Admittedly, I was a little behind on playing Sea of Stars. It came out in August 2023, right around the time I was dealing with a health issue, and right before the death of my mother in October of that year. However, I started playing it recently, just in time for the free DLC called Throes of the Watchmaker to release. This DLC packs a new storyline into the game, along with some fun and quirky characters.

I’m not going to get into too deep of a plot dive with this, because I think the story is something that is best experienced yourself. However, I think it is good to know that while this DLC is set before the end of the main game, it is a largely separate storyline. It is a journey that leads to new development for Zane and Valere, and it also provides a tougher combat challenge than the main endgame.

Throes of the Watchmaker is a sometimes silly, sometimes emotional experience. Also, if you’re afraid of clowns, I wouldn’t recommend it, there are a lot of clowns and puppets. With that said, the DLC runs anywhere from 8 to 10 hours, possibly longer if you’re grinding or struggling with some of the puzzles.

That actually leads to a sticking point I had with the DLC. While most of the puzzles have a reset function in case you mess up, a few in particular – such as a sliding tile puzzle that drove me nuts – do not have a reset option. This lack of a reset switch makes finishing the puzzle take longer, because instead of the short solution the developers probably intended, you can easily overcomplicate the puzzles.

Overall, as a DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker is incredibly high-quality. There is a solid amount of content, an interesting story, and a good amount of challenge for people who have already gotten invested in the world of Sea of Stars. Add that to the fact that this DLC is entirely free, and it is a surprising release that enriches the experience even more.

Early access on PC to Throes of the Watchmaker was provided by Sabotage Studio for the purposes of this review.

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Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker

$0.00

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Great Semi-Standalone Story
• Tougher Combat Challenges
• Fun Characters
• 8-12 hours of new gameplay

Cons

• Not great for people afraid of clowns
• A few puzzles don't have reset buttons