Sea of Stars triumphs in Best Indie Game category at the Golden Joystick Awards 2023

Sea of Stars has won Best Indie Game at the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 powered by Intel. 

In a year that's given us so many big-budget AAA blockbusters, it's worth highlighting just how strong 2023's indie offerings have been over the course. Sea of Stars has been crowned the best among them at this year's Golden Joysticks, with Sabotage Studio's sophomore RPG venture fending off some stiff competition in the process. 

Here's the category's Golden Joystick Awards 2023 nominee list in full: 

• Dave the Diver
• Pizza Tower
• Dredge
• Cocoon
• Viewfinder
• Sea of Stars (Winner)

Following 2018's The Messenger, Sea of Stars unfolds in the same wider universe while telling its own tale with its own cast of characters. 

With a vibrant and beautiful art style that pays homage to some of the role-playing classics of the PS1 era – the likes of Alundra, Suikoden and early Final Fantasy games immediately spring to mind – Sea of Stars is driven by turn-based combat, with a suite of activities that bridge the time between battles; not least sailing, cooking, fishing, and visiting genre-staple taverns. 

In conversation with 12DOVE earlier this year, game director Thierry Boulanger explored his career to date – from using The Messenger to look back over his own past grief, to using Sea of Stars as a vehicle for hope and looking forward. 

Boulander said: "The thing that is there consistently throughout is that no matter how daunting or gruesome the thing in front of you is, if you apply yourself, if you do everything you can, if you rely on friendship, you can make it through." 

All of which bodes well for the future of Sabotage Studio because after back-to-back JRPG and Metroidvania hits, the Sea of Stars dev says it already has the theme for its next game.

Discover the best games of 2023 at the best prices by checking out the Golden Joystick Awards Steam sale page