Hey there, fellow gamers! Today, I’m diving deep into the mystical world of Eternal Strands, the latest offering from Yellow Brick Games. As someone who’s spent countless hours exploring every nook and cranny of this game, I’m excited to share my thoughts with you. Buckle up, because we’re in for quite a ride!
First Impressions
When I first booted up Eternal Strands, I was immediately struck by its vibrant, colorful world. The game’s art style is a feast for the eyes, blending fantastical elements with a touch of realism that really draws you in.
But let’s be real – pretty graphics alone don’t make a great game. So, I dove in, eager to see what lay beneath the surface.
The Story: A Mixed Bag
Alright, let’s talk story. Eternal Strands puts you in the shoes of Brynn, a young magician who’s just been appointed to lead a “weaver band” – essentially a group of freelance magic users.
The premise is intriguing: years ago, the Enclave, a city-state that was the heart of the world’s magic, experienced a catastrophic event called the Surge. This magical explosion sealed the city off from the outside world, and you’re part of the first group to breach its walls since the calamity.
Sounds cool, right? Well, it is… to a point. While the setup is fascinating, I found that the execution often fell flat. The main plot, centered around uncovering the mystery of what went wrong in the Enclave, sometimes gets bogged down in family drama and overly sentimental character interactions that feel at odds with the grand, mystical setting.
That said, there were moments when the story really shined. Discovering the remnants of the lost civilization and piecing together what happened during the Surge kept me engaged, even when the character drama felt a bit forced.
Characters: Hit and Miss
Speaking of characters, Eternal Strands presents a mixed bag. Brynn, our protagonist, unfortunately falls into the trap of being a bit too generic. Her dialogue often feels forced, with “You’re right, I am kickass” moments that made me cringe more than cheer.
However, it’s not all bad news on the character front. Oria, the senior member of your weaver band, is a standout. This brusque birdwoman, voiced with a crisp, cut-glass accent, brings a much-needed depth to the cast.
Her struggle with a wounded wing that prevents her from fully exploring the Enclave adds a layer of poignancy to her character that I really appreciated.
The rest of the cast, unfortunately, tends to fade into the background. They’re not bad, per se, but they lack the spark that makes truly memorable characters stick with you long after you’ve put the controller down.
Gameplay: Where the Magic Happens
Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter – the gameplay. This is where Eternal Strands really starts to shine, despite some rough edges.
The magic system in this game is, well, magical. You have the power to manipulate elements, and the freedom the game gives you is exhilarating. Want to create an ice bridge to reach a far-off platform? Go for it.
Feel like picking up an enemy with your mind and hurling them off a cliff? Be my guest. The game encourages experimentation, and I found myself constantly trying new combinations of powers just to see what would happen.
One of my favorite aspects is the elemental interaction. The world is filled with plants that explode into ice or fire that dynamically spreads through underbrush.
It gives encounters a chaotic, unpredictable feel that kept me on my toes. There were times when I’d accidentally set everything around me on fire, including myself, leading to some hilarious (and sometimes frustrating) moments.
The game also features massive, dynamic bosses that roam the landscape. These encounters feel like a mix between Monster Hunter and Shadow of the Colossus, requiring you to target specific weak points or strip away armor piece by piece.
While they’re not quite as awe-inspiring as the colossi from Team Ico’s masterpiece, they do add a sense of scale and danger to the world that I really enjoyed.
However, it’s not all smooth sailing. The controls can feel a bit janky at times, especially during intense combat sequences. The stamina system, while adding a layer of strategy, sometimes feels overly punitive, forcing you to take breathers at inopportune moments. These issues are particularly noticeable during the big boss fights, where precision is key.
The World: A Double-Edged Sword
Eternal Strands presents a vast, open world for you to explore. The game encourages careful exploration by limiting fast travel and removing map waypoints and quest markers. In theory, this is great – it promotes organic discovery and makes the world feel more alive.
In practice, though, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. While I appreciate the intention, the world itself isn’t always interesting enough to justify the slow pace of exploration. There are vast amounts of resources to gather, but your restrictive inventory prevents you from collecting much.
The free-climbing system lets you scale almost any surface, which is cool, but there’s rarely anything rewarding at the end of your climb.
That said, when exploration pays off, it really pays off. Stumbling across a hidden cave filled with ancient artifacts or discovering a breathtaking vista after a long climb can be truly rewarding. These moments, while not as frequent as I’d like, do make the exploration worthwhile.
Crafting and Progression
One area where Eternal Strands really shines is its crafting system. It’s deep, engaging, and allows for a lot of customization. You can mix and match different types of resources to create items with unique properties.
Want fireproof armor? You’ll need to hunt for specific components that only appear in certain areas at night. This system encourages exploration and gives a real sense of progression as you upgrade your gear.
The progression of your magical abilities is also well-handled. As you defeat the giant bosses roaming the landscape, you gain new powers and upgrades. This creates a satisfying loop of exploration, combat, and improvement that kept me engaged throughout my playthrough.
Technical Aspects: A Mixed Bag
On the technical front, Eternal Strands is a bit of a mixed bag. The game looks beautiful, with its colorful, fantastical world brought to life with impressive detail. However, I did encounter some performance issues, particularly in areas with a lot of elemental effects going on.
One interesting choice the developers made was to use 2D animation for some cutscenes and static character portraits for conversations. While this might seem like a limitation at first, I found it actually worked quite well.
It gives the game a unique visual flair and allows for more expressive character moments than might have been possible with in-engine cutscenes.
The Verdict
So, after spending countless hours with Eternal Strands, what’s my verdict? Well, it’s complicated. This is a game of highs and lows, of brilliant ideas not always perfectly executed.
On one hand, we have a magical system that’s genuinely fun and creative, encouraging experimentation and leading to some truly memorable moments. The world, when it shines, is a joy to explore. The crafting system is deep and rewarding, and the boss battles, despite some control issues, are epic in scale.
On the other hand, the story and characters often fall flat, the exploration can feel unrewarding, and technical issues sometimes mar the experience.
In the end, I find myself thinking of Eternal Strands as a flawed gem. It’s a game bursting with ambition, even if it doesn’t always hit the mark. For every frustration I experienced, there was a moment of pure joy or wonder that made it all worthwhile.
Is it a perfect game? No. But it’s a game that dares to try something different, to reach for the stars even if it doesn’t always grasp them. And in a world of safe, cookie-cutter games, there’s something to be said for that ambition.
If you’re a fan of action-RPGs and don’t mind some rough edges, I’d say Eternal Strands is definitely worth a try. Just be prepared for a journey that’s as uneven as it is magical. Who knows? You might just find yourself, like me, unable to put it down despite its flaws.
Final Score: 7.5/10
Eternal Strands is a game that will divide opinion. For me, its innovative magic system, ambitious world design, and moments of genuine wonder outweigh its narrative shortcomings and technical issues. It’s not for everyone, but for those willing to embrace its quirks, it offers a unique and often rewarding experience.
And there you have it, folks! My comprehensive review of Eternal Strands. Whether you decide to dive into this magical world or give it a pass, I hope this review has helped you make an informed decision. Happy gaming!
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