Eternal Strands Review – Grand Ambition, Uneven Execution

Eternal Strands Review

Although Eternal Strands is the debut title from Yellow Brick Games, the studio is anything but inexperienced. Founded by Mike Laidlaw, a former creative force at BioWare, along with industry veterans from Ubisoft, their pedigree is undeniable. With a legacy of rich storytelling, expansive world design, and polished gameplay, can Eternal Strands reach the heights of their past successes?

Shunned by society after the Surge reshaped the land, the Weavers seek to reclaim what was lost and restore peace. Alongside your companions, you must uncover the origins of the catastrophe and attempt to mend the world’s lingering wounds. While the premise brims with intrigue, the pacing holds the story back. The early hours lack urgency, focusing more on world-building rather than the unfolding events. Gorgeously animated cutscenes add to the immersion, but they are rare, with most storytelling delivered through still images and text. However, the characters shine thanks to stellar voice acting that elevates the well-written dialogue. While the narrative didn’t fully keep me engaged, it provides a solid foundation for the mechanics to take center stage.

The Power is in Your Hands

As you progress, you’ll gain access to a variety of elemental powers that allow you to combine and experiment within the sandbox. Mechanically, these are well-designed giving you plenty of options to overcome obstacles in unique ways. You can freeze the wings of imposing dragons so that they pummel to the ground, combine telekinesis and fire to create a dangerous vortex and much more. The manner in which you can amalgamate powers is impressive and places experimentation and trial and error at the forefront.

Supporting your ability to wield magic is the combat itself. Unfortunately, this is where the game falters. There’s an absence of impact when you strike an enemy which results in lackluster battles that quickly become tiresome. Neither weapon you attain improves on the system which means you’ll find yourself focusing on your special powers rather than weapons. A stamina meter is also embedded in the combat with each swing of your sword depleting the gauge. Although a common feature in RPGs, it feels unnecessary with this adventure, further hindering the experience.

An Ode to Those That Came Before

The latest Zelda games have influenced Eternal Strand’s philosophy of experimenting with mechanics in a sandbox. However, another legendary title has also shaped its adventure. Beyond the smaller foes, you’ll also encounter Shadow of the Colossus-style giants that require you to scale their massive bodies, strip away their armor, and strike at their weak points. These Great Foes won’t go down easily, they’ll shake you off, try to grab you, and force you to cling on or reposition. If you manage to locate and harvest their locus of power, you’ll be rewarded with rare gear to enhance your abilities.

While these battles are a highlight of the game, they also come with their fair share of tedium. Wrestling with the beast and the controls often turns what should be an epic confrontation into a scrappy, unpolished struggle. Though you can use your powers creatively in combat, the execution lacks finesse, making the fights more frustrating than exhilarating.

As every surface is climbable, the game does offer a significant amount of freedom, however, it doesn’t manage to capture the same level of adventure as its influences. Each location you visit is full of secrets with plenty of items to collect and take back to your base which is host to an array of crafting possibilities. Rather than leveling up, you improve your armor and equipment before heading out on another Monster Hunter-style expedition. These missions, especially at the beginning, lack the imagination that imbues the game. You’ll be tasked with simple fetch quests and basic tasks that halt the pace of the adventure.

Lookin’ Good

The cartoon aesthetic gives the world character and entices you to explore. You’ll find ice caves where you’ll need a source of heat to venture forth and other opportunities to use your elemental powers to see more of the world. The visual flair and high fantasy setting are accentuated through its musical score. Austin Wintory perfectly captures the intended atmosphere and manages to elevate story beats through his music.

Eternal Strands draws inspiration from various titles, blending their elements to forge a new adventure. While Yellow Brick Games succeeds in crafting a strong physics system that complements the protagonist’s powers, the experience is hindered by weak combat and early mission design. Though the characterization shines, enhanced by solid voice acting, the story struggles to immerse, likely due to its disjointed delivery. Ultimately, the game is brimming with strong ideas, but none are executed well enough to leave a lasting impression.

***A PlayStation 5 code was provided by the publisher***

The Good

  • Being Able to Experiment with Powers
  • Cartoon Aesthetic
  • Voice Acting
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The Bad

  • Early Game Mission Design
  • Combat Lacks Impact
  • Messy Combination of Systems