Are you looking for a new JRPG and are stuck trying to decide which game to buy? Let’s compare Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes to find out which one is better.
Both have many similar elements and have received amazing reviews, so there’s no easy answer here. However, I’ll try my best to compare them in various gameplay elements.
In this Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes article, I will compare both games to find out which one is better based on story, characters, graphics, audio, as well as combat, and progression.
Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes – Story & Characters
Both games have interesting storylines and there’s no clear choice here between Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes. Storylines progressed at an interesting pace without being too fast or too slow.
In terms of characters, Sea of Stars introduced characters a bit more slowly. Personally, I preferred this style as there was enough time to get introduced and become familiar with your current characters.
New characters were introduced often enough to keep the plot fresh and interesting but not too often.
In Chained Echoes, there was no main character and you were free to create your party with any combination you like. This made it interesting but also made it harder to relate to some of the starting characters. For more details, check out our list of all characters in Chained Echoes.
Thus, both games include amazing stories but Sea of Stars has more interesting characters.
Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes – Graphics & Audio
In terms of graphics, both games use the same classic retro-JRPG style that the genre is famous for. However, Sea of Stars feels more colorful overall and each area has more depth and detail.
As for audio, since neither game is voice-acted, we only have soundtracks to compare. Both are phenomenally good and manage to match the mood but Chained Echoes had one of the most memorable soundtracks in JRPGs and it still echoes in my head.
Thus, Sea of Stars is more colorful in terms of graphics but Chained Echoes has a more memorable soundtrack.
Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes – Combat & Progression
One essential thing to compare in the Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes debate is combat where both games stay close to the classic JRPG turn-based model.
Each introduces some features to help it stand out and make combat more unique, which are very welcome additions.
Sea of Stars has a more interactive system and requires skill checks to make abilities deal more damage, while Chained Echoes focuses more on character builds and sub-classes.
Both games have interesting progression systems that don’t require going out of your way to grind. Chained Echoes is more unique since it focuses on defeating bosses, but this can mean it may take a long time between each level up.
Sea of Stars is more consistent. For more details on the latter, check out our guide on the best skills to level up for each character in Sea of Stars.
As a result, Sea of Stars has simpler character builds based on equipment and level-up attributes, while Chained Echoes has more details through its wide variety of skills and sub-classes that allow for more unique builds.
Wrapping up – Which One is Better
Overall, both games are exceptionally good choices, as you can tell from their reviews on Steam. Chained Echoes has 91% positive reviews while Sea of Stars has 87% positive.
As for which game is better in the Sea of Stars vs. Chained Echoes debate, both are great choices but if I must decide on one, it’s Sea of Stars.
Personally, Sea of Stars felt slightly better since the progression was extremely smooth and I never had to get out of my way and grind.
Additionally, characters were introduced at a solid pace that was slow enough to make me invested in old characters and fast enough to never feel bored.
Which one are you going to try first? What convinced you? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with these games in the comments below.
If you want more options to choose from, check out our list of the five best games like Chained Echoes.
He has a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, which allows him to always come up with a fresh approach to solving in-game puzzles and challenges, but also to create content that’s to the point, clean and easy to follow.
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