Sea of Stars Watchmaker DLC Review
What is Throes of The Watchmaker?
Why would you possibly return for Throes of The Watchmaker, a DLC for Sea of Stars, a game that released nearly two years ago when there are new and fantastic experiences releasing almost every single day?
The obvious answer is that it’s about ten hours more of one of the best games of 2023. If that wasn’t good enough, it’s also completely free if you own the base game.
Sabotage Studios go well beyond the expectations of traditional DLC as Throes of The Watchmaker offers a unique experience set within the Sea of Stars universe. It’s not just reusing assets from the base game. The ten hour journey revisits series heroes Zale and Valere as they travel to a completely new realm with a completely new story, new powers, new enemies, new puzzles, and new bosses.
If you’re interest in what we think Sabotage Studios might be doing after Throes of The Watchmaker, check out the video below
Why Throes of The Watchmaker is Good?
Upon booting up Sea of Stars for the first time since August 2023, back when we labeled it our indie game of the year, I was a little concerned at first because I was in a temple that with no recollection of how and why I got there.
As expected, Sabotage is one step ahead and after warping to the entrance of this mystery temple, you are handed a magical message in a bottle labeled Throes of the Watchmaker, which gives you the option to go to where the DLC begins. This process could not have been any more seamless. If you also want to join in on the conversation, you can play Throes of The Watchmaker first before the original campaign as it will prompt that option to you as well.
HOW TO FIND THROES OF THE WATCHMAKER?
The great thing about Throes of the Watchmaker is that Sabotage make it easy to find from a new game or from continuing an old save file. If you are booting from an old save you will be offered a message in a bottle as soon as you exit whatever area you are in. If you are starting a new game from the title screen, you will find yourself at the entrance of Solstice Shrine. From here you want to walk down to access the world map. Once you do this, a cutscene will play and you will be given a message in a bottle with a message to return to the crew. You will be asked if you should return and visit the crew right away and the answer is yes. Once on the vespertine pirate ship, head below deck, speak with the pirate crew, which will begin a small amount of exposition and start the Throes of The Watchmaker DLC. You will then need to use the teleporter to travel to the watchmaker. Once there head up to speak with her and after she explains the quest, you will be shrunken down and able to enter the world of Horlage. Caution: There will be some characters that would be considered light spoilers for the original story and there will be lines of dialogue that don’t make any sense as well.
It only takes a few minutes of exposition and a little fourth wall breaking to get the player back up to speed and in control again. In Throes of The Watchmaker, you once again take on the role of Solstice Warriors, Zale and Valere, as they must help the Watchmaker before the getting help in return. Your journey will take you into the miniature world of Horlage, a once magical land created by the Watchmaker that has been threatened by evil and areas that lie within, such as the carnival have become cursed.
The Throes of the Watchmaker goes far beyond what I was expecting. To begin with the experience adds another meaningful ten hours of gameplay of one of the best RPG’s of recent years, but you’re going to get a completely new realm full of new locations. Each of these areas are filled equally with combat that features plenty of new enemies and puzzles to solve featuring new mechanics you haven’t seen before.
In combat, Zale and Valere have been stripped of their equipment and abilities meaning that you will need to find new items to equip and you will need to master the new skills of combat that you learn along the way. There are a fair amount of bosses and mini bosses in the Watchmaker DLC that are both memorable and challenging, but also don’t stray drastically far from the original formula.
Everything about the Throes of the Watchmaker shows a strong commitment to the carnival theme. From the setting to the consumables such as popcorn and cotton candy the score, their battle abilities include attacks that juggle fire at the enemy or a pie in the face that heals. Everything down to their outfits fit the motif.
The world of Horlage is cursed as it tries to see the evil inside of everyone. If Sea of Stars is about magic, the world of Horlage is about illusion and it isn’t long before the story is questioning the characters surface values vs what might be lying deeper below. Themes of insecurity, envy, and pride play an integral role in Zale and Valere’s journey this time around.
What’s not great about it?
In Sea of Stars, the score was sublime and fit the world. In Watchmaker, there is no denying that it fits the cursed carnival theme, I just think that it could have strayed slightly farther from its inspiration to be more enjoyable and iconic, however that is the curse of the circus.
The story in Throes of The Watchmaker also isn’t nearly as epic as the base game. I always knew where I needed to be in Sea of Stars, but I found myself unsure where to go at times, which wasted a little time and became slightly frustrating, especially since the enemies respawn and there is no way to run from fights. Finally, there were a few fun, new battle abilities that would need the character to move all around the screen, which was a novel idea, but was at times hard to track the markers for where to be at times.
VERDICT
Throes of The Watchmaker is only a few degrees away from being a stand-alone offering with its unique experience with fresh mechanics, original story and a vibrant new world to explore. Sabotage Studios sidesteps all of the common issues with DLC such as the lack of quality and value. To begin with The Throes of The Watchmaker is completely free if you own the base game. There is no memory needed for the existing lands of Sea of Stars, because The Throes of The Watchmaker takes place in an entirely new realm. You don’t have to remember how to use any of your special skills, because each character is given completely new ones. Then you throw in all kinds of new puzzle mechanics, enemies and more of the stunning pixel art from Sabotage Studio and Throes of The Watchmaker is easily one of the best free DLC’s ever.
