Eternal Strands, developed and published by Yellow Brick Games, is an action-adventure game. As someone who deeply appreciates immersive storytelling, innovative gameplay mechanics, and expansive worlds, I am delighted to share my experience with this remarkable title. Although I see the flaws and will expand on them below, I would recommend this title to anyone looking for a story driven vibrant game to relax and immerse yourself in.
A World of Wonder and Exploration
From the moment I stepped into the world of Eternal Strands, I was captivated by its rich and vibrant environments. The game’s art style, influenced by European visual novels, breathes life into every corner of the expansive landscapes. Each region is meticulously crafted, offering diverse biomes that invite exploration and reward curiosity. The freedom to climb any surface, reminiscent of titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, adds a layer of verticality that enhances the sense of discovery. Though the breath of the wilds inspiration does not end here.
Physics based magic and combat system
One of the standout features of Eternal Strands is its dynamic magic system. As Brynn, the protagonist, players can manipulate elements such as fire and ice through a magical cloak. This ability not only serves as a combat mechanic but also profoundly affects the environment. For instance, frequent use of fire magic can render areas arid, with fires spreading rapidly through vegetation, while ice magic can create bridges over chasms or freeze enemies in place. This interplay between magic and the environment fosters a sense of improvisation and strategy, making each encounter unique.
Combat in Eternal Strands is both challenging and rewarding. The game features multiple distinct bosses that roam various parts of the world, each requiring a strategic approach to defeat. Drawing inspiration from games like Shadow of the Colossus, these encounters often involve climbing towering creatures to strike at their weak points. The sense of scale and spectacle during these battles is exhilarating, providing some of the most memorable moments in the game.
Exploration and gameplay loop
Bosses will roam around different locations. When that happens the weather may change adding a new twist to the landscape. This encourages players to come back for needed materials used in the extensive crafting system. One of the many goodies to look out for are blueprints. This will give the player a template, but depending on the materials used it may resistant or strong against certain elements. This not only allows players to find use for materials that seem unremarkable, but also pushes for having multiple sets at the ready.
Defeating bosses will also grant new magic. This will open a magnitude of possibilities to play around with as so many spells compliment each other in spectacular ways. I for example found that a spell resembling a gravity orb will hold in the flames caught in it’s range that can then be used for a high damage explosion. As players make their way further into the story finding new biomes, they find new bosses. New bosses result in new and upgraded spells. New spells go into more combinations. In turn making the world a massive playground limited only by the players creativity.
After every expedition, Brynn will return to camp to empty her inventory. This will advance time and in turn change locations bosses, weather and enemy locations/variations. But it is also the time to wind down and talk to your allies at the camp to progress the story or simply get to know them.
On point narrative and characters
The narrative of Eternal Strands is richly woven, with a storyline that delves into the secrets of a long-lost civilization known as the Enclave. The characters are well-developed, each with their own backstory and motivations that intertwine with the main plot. The dialogue is thoughtfully written, making learning of the world and its inhabitants a pleasure. This level of storytelling kept me invested throughout my journey, eager to uncover the mysteries that lay ahead.
The attention to detail of characters is not only in the dialog, but also the design. The art style is beautiful, characters are unique and their amazing designs are accompanied by immaculate voice acting. Exploring the world, uncovering what happened and discovering new bosses was an absolute joy every step of the way. Eternal strands honestly feels like 2011’s Bastion with a breath of the wild twist added to it, which is a combination I never knew I wanted.
Nothing is perfect
Technically, Eternal Strands performs admirably. The game runs smoothly, with minimal bugs or glitches encountered during my playthrough. The developers’ attention to detail is evident. The soundtrack, composed by Austin Wintory, complements the game’s tone perfectly, adding emotional weight to key moments.
That being said the game is not without its flaws. With almost everything in the environment being interactable in some way or another it is bound to cause some funky situations. It did take away from the immersion when climbing a shadow of colossus style titan I got stuck flailing on an armour piece uncontrollably before I got flung into space. With the extensive physics system it can also get overwhelming, where a bad placed spark can set and entire area on fire, main character included. The enemies later on in the game can get repetitive due to the lack of variety. Those that are there can also feel unfair at time with very unforgiving tracking and a badly placed parry can lead to a chain of attacks that shred the players health in an instant.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Eternal Strands is a stellar addition to the action-adventure genre. Its captivating world, innovative mechanics, and engaging narrative combine to create an experience that is both immersive and rewarding. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the game, I can confidently say that the only reason Eternal Strands is being held back from a perfect score is only a few minor details. Highly recommend the entry to anyone seeking a rich and fulfilling adventure. My personal game of the year contender so far.
