Sabotage Studios has remained mostly reserved regarding details about Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker, its upcoming free expansion to the beloved throwback RPG, since last summer. However, excitement is building as the indie developer has quietly unveiled the expansion’s opening cutscene.
This introductory video provides insights into the dynamic between the main antagonist, The Fleshmancer, and the reluctant ally known as The Watchmaker, who plays a significant role in the base game and is recognized as the genius behind the engaging Wheels mini-game.
In this new revelation, we discover that The Watchmaker also crafted a fantastical miniature clockwork realm, referred to as Horloge, during her free time—on top of designing a grand castle and a captivating board game—which eventually achieved self-sufficiency until The Fleshmancer tainted it with an ominous force that could potentially give rise to a Dweller, a devastating and world-consuming creature within the Sea of Stars universe. As such, the protagonists Zale and Valere are poised to shrink down and venture into this world to avert disaster.
Aside from its stunning nostalgic visuals, this cutscene is crucial as it strengthens the links between Sea of Stars and Sabotage Studio’s previous title, The Messenger, a retro-inspired Metroidvania. While both games are set in a shared universe with a gap of approximately 500 years, this opening raises intriguing queries about the connection between Sea of Stars’ Clockwork Castle and The Messenger’s Tower of Time, as well as the relationship between the new shrinking ability and the Music Box from The Messenger.
Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker is set to launch in Spring 2025 and will be available for free on multiple platforms, including PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.
In the meantime, be sure to explore our upcoming games in 2024 guide for a complete list of significant titles on the way.