Sea of Stars free Dawn of Equinox update adds fan-requested features on November 12
Sabotage Studio, developer of Sea of Stars, announced a new free update for the game. Titled the "Dawn of Equinox" update, it is free for all users and will launch on PC and consoles on November 12, 2024. This is separate from the (also free) Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker DLC set for release in Spring 2025.
The Dawn of Equinox update to Sea of Stars will bring a number of fan-requested additions and new features to the game. These include local cooperative play for up to three players, revisions to the combat system Sabotage is dubbing "Combat 2.0," tweaks to the prologue section to add combat sections for the younger versions of the heroes, a new bonus cinematic scene for a key moment, and even a speedrunner mode accessible via a special relic. Other general improvements and updates are also listed as part of Dawn of Equinox.
Sea of Stars originally launched in August 2023. In his review, Paul said that while many games claim to be inspired by SNES classic RPGs, Sea of Stars stands out "because it doesn’t just understand how those games look and are played, but also how they feel."
Sea of Stars is available on PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The Dawn of Equinox update launches on November 12, 2024. Check out new screenshots and the full details below.
Sea of Stars developer and publisher Sabotage Studio today announced Dawn of Equinox, a free content update for the award-winning turn-based RPG inspired by the golden era of ‘90s role-playing classics, will arrive on Nov. 12 for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Following a year of incredible support from the Sea of Stars community, Dawn of Equinox is Sabotage Studio’s gift to thank more than 5 million players for their unwavering love for Sea of Stars. Dawn of Equinox includes some of the most requested features and improvements informed by feedback from players. The update represents Sabotage Studio’s fully realized vision for Sea of Stars’ spectacular adventure.
Dawn of Equinox features:
- All-New Local Co-op: Sea of Stars’ story will be playable in its entirety by up to three players, with allies traversing the world together and mastering a new Co-op Timed Hits combat mechanic.
- Combat 2.0: The addition of Mystery Locks brings a new gameplay loop around revealing the ways to break the spells of enemies each time a new type is encountered in battle. Along with "Reveal" functions added to some of the playable cast’s special skills, Combo Points now remain after battle, offering new ways to open certain encounters, or test different damage types on enemies to reveal their locks. A comprehensive balancing pass has also been done to reflect both these new changes and player feedback since launch.
- A Revamped Prologue: Implementing combat for the young versions of our heroes, the updated flow does away with the flashback structure to begin in their childhood, directly including action in the prologue.
- Bonus Cinematic Scene: An entirely new cutscene has been added to accentuate a pivotal moment in the original adventure, referred to as "Paths on Water."
- A Speedrunner Mode Relic: This new item activates a range of features helpful for those looking to set a new personal best or world record.
- Difficulty Presets: Three difficulty options are now available when starting a new game, which are presets using the game's Relics. New Relics have also been added, both for quality of life and difficulty adjustments.
- Improved Parrot Relic: Sea of Stars’ secret-tracking parrot has learned a few new tricks to better assist players tracking down overlooked challenges and collectibles.
- Quebecois Localization: A comprehensive French Canadian translation for Quebec’s finest Solstice Warriors.
- Quality of Life Improvements: A constellation of general updates and improvements spanning Sea of Stars’ full campaign.
Dawn of Equinox arrives ahead of Throes of the Watchmaker, free DLC launching in Spring 2025 which will debut a completely new storyline, a new playable character and more as an encore to Sea of Stars’ original adventure. Throes of the Watchmaker will find Sea of Stars’ leading heroes Valere and Zale venturing into a magical miniature clockwork world threatened by a cursed carnival, which forces the Solstice Warriors to adapt to unfamiliar rules to fully master their Sun and Moon powers. The entirety of Throes of the Watchmaker will also be playable in the Local Co-op feature arriving in Dawn of Equinox.
Launched last summer to critical praise from media and fans before being recognized with accolades including Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, Sea of Stars has garnered more than 5 million players and is available across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One for $34.99. It’s also free to subscribers to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
