Sometimes the best way to satisfy nostalgia is not to tread all the way back to the heart of a moment, but to focus on a modern interpretation of it. Nothing represents that philosophy better than Sea of Stars, a modern retro RPG that was also one of the best games of 2023. It went back to the ’90s, to the best SNES RPGs, and refined those gameplay systems with modern tech. It has the nostalgic design of these older games, but comes equipped with several modern improvements.
When GameRant spoke to Sabotage Studio ahead of Sea of Stars‘ release in 2023, CEO Thierry Boulanger explained that the team grew up on games like Lufia, Illusion of Gaia, and Super Mario RPG, but how they felt as time moved on, the key elements of these classic RPGs changed, presumably as the industry adopted more action-oriented RPGs. Either way, Sea of Stars did exactly what Sabotage Studio wanted it to do for ’90s SNES RPGs, and now, fans of this modern retro approach who played DragonFable in its heyday should take note of a new title that adopts a similar modern-retro approach: Echoes of the Stars.
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Echoes of the Stars Takes a Modern-Retro Approach to DragonFable’s Charm
For the uninitiated, DragonFable is a free-to-play online browser-based RPG developed by Artix Entertainment that was released back in June 2006. As a browser game, it can still be played today. Its premise is simple: players create a hero and go on quests in a world full of dragons, magic, and quirky characters. It uses simple turn-based combat with classes, gear, and pets, but its real focus is on story. Many who have played it also no doubt remember DragonFable‘s cartoon-like art style, which is the first major interpretation of Echoes of the Stars.
Echoes of the Stars‘ art style looks like a painterly version of DragonFable‘s cartoon art, which can be sorely missed or nostalgic when more and more games adopt realistic, pseudorealistic, or more generally stylized art styles. Seeing Echoes of the Stars immediately brings back the nostalgia for DragonFable, because it seems like a modern interpretation of a retro art style, and it doesn’t end there. In fact, that can pretty much summarize Echoes of the Stars‘ relationship with DragonFable: it feels as if the latter 2006 title had been turned into a modern indie RPG that retained all its original strengths.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Both mix fantasy storytelling with quirky side content (from mini-games to NPC interactions), and while Echoes of the Stars is perhaps more grandiose in that storytelling, it is not afraid to be a silly, quirky video game, just like DragonFable. Both adopt JRPG tropes with their own unique twists, and both put a premium on worldbuilding, storytelling, and characters, not just combat. That’s not to say, of course, that Echoes of the Stars is 100% DragonFable in 2026, as otherwise there would be no “modern” in the modern-retro approach. Echoes of the Stars has more action-driven combat and hand-crafted immersion, yet it carries that same feeling as DragonFable.
Echoes of the Stars is a New Modern-Retro RPG on Steam, and It’s Nearing Its Final Form
As of Echoes of the Stars‘ last update in January, the game is nearing its Early Alpha milestone: systems are connecting, story beats are landing, and the scattered pieces are becoming a cohesive whole. This includes recent development arcs, including the implementation of a Quest Journal System, 50,000+ cells of dialogue are in the game, and the full cutscene spine is complete. This developer’s dream is becoming real.
Echoes of the Stars sees the epic journey of Eldric and Rin unfold as they explore new biomes, acquire skills, fight challenging foes, unlock new abilities (distinct from skills), and play zany mini-games…as they confront fate and the gods themselves. From fighting rats in cellars to gods, the most classic RPG arc of older video games.
Echoes of the Stars’ Story is Equally Epic and Humble
In Echoes of the Stars, Rin is a devoted princess, and Eldric is a blacksmith’s apprentice with a mysterious past. They embark on a journey that bridges time, space, and worlds unknown, focused on themes of the human condition and the perceived power of the gods. Beyond that, fans can expect new takes on classic JRPG tropes (something DragonFable did in its heyday) with heavy fantasy and sci-fi elements.
Fitting its modern-retro design is a key choice for players: Echoes of the Stars can be played with a fully voiced cast OR text only.
Echoes of the Stars’ Combat is Stylized to Fit the Painterly/Cartoon Art
The simplest way to describe the combat is old-school action JRPG, but there are key elements to make it stand out (sometimes in ways bringing it closer to DragonFable). Players have high mobility skills to dodge or teleport out of harm’s way, and they can strategize with character switching. Players have ranged, melee, or spell-casting options, each of which can be customized further with a tech tree and the ability to create custom combos.
All of this takes place in biomes that make the most of its art style: lush forests, dank sewers, and blizzard-torn peaks. Inns are cozy, tea shops are varied, and every interior highlights the same art as every exterior. It is, in short, a world to be explored.
Echoes of the Stars Has Zany Mini-Games
Echoes of the Stars isn’t serious all the time, with its mini-games and hidden items bringing DragonFable‘s whimsy with it:
- Become Sandwich Artists
- Race Raptors
- Seek Out the World’s Greatest Treasures
- (And More)
Echoes of the Stars’ Modern-Retro Vibes Could Carry It a Long Way
Echoes of the Stars is, essentially, DragonFable‘s spirit rebuilt in a modern-retro action RPG, with art that feels like it has been forgotten and evolving gameplay systems that have been abandoned. That alone makes it worth keeping an eye on in my books.
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