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Eternal Strands

Eternal Strands is a great action game with a vibrant world, huge monsters, engaging magic systems, and satisfying combat that establishes Yellow Brick Games as a force to be reckoned with moving forward.
Eternal Strands Game Cover
82%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
89% User Score Based on 1,071 reviews
Critic Score 76%Based on 16 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCXbox Game PassPlaystation 5CloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
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Eternal Strands Game Cover

About

Eternal Strands is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Yellow Brick Games and was released on January 28, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy action-adventure title from Yellow Brick Games, a new independent studio founded by industry veterans. THE WORLD IS YOUR WEAPON At the heart of Eternal Strands beats a revolutionary new system for gameplay interactions: heat spreads, cold chills, and real-time destruction allows for unprecedented reactivity in combat. Hurl burning tree trunks at enemies with t…

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Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
Eternal Strands screenshot
+4
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89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,071 reviews
story264 positive mentions
grinding78 negative mentions
  • Great art design and visuals that create a vibrant and immersive world.
  • Fun and engaging magic system that allows for creative combinations and interactions with the environment.
  • Well-written characters with strong voice acting that enhance the storytelling experience.
  • Climbing mechanics can be clunky and frustrating, especially during boss fights.
  • Repetitive fetch quests and side missions that can detract from the overall pacing of the game.
  • Combat can feel simplistic and lacks depth, leading to a sense of monotony over time.
  • story
    837 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Eternal Strands" is generally well-received, featuring a rich world and engaging characters, though opinions on its execution vary. Many players appreciate the character-driven narrative and the depth of lore, while some criticize the reliance on fetch quests and a straightforward plot that lacks significant twists. Overall, the storytelling is described as charming and immersive, with strong voice acting enhancing the experience, despite some pacing issues and a tendency for dialogue to feel excessive at times.

    • “The story and world are crafted with such obvious love and passion, the characters are relatable and brilliantly fleshed out.”
    • “The story is interesting, if a bit thin at times, but the characters are designed splendidly, and the main character, Brynn, is lovable.”
    • “Eternal strands is a breathtaking action RPG that masterfully blends intense combat, stunning visuals, and a captivating storyline.”
    • “The story is very basic, bland, and predictable, and although the visual style/design of characters is great, their personalities are boring and, except for a few minor differences, they all feel the same.”
    • “The story is complete nonsense; I skipped the vast majority of the dialogue as it was all meaningless, trying to be a deep, meaningful, character-driven story with not a single interesting event, choice, or character.”
    • “The story is weak at the beginning but gets better the further you go.”
  • gameplay
    532 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Eternal Strands" is characterized by a blend of engaging mechanics, including a unique climbing system and a dynamic magic combat system that encourages experimentation. While the core gameplay loop of exploration, resource gathering, and boss battles is generally satisfying, some players noted issues with the climbing mechanics and occasional bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game offers a fun and innovative gameplay experience, though it may feel repetitive or simplistic to some as it progresses.

    • “Trying out new strategies to adapt to the changing environmental conditions and boss mechanics gives you a lot of room to experiment.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, and the story was very interesting, always making me wonder what would happen next.”
    • “The gameplay is a blast and the character writing is fantastic.”
    • “The climbing mechanics are extremely buggy; I would often try climbing up and Brynn starts going sideways or down.”
    • “The combat can be a little bit clunky at times, and the lock-on mechanic is always at an odd angle, so don't play this thinking you are getting a hyper-polished Dark Souls-like experience.”
    • “The gameplay is not complex or difficult, but a lot of it is simply made tedious and frustrating.”
  • graphics
    193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Eternal Strands" have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant and stylized art direction, which combines elements reminiscent of games like "Fortnite" and "Monster Hunter." Players appreciate the beautiful environments, character designs, and the overall cohesive aesthetic that enhances immersion, despite some critiques regarding inconsistent art styles during transitions. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning, colorful, and well-optimized, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The art style and environments are where this game really shines.”
    • “At one hand, you can see it in visuals - everything looks simply beautiful: everything is colorful, saturated, lush, and stylized to perfection.”
    • “Eternal Strands is a breathtaking action RPG that masterfully blends intense combat, stunning visuals, and a captivating storyline.”
    • “I came across this game on the high seas and was a bit put off by the Fortnite art style and diverse looking cast, but the gameplay made up for it.”
    • “The visuals are fine; however, the bad guy design left a lot to be desired, consisting mostly of sword guy, arrow guy, and shield guy, all of varying colors with a few animal types thrown in.”
    • “At first, I thought I was going to be playing it just for the gameplay, as the start of the game threw me off with the multiple art styles slammed one after another: a beautiful animated cutscene plays, before switching to what the game actually looks like, and then when dialogue commences, it switches to painted portraits of characters.”
  • grinding
    81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While some find it tedious and repetitive, particularly in resource gathering and crafting, others appreciate the balance between grinding and gameplay, noting that the crafting system allows for flexibility and minimizes the grind. Overall, players agree that while grinding can become monotonous, especially in the late game, it is often offset by enjoyable mechanics and exploration.

    • “This was a breath of fresh air for me, and while there were some tedious moments, they weren't tedious enough to keep me from progressing through the story.”
    • “It seems though that it would have become tedious quickly as the upgrades are just small number increases which you wouldn't notice the impact of.”
    • “I enjoyed the game for an hour or two, until the wow factor wore off and I found myself mindlessly grinding through areas to get random drops to make the next piece of armor I knew I would only use once to protect from extreme weather.”
    • “The game starts getting really tedious after a point, and a good portion of the quests are just 'fetch' quests, often having the player need to go to several areas to complete them for next to no payoff.”
  • music
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting its distinctiveness and emotional depth. Composed by Austin Wintory, the soundtrack is noted for its beautiful melodies that complement the game's fantasy setting, particularly during intense moments like boss fights. While some found it occasionally repetitive, the majority agree that the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive world and storytelling.

    • “Austin Wintory delivers a beautiful soundtrack, capturing the sense of adventure and mystery.”
    • “The music is so atmospheric and reminds me strongly of Morrowind.”
    • “The music fleshes out the world with melodies of fantasy, magic, and adventure.”
    • “Same goes for the music - it is decent, but you end up hearing the 'epic monster' themes so many times it gets annoying.”
    • “• music is atmospheric but forgettable.”
    • “I've been actually falling asleep to the soundtrack of this game for the past two weeks.”
  • optimization
    56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good framerates, particularly on high-end systems, others experience significant issues such as stuttering, memory leaks, and inconsistent performance across different settings. Some users noted improvements after updates, especially on the Steam Deck, but there are still concerns about resource intensity and performance dips in specific areas. Despite these challenges, the game's visuals and voice acting are generally praised, contributing to a positive experience for many players.

    • “Performance has been solid in my experience, with the game running smoothly even during more chaotic encounters.”
    • “It also runs very smoothly with some pretty lighting - the game is well optimized for sure and can look really pretty at times.”
    • “Well optimized and I have not encountered even a minor bug!”
    • “Technical hiccups, like stuttering during autosaves or inconsistent settings application, further remind players that this is a debut title still finding its footing.”
    • “Now, my biggest reason for not recommending this game is I would probably have to shelf it because I'm suffering from terrible memory leaks that tank performance from the 140s down to 19 fps with heavy stuttering and choppiness.”
    • “Some of the later levels cut my framerate in half, but I think that could be further optimized with patches.”
  • emotional
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its depth and the ability to foster genuine emotional investment through smart writing and relatable character arcs. While many found the dialogue and voice acting to be heartfelt and engaging, some critiques noted a lack of emotional complexity in certain characters and moments, leading to a somewhat idealized portrayal of emotional intelligence. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of feelings, from joy to reflection, making it a memorable experience for many players.

    • “This is the kind of game you can get heavily emotionally invested in, and it makes it worth it.”
    • “The writing is smart, intellectually stimulating, and emotionally intelligent.”
    • “A heartfelt and delightfully sweet story that isn't afraid to engage tough issues, like navigating marital conflicts and dealing with mental health struggles.”
  • character development
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers noting the depth and richness of individual character arcs, supported by well-crafted dialogue and voice acting. While some players found the main story less engaging, the side quests and NPC interactions provide substantial lore and character growth, enhancing the overall experience. However, a few critiques mention that certain character tropes feel overused, and the final cutscenes may undermine earlier development for some characters.

    • “One interesting note that I didn't notice right away is that side quests don't give any tangible rewards; only character development and lore.”
    • “The game was a lot of fun, and the character development and writing was stellar.”
    • “What I really enjoyed: story and campaign, character developments and companion quests, writing and voice acting, environments and art style, giant monster bosses.”
    • “You can just... not do it, the final cutscene and dialogue is also frankly unrewarding and some of it I feel like even undermines character development we'd seen up to that point (for Laen in particular).”
    • “The rest of the character design and story is just the same old tired trope of any man in the game is either weak, evil, incompetent or some combination of the three.”
    • “However, if character development isn't a priority for some players, they can easily focus on the story without diving deep into individual arcs.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report a smooth experience with minimal crashes and few glitches, climbing mechanics are frequently described as buggy and unresponsive, leading to frustrating moments. The environmental interactions and weather effects are praised, but the overall experience can be marred by inconsistent mechanics and occasional game-breaking issues. Players who are sensitive to bugs may find the experience challenging, despite the game's engaging story and action.

    • “All in all, it is a well-fleshed-out fantasy game with a good story and good action that was almost completely bug-free.”
    • “Also, this game runs great at launch; optimization is on point!”
    • “The climbing mechanics are extremely buggy; I would often try climbing up and Brynn starts going sideways or down.”
    • “You can climb in this game, which is amazing for exploration and then completely buggy in almost every circumstance.”
    • “In this game filled with glitchy, buggy, half-assed-coded mechanics, yes, the boss does fly off the edge of the map with you on it, which results in you killing the boss and instantly dropping both of you into the void.”
  • atmosphere
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful environments, atmospheric music, and effective sound design, which together create a rich and immersive world. Players appreciate the stunning art style and varied settings that enhance exploration, while the atmospheric elements evoke a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic titles like Morrowind. Despite some critiques of the music being forgettable, the overall ambiance successfully supports the game's themes and emotional depth.

    • “The music is so atmospheric and reminds me strongly of Morrowind.”
    • “The art style is absolutely stunning—blending realism with a surreal, storybook-like atmosphere that breathes life into every environment.”
    • “Every member of Brynn's band has the perfect therapy-speak on hand whenever anything comes up that threatens the cozy atmosphere.”
    • “The sun casts golden god rays through the canopies of trees, and the many volumetric effects give the enclave a mystical, dense atmosphere.”
    • “Zones that are, I am happy to say, varied in size, atmosphere, and setting, and offer plenty of opportunity for exploration.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of clunky yet amusing gameplay mechanics, particularly involving the protagonist Brynn's magical abilities, which lead to ridiculous and entertaining moments. While the characters and dialogue may not be particularly engaging, players find joy in the unexpected hilarity of the game's physics and the creative use of abilities, often leading to laugh-out-loud scenarios. Overall, the humor is derived from the game's janky charm and the fun of experimenting with various gameplay elements.

    • “It is a joy to be Brynn, the protagonist, who wields an arsenal of magical and mundane abilities that you can mix and match as you see fit while moving around the map with a mix of climbing, running, and launching yourself around hilariously with a certain magic power.”
    • “Lastly, anyone who checks the gameplay videos will see it is a bit janky, and it is, but it is the good kind of jank. The physics can be ridiculous and hilarious at times; figuring out solutions for different situations was incredibly fun, and I regret not using the kinetic ensnare earlier (I discovered how fun and broken it is thanks to that blueprint in the upper city).”
    • “I always look forward to seeing another speech bubble over them, and I am curious what insights or funny banter they provide next.”
    • “The characters are not funny or interesting, and I find myself skipping 90% of the dialogue.”
    • “I laughed out loud at a few scenes, but overall, the humor fell flat.”
    • “The attempts at humor often miss the mark, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed among users; some appreciate the potential for fun and varied experiences, particularly in co-op mode and through randomly generated levels, while others criticize the lack of meaningful choices and a compelling story, leading to a perception of low replay value. Overall, the enjoyment of replaying the game seems to depend on personal preferences and play styles.

    • “This game has replayability for me, and I look forward to what comes next.”
    • “Honestly, if you have some money and want a no-nonsense fun game that is a breath of fresh air, grab it. It is well worth the price and is replayable.”
    • “The main goal of the game is to load into a level (which has randomly generated weather that can affect certain spells) with a random boss to hunt. It's very similar to Monster Hunter and has a lot of replayability because you'll need to farm materials from enemies and bosses to upgrade your gear.”
    • “Replay value: 0/10. The dialog options have zero effect on the game's story, and it tells you such at the beginning. The only change is whether your character gets with the male draenei, the female half-draenei, or the non-binary human right before the final boss fight.”
    • “The story isn’t great. It’s very lackluster, and I wasn’t able to maintain my interest past the beginning of the plot. Despite the enjoyable combat, it is clunky at times when using certain melee attacks. The game doesn’t seem to have replayable value.”
    • “Co-op mode is available, but there is little replayability at the moment. This game could work in co-op mode, allowing for new combinations of spells and new strategies to be utilized.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's monetization model is praised for avoiding common pitfalls like cash grabs and low-effort designs, distinguishing it positively in a market often criticized for exploitative practices.

    • “In the age of cash grabs, asset flips, chat GPT dialogues, and procedural generation wastelands, this game truly stands out.”
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76%Critics’ scoreBased on 16 critic reviews
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15h Median play time
18h Average play time
5-35h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Eternal Strands is a action adventure game.

Eternal Strands is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 18 hours playing Eternal Strands.

Eternal Strands was released on January 28, 2025.

Eternal Strands was developed by Yellow Brick Games.

Eternal Strands has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Eternal Strands is a single player game.

Similar games include Avowed, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, Sands of Aura, Praey for the Gods, Drova: Forsaken Kin and others.