Games by Sabotage
Reviews of Sabotage Games
Review Sea Of Stars (Switch) - An Instant Classic, So Much More Than A Chrono Trigger Throwback
Your wish is granted
About five years ago, a no-name studio called Sabotage wowed audiences when it put out The Messenger, a creative and innovative action platformer that quickly set itself apart from the deluge of similar retro-flavored titles releasing in the indie space. Empowered by that game’s deserved success, the team then began work on...
Review The Messenger (Switch eShop)
Go, ninja, go!
Twenty-five years ago, a bright-eyed elementary school student whiled away time in class doodling crude pictures of ninjas in his notebook, completely unaware that such pictures would grow into a lifelong passion project. Indeed, The Messenger is the culmination of decades of daydreaming and prototyping, slowly being refined down into...
Latest Sabotage News
Wednesday30th Apr 2025
News Sea Of Stars 'Throes Of The Watchmaker' DLC Finally Scores A Release Date
And it's right around the corner!
We've been eagerly awaiting news of the Sea of Stars 'Throes of the Watchmaker' DLC ever since Sabotage Studios first teased it in early 2024, and now, we finally have a release date. The excellent retro-inspired RPG will land its free DLC on 20th May, adding an extra eight-hour adventure that features new...
Tuesday3rd Dec 2024
News Sea Of Stars Dev Points To Nintendo As Its Biggest Source Of Inspiration
You go, Garl
Sea of Stars launched on Nintendo Switch last year and, after a beefy free update and with an even beefier free DLC on the horizon, it's safe to say that it's a banger. But what inspired the developer, Sabotage, to make such a gem? What studios sit on its mood board? Who is the go-to touchstone for all things game-making? According to...
Tuesday12th Nov 2024
News Sea Of Stars 'Dawn Of Equinox' Free Update Arrives Today, With Co-Op, New Combat & More
Weigh anchor!
Update [Tue 12th Nov, 2024 16:30 GMT]: It's been a fair few weeks since Sabotage Studio announced a release date for Sea of Stars' free 'Dawn of Equinox' update, but it's finally here! The latest patch has arrived on Nintendo Switch today adding in local co-op, a fresh take on the game's combat system, a revamped prologue, fresh...
Tuesday27th Aug 2024
News Here's Your First Look At Sea Of Stars' Upcoming Free DLC 'Throes Of The Watchmaker'
Launching Spring 2025
Today's Indie World gave us our very first look at Sea of Stars' upcoming DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker, which will be launching in Spring 2025. Throes of the Watchmaker will take Zale and Valere to a miniature clockwork world called Horloge, where they will make friends with a brand new character. Both Zale and Valere will...
Wednesday17th Jul 2024
News Production On Sea Of Stars DLC Is "Going Well", Says Sabotage Studio
More info coming soon
It seems like only yesterday that people were clamouring for information on the full release of Sea of Stars, taking at least a modicum of attention away from Silksong for a little while. Now that the game's out, however, heads are turning toward the upcoming DLC, and folks are getting a bit restless. Over on social media,...
Thursday18th Jan 2024
News Sea Of Stars Physical Release Sails In This May
Star quality
Sabotage's beautiful turn-based RPG Sea of Stars' physical release is landing on store shelves on 10th May 2024. The standard retail edition of the game, featuring some stunning art from concept artist Bryce Kho, will come with a double-sided poster (from the same artist) and a digital download of the soundtrack. Costing $39.99, you'll...
Friday12th Jan 2024
News Sea Of Stars "Mysterious And Wacky" DLC Is In Active Production
The vision for "Game 3" has also been discussed
One of 2023's finest RPGs, Sea of Stars, is showing no signs of staying in the past. We already know to expect some story-based DLC as it was a stretch goal for the game when it was on Kickstarter, but now we know it's officially in development. Developer Sabotage Studio shared a tweet earlier today,...
Monday1st Jan 2024
Feature "I Don't Want To Copy" - Paying Homage To Childhood RPGs With Sea Of Stars
"We just make the games that we want to make"
Back when Sea of Stars — Sabotage's follow-up to its hit genre-bending platformer The Messenger — was unveiled to the world in 2020, there was a sparkle in many an RPG fans' eyes. The game's stunning SNES-style aesthetic, the combo-centric turn-based combat, and the beautiful music, brought forth...
Monday18th Dec 2023
News Sea Of Stars Has Reached More Than 4 Million Players In 4 Months
A true indie hit
Sabotage Studio has announced that Sea of Stars has been played by over 4 million users across all platforms since its launch on August 29th, 2023. Now something to keep in mind is that this will include figures from the likes of Xbox Game Pass, so we're not talking about copies sold, as such, but 4 million is still a remarkable...
Saturday16th Dec 2023
News Sea Of Stars Developer Sabotage Replacing 'The Completionist' NPC
A "small patch" is coming soon
Sabotage Studio director Thierry Boulanger has announced via Discord the company will be removing the content creator and internet personality Jirard 'The Completionist' Khalil from the indie RPG hit Sea of Stars. Sea of Stars arrived on the Switch earlier this year in August and featured a segment in it where Khalil...
Thursday7th Dec 2023
News New Sea Of Stars Update Sails Onto Switch "Very Soon", Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Spoilers ahoy!
It has been a good few months since Sea of Stars first dropped anchor on Switch and stole our hearts in the process (enough to score it a 9/10 in our review, no less), and now developer Sabotage has announced that a new update is on the horizon and will be floating onto Nintendo's hybrid "very soon". The catchily-named ver. 1.0.46981...
Sunday22nd Oct 2023
News Retro-Inspired Indie Sea Of Stars Receives A New Switch Update
Check it out today
Sea of Stars got off to a fantastic start in August with sales of the title greatly exceeding first-year sales projections. Now, to follow up on this success, developer Sabotage has released an update across all platforms including the Switch. The latest patch comes with a bunch of fixes and adjustments. Here's the full rundown...
Tuesday3rd Oct 2023
Video Our Video Producer Hid A Special Nintendo Tribute Inside Sea Of Stars
In his heart, he was a gamer
Sea of Stars was released over a month ago now, and it's safe to say that it'll be featuring on many a gamer's GOTY list come December. Sabotage's RPG is a gorgeous, gloriously clever homage to 16-bit classics that manages to modernise things while adding its own unique spirit to the formula. The game was in development...
Wednesday6th Sep 2023
News Sea Of Stars Exceeds First Year Sales Projections In Launch Week
More than 250,000 copies have been sold
The new retro-inspired RPG Sea of Stars has achieved another sales milestone one week after its release on multiple platforms including the Switch. In an update on social media, Sabotage revealed the game had now sold more than 250,000 copies in launch week. It follows a previous update in the first 24 hours...
Tuesday5th Sep 2023
News Sabotage Already Has A Team Hard At Work On Sea Of Star's DLC
It might even have some links to The Messenger
In case you missed the initial announcement, the indie RPG Sea of Stars will be receiving some free DLC content in the future. This was originally promised during the game's Kickstarter campaign, and in an update following the game's release (via Radio Canada), the game's director Thierry Boulanger has...
Wednesday30th Aug 2023
News Retro-Inspired Indie Sea Of Stars Sold 100,000 Copies On Its First Day
Critics are raving about this one
The new retro-inspired RPG Sea of Stars made its debut on the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms this week, and it's already off to an incredibly strong start. In an update on social media thanking fans for their support, developer Sabotage revealed the game sold 100,000 copies on its first day of...
Tuesday29th Aug 2023
Round Up The Reviews Are In For Sea Of Stars
What did the critics think?
This week marks the release of Sabotage's retro-inspired RPG, Sea of Stars. In case you're not familiar with this developer, it's the same team behind the indie ninja hit The Messenger. Although Sea of Stars is a completely different genre, the two games actually take place in the same universe. By now, you've probably...
Tuesday22nd Aug 2023
News Retro RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Approaches Release With Another Stunning Trailer
Meet new character Seraï
Sea of Stars is so close — and if you're not excited about the game's release next week, then this launch trailer will definitely help. Sabotage Studio's follow-up to the 2018 platformer The Messenger has showcased its incredible pixel art and turn-based combat from the get-go, and it never gets old. And with...
News Sea Of Stars Scores A Physical Release On Switch Early Next Year
The digital release arrives later this month
Ahead of the digital launch of the retro-inspired RPG Sea of Stars, physical distributor 'iam8bit' and Sabotage Studio have announced a hard copy version is coming to the Nintendo Switch. The catch is you're going to have to hold out until next year. While the digital version will be released at the end...
Thursday17th Aug 2023
News Sea Of Stars Dev Open To Revisiting Ninja Hit The Messenger
"Maybe one day"
Developer Sabotage Studio launches its new RPG Sea of Stars on the Switch later this month, and while it's got its hands full right now with this upcoming release, it hopes to possibly revisit its 2D platformer / Metroidvania title The Messenger. Speaking to Game Informer, Thierry Boulanger mentioned how "there's more to be told"...
Wednesday16th Aug 2023
News Sea Of Stars 'Making Of' Documentary Is The Perfect Primer Ahead Of Release
Lunch break sorted
Sea Of Stars is well on its way to launching on the Nintendo Switch on August 29th, 2023. To celebrate, developer Sabotage Studio has joined forces with The Escapist to present a "Making Of" documentary that's now available for free via YouTube. The half-hour documentary is well worth checking out if you're a fan of Sabotage...
Friday28th Jul 2023
News Hugely Anticipated Turn-Based RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Has Gone Gold
Game launches in August
Sea Of Stars, the widely anticipated RPG from Sabotage Studio, has gone gold ahead of its launch on August 29th, 2023. You know what that means: development on the game is now complete with the master build being submitted for certification. That means no more delays - hooray! Well... Apart from any incredibly unlikely...
Tuesday11th Apr 2023
News Sea Of Stars Wears SNES RPG Inspirations Proudly In New Gameplay Showcase
16-bit beauty
Sabotage Studio's Sea of Stars is out this August on Switch, and Game Informer has shared almost 20 minutes of brand new gameplay from this stunning 16-bit inspired RPG. In the exclusive video — which is part of the publication's cover story on the game — Kyle Hilliard and Charles Harte go hands-on with the game. And we say this a...
Thursday9th Feb 2023
News Gorgeous Chrono Trigger-Inspired RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Get August Release Date, Demo Out Now
Get splashing
Sabotage Studios' long awaited RPG Sea Of Stars finally has a release date. The classically-inspired adventure, and prequel to The Messenger, will be launching on 29th August. But if you can't wait until the tail end of summer to play this absolute stunner, then you don't have to. Nintendo announced during today's Direct that a demo...
Sunday25th Dec 2022
Feature From Chrono Trigger To Super Mario RPG, The Varied Influences Of Sea Of Stars
"Just like with The Messenger, with the genre we want to present our 'definitive edition'"
The Messenger made a notable impact when it arrived back in 2018, with its sharp design and Ninja Gaiden-inspired gameplay also giving way to a major twist and very modern design. In that case developer Sabotage captured the imagination of retro gamers and...
Friday8th Jul 2022
News Sea Of Stars Shares In-Depth Look At Chrono Trigger-Inspired Combat
Team up
Sabotage Studio's retro-style RPG Sea of Stars was recently delayed to 2023, but it hasn't been all bad news for fans of the upcoming, frankly stunning-looking pixel art game. Yesterday, the developer announced that the title would also be making its way to Sony consoles, and, alongside that, we got a really good look at the game's combat...
Thursday30th Jun 2022
News Indie RPG Sea Of Stars Has Been Delayed To Next Year
"We understand waiting is a big ask"
Highly-anticipated Chrono Trigger-inspired RPG Sea of Stars has been delayed, Sabotage Studios has announced (thanks, Gematsu!) Sabotage shared the message on its Discord and on Twitter. Sea of Stars is a spiritual prequel to the studio's previous game, the platformer The Messenger. While this delay will no...
Wednesday15th Dec 2021
News Chrono Trigger-Inspired RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Sets Sail On Switch Holiday 2022
From the makers of The Messenger
It's been a while since we've heard from Sabotage Studio about its upcoming retro-flavoured turn-based RPG Sea of Stars — in fact, we spoke to the developers and saw a remote demo of the game way back in March 2020. The game looked absolutely lovely even back then, and it seems it has only got lovelier in many...
Thursday4th Feb 2021
$100 million is being split across 40 studios
It's a big day for indie game fans, as games fund company Kowloon Nights dedicates $100 million (£73.2m) towards 23 upcoming and unannounced titles. The studios that will receive a portion of that one hundred million dollars include Thunder Lotus (Spiritfarer), Night School Studios (Oxenfree,...
Thursday19th Mar 2020
Hands On First Impressions Of Sea Of Stars, The Next Project From The Messenger Dev Sabotage
Hands off, actually
There is certainly no shortage of retro-inspired titles across all platforms these days. In fact, it can sometimes feel like every other game is a pixel art 'homage' to a retro classic. Still, when those games are done well and do more than fondle your nostalgia zones, the results can be potent. Sabotage Studio's first game, The...
Friday12th Jul 2019
News Download The Messenger's Free Picnic Panic DLC From The eShop Right Now
Vacation-meets-rescue-mission
The Messenger's Picnic Panic free DLC is finally playable. Provided you've completed the main game, you'll be able to access it right away. It includes three new levels, three new boss fights, and 18 original music tracks. To download it, head over to the Switch eShop. The entry point is in the shop after you beat...
Wednesday26th Jun 2019
News Special Reserve Games Has Delayed The Physical Release Of The Messenger
Minit still on track
Alongside the reveal of multiple GRIS physical editions for Nintendo Switch yesterday, Special Reserve Games also sent out an email to customers who pre-ordered hard copies of The Messenger and Minit - providing them with an update abo
Monday10th Jun 2019
News The Messenger's Free Tropical DLC Launches On 11th July
Panic at the picnic
In December last year, Sabotage revealed its hit 2D side-scroller The Messenger would be receiving an entirely free tropical DLC pack titled 'Picnic Panic' in 2019. Now, many months later at Devolver Digital's over-the-top E3 parody conference, it's been confirmed this new content will be released on the Switch, PlayStation 4 and...
Wednesday13th Mar 2019
News The Messenger Goes On Holiday This Summer, Physical Game Pre-Orders Go Live Later This Month
Play Picnic Panic at PAX East
Sabotage has confirmed its 2D side-scroller The Messenger is going on a sunny holiday this summer. The entirely free DLC pack known as 'Picnic Panic' - which was originally revealed last December - will also be playable at PAX East 2019. In addition to this, Special Reserve Games has announced pre-orders for the Switch...
Sunday6th Jan 2019
News Sabotage Might Release More DLC For The Messenger
Provided the free pack drives sales
The Messenger was one of the indie highlights of 2018. The developer Sabotage poured a lot of love into this title while drawing inspiration from the original Ninja Gaiden game. If you haven't already played it, you might want to hurry up. As pr
Saturday17th Nov 2018
News Special Reserve Releasing Physical Editions Of Downwell, The Messenger And Minit On Switch
Coming 2019
Three indie gems will be transformed into physical Nintendo Switch releases in 2019. Video game distributor and producer Special Reserve Games has revealed it is teaming up with Devolver Digital to release hard copies of Downwell, The Messenger and Minit. Below is the official confirmation: As noted in the fine print above, existin
Friday16th Nov 2018
Video Sabotage Showcases Quality Of Life Update For The Messenger
Spoilers ahead
The Messenger by Sabotage has been nominated for "best indie debut game" and "best independent game" at this year's Game Awards, so it's obvious this is a special release. So, how do you make an indie title like this even better? With a free quality of life update, of course. If you missed the
Sunday11th Nov 2018
News The Messenger's Quality Of Life Update Will Be Ready "Sometime" This Month
Adds New Game Plus mode and more
One of the standout indie releases this year has been The Messenger - developed by Sabotage and published by Devolver Digital. Released in August on the Switch eShop, the 2D side-scroller draws inspiration from the original Ninja Gaiden game and enhances the experience with elements of 8-bit and 16-bit time travel...
Thursday16th Aug 2018
News Become A Ninja Master When The Messenger Arrives On Switch eShop Later This Month
8-bit to 16-bit
A listing on the Switch eShop has revealed The Messenger is estimated to arrive in North America on August 30th for $19.99. Devolver Digital and developer Sabotage originally showed the 2D game earlier this year at the Nindies Showcase. The eShop release channels classic series such as Shinobi, while adding in plenty of...
