Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is an indie JRPG recently released for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox. Developed by Octeto Studios and published by PQube, its biggest premise is its nostalgic inspiration from games of the late ’90s and early 2000s, especially Skies of Arcadia. It seeks to bring back the high-flying adventure of air pirates and grand quests across open skies. But does it fulfill the high expectations set by the developers?
A Love Letter to Skies of Arcadia
For starters, Sky Oceans is nearly a love letter to Skies of Arcadia. From airship battles to a sense of grand adventure that permeates the entire experience, it’s clear that Octeto Studios wanted to recapture the magic of exploring the skies with a ragtag crew. Fans of the original will likely recognize nods to the classic in the way Sky Oceans creates its world and story, as well as in the overall aesthetic. This atmosphere might be enough to entice JRPG enthusiasts who have long awaited another entry in this particular style.
Visual Style
The game’s visuals are a blend of modern and retro aesthetics, aiming for a semi-low-poly style reminiscent of older consoles, but the visual quality can feel inconsistent. For example, character faces sometimes appear under-detailed compared to the vibrant, well-crafted backgrounds. This doesn’t necessarily detract from the game, as it seems intentional. The anime-inspired character portraits add another layer of charm, almost reminiscent of Dragon Ball, bringing out each character’s personality through expressive designs. Although it might not appeal to everyone, this style supports the game’s aspirations and contributes to its identity.
Soundtrack and Sound Quality
The soundtrack is varied and memorable. Each track seems tailored to specific areas, moments, and battles, enhancing the sense of immersion. The music has a nostalgic orchestral quality, making every flight and visit to a new town feel epic and adventurous. However, some technical issues detract from the sound experience, such as audio occasionally vanishing. While these moments can be jarring, the quality of the soundtrack itself remains a bright spot in the game, capturing the intended atmosphere with rich compositions.
Combat System: Classic but Slow
The combat system is classic and safe turn-based. Each party member has their own specific roles and attacks, a setup JRPG fans will find familiar and comfortable. There is, although, one unique element: you can damage enemies before entering combat, giving you a head start in tougher battles. This option encourages players to scout and plan attacks carefully. However, the combat may feel generally tedious due to its simplicity and speed. Lengthy attack animations are unskippable and extremely repetitive, making it feel like an absolute chore when the battle is not mandatory.
Although the animations aren’t bad, they end up adding unnecessary time to each encounter, especially when coupled with a high rate of missed attacks, which is another issue in itself. It feels like an unnecessary and artificial extension of battle time, which is already too long and provides no value or challenge, leading to some quite frustrating moments. A more streamlined combat system could have benefited the overall pacing, as the prolonged encounters may deter players looking for a quicker gameplay experience.
Story and Characters
The story in Sky Oceans has a lot of heart. It follows characters who grapple with loss and personal struggles from the very beginning, and there are moments of genuine emotional weight. Glenn Windwalker, the protagonist, is surrounded by a crew of distinct personalities, each with their own motivations. While the script doesn’t delve deeply into the characters’ psyches, the game manages to touch on themes of perseverance and unity. Fans of classic JRPG storytelling may appreciate the straightforward, unembellished narrative style, which serves as a refreshing break from more complex, sprawling stories; however, some might still feel hungry for more.
The story shows promise but doesn’t dive as deeply as it could get into its themes. While there are moments of tragedy and heroism, the dialogue remains straightforward and somewhat dry and impactless, lacking the resonance needed. The characters are interesting, but their interactions rarely explore their complexities. This could be a missed opportunity, as a deeper narrative could have elevated Sky Oceans from a simple homage to a memorable story in its own right.
Sparse Towns and Limited Interactivity
The game’s towns and villages feel sparse and somewhat lifeless, perhaps as a way of emulating the limitations of older JRPGs. While they have their own charm, they lack interactivity and depth, making exploration feel limited and sometimes, purposeless. The attempt to pay homage to older games by replicating this sparseness may work for some players, but others may feel that the game unnecessarily restricts itself from creating more dynamic and populated towns.
Ambitious Ideas, Imperfect Execution
Though it may not be perfectly executed, Sky Oceans deserves recognition for attempting something ambitious. The game introduces some unique ideas and isn’t afraid to pay tribute to classic JRPGs in its own way. Even if certain mechanics or visual elements feel unpolished, the effort to bring fresh experiences to players is commendable. It’s a game with potential that might just need a bit more polish and refinement to truly shine. Whether the creators will choose to continue upgrading it or learn from their experience for their next title, we still don’t know, but I will positively expect good things from them in the future.
In conclusion, Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is a game with a lot of heart and ambition. It mildly revisits elements from JRPG classics like Skies of Arcadia while trying to bring new ideas into the fold. While the nostalgic appeal to the atmosphere, style, and gameplay has its merits, the game depends too much on it, making it a bit lackluster on many fronts. The technical issues, including sound bugs and inconsistent graphics, weigh a little more than the negative points of the game. It ultimately feels like a rough diamond. With more polish, it could have been a timeless adventure, but as it stands, it’s an interesting yet flawed journey through the skies.
