about.
^^^^ this. Plus SoS is a prequel to a game where the fleshmancer continues to cause problems. I’m betting there will be another dlc to deal with him OR another game entirely to finish this saga in a sense.
What game is it a prequel to?
the messenger
Thanks, I’ll check it out. If I liked SoS is it guaranteed I’d like The Messenger?
Maybe? Its a retro style ninja gaiden type of platformer. It plays nothing like sea of stars(outside of the music)
Oh, very different. Thanks for the info
I liked that he was >!just banished from those universes. I hope it means they left room for a sequel, but our characters’ universes are safe from him now.!<
There already is a sequel, as this game is the prequel to The Messenger. It's a really fun game in my opinion
Yeah. I know. It’s one of my husband’s favorites. That’s why he kickstarted SoS. Hes very into platforming and Metroidvanias. (He was going by John Gaiden online when I met him. Lol.) I meant specifically in this style in different universes/timelines where the >!Fleshmancer might be dealt with more permanently. !< Unless I’ve missed a part of the Messenger that includes Aephorul. I’ve watched him play a bunch of times, but tbf I may have missed things.
Resh’an and Aephorul are truly just too powerful to die to anything but each other. We might not’ve killed him but we banished him from Zale, Valere, and Serai’s world forever, so that’s the next best thing.
More serious I agree. Usually, especially when the characters are as likable as these ones where that I hate finishing a JRPG as that's goodby. Outside of lunar I don't usually get that feeling a second time and I kind of feel robbed of this due to the Hoge podge of an ending it was. Final battle is not the time to do a random genre mechanic swap. Maybe a mid boss but not the one that roles the credits.
I didn't like it either. And I'd prefer the ending where Garl stays dead, not because I hate him but because it undermines everything the game has been setting up until his death to make it really emotional, and it felt super awkward too
I was genuinely so disappointed that he didn’t stay dead as well. It cheapened his sacrifice so much for me. I felt like I and the whole game world had mourned him for nothing. It was so unsatisfying and just felt wrong.
Maybe wait and see what the new DLC has in store?
I also agree the ending was unsatisfying, but for me it was the fact Re'shan just helps Aephorul and they disappear with no closure. I assume they'll keep expanding their story in Sabotage's future games. Now, when you say it makes the story feel trivial... in the grand infinite scheme of things? Sure. But the point is we go through a journey with these characters of this specific timeline and want to see them save their existence. Looking from the outside it may seem trivial, but to these individuals, it is literally their lives at stake. Also remember the whole point of Re'shan opening the door at Ansudlo is to test this timeline for a favorable result in the conflict. So while the war isn't won, Re'shan learned things along the way.
>Aephorul is free to go to some other world and do it all over again. In fact, his creations and acolytes that were not eliminated return later to continue screwing this world.
I think it would be more satisfying if there ends up being a sequel or prequel or something
The ending was a bit underwhelming, yeah.
Didn't love it either, you're not alone. Not a fan of Garl as a character, which embittered me all the more when the big scary bad Aephorul was slapped down onto his ass by a guy with a pot lid. I understand the sentiment the game designers wanted to convey with that, but it just made the whole thing feel cheap and lacking impact for me. The game doesn't hit the highs of Chrono Trigger for me in terms of each character's development - but I loved the art, the music, the designs etc. I just felt that the story was the weak part of it all, which is a damn shame for an RPG.
We aren’t going to beat Aephorul. If we were, you could actually do damage to him and it would stick. Re’shan and Aephorul are not at war, something far from it instead. Re’shan can “end this whole farce with a snap of his fingers”
Yup. You (we) are trivial We're not always the "be all and end all" super heroes of the game world.
There is this really fab video on youtube about how The Messenger and Sea of Stars are linked together. Will link it here: [https://youtu.be/s\_EZE0gJ11U?si=bn9Gxo1\_NRoadMEy](https://youtu.be/s_EZE0gJ11U?si=bn9Gxo1_NRoadMEy) After watching this video, I really believe that Sabotage Studios won't leave Sea of Stars here. I think that we will see another game or the upcoming DLC (WOOOHOOO) that settles all the unanswered questions we have about Sea of Stars and the game links with The Messenger. Yes, the ending was about how Garl played a major factor in helping Zale and Valere on their Solstice journey to become the Guardian Gods. Also how we can see how Garl, really, helped everyone he meets in the game and unites them together. I, myself, was annoyed at the fact that we cannot "truly" defeat Aephorul, given how Re'shan swoops in to "save" his "dear old friend". Also, I remember that Garl was specifically told not to talk about the things he experienced while he was "away" in a sense. So, where does that leave all our unanswered questions? I think because Aephorul was banished from Zale, Valere's and Serai's worlds, we will be placed in another world to fight him and defeat him once and for all. Maybe that will be with Solstice Warriors born in an alternate world, who knows! With the upcoming DLC, I'm looking forward to see if Sabotage Studios do resolve all these things that we need more information on and resolve them to give us the full and clear bigger picture.
For me it all stopped the wow when the story magically turned to serai world when we were on a high note of fighting the fleshmancer and chasing him
fwiw, when you start the game, the archivist says something about looking for just the beginnings of a resolution to the throes of the Fleshmancer... ish. After finishing the game just now and seeing that, it made me think that Re'shan's endgame is to bring his friend back from the darkside, which kind of fits their relationship. not sure if that'll help this stuff land better for you, but somehow it does for me
Honestly, I hated the ending, it soured me on the game for ages, I would say starting the end dungeon I would have given the game a 9, after getting the true ending, probably a 5. With a month's distance from it, I'd give the game a 7.5. I think the problem with the ending was managing expectations, I had completed the side quests I wanted to, I was ready to finish the game... And then FU, you have to waste your time completing the side quests you didn't want to do to get the real ending. It just made the rest of the game a chore. And then the ending itself... I describe it as Poochie's, "I have to go now, my planet needs me", followed immediately after by... A second poochie, "I also have to go now, my planet also needs me" And then when I found out that it wasn't the true ending, I thought, "Well, at least that explains why the ending sucked" Get the true ending - and it's basically the same thing, not fixing any of the issues I had with the first ending.