STRIDE: Fates

About

Enhancing everything players love about the freerunning nature of STRIDE, the full-fledged sequel 'Fates' pushes the parkour action formula even further with new story-oriented gameplay. MEET YOUR FATE Raised in the slums of dystopian Airon City, at the very bottom of food chain, you got a golden ticket out. To survive and climb the ladder in elite police forces of SkyChase, you will have to de…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

40%

Audience ScoreBased on 229 reviews

gameplay25 positive mentions

story17 negative mentions

The parkour mechanics are smooth and enjoyable, providing a thrilling sense of movement.
The game features a variety of levels and environments, allowing for exploration and different gameplay experiences.
The combat can be fun when it works, with satisfying melee and gunplay elements.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with grabbing objects and clipping through walls.
Voice acting is poor and often feels AI-generated, detracting from the overall experience.
The story is weak and poorly executed, with confusing objectives and lackluster character development.

story
167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
81%
10%
The story in "Stride: Fates" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as incoherent, generic, and poorly executed. Critics highlight issues such as unclear objectives, lackluster voice acting, and a narrative that feels forced and unengaging, often detracting from the gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus is that the story fails to meet expectations, leaving players disappointed and suggesting they seek better alternatives.
- “The world of Stride Fates is huge, and there are various missions scattered across these vast locations.”
- “There's a storyline but I won't spoil it.”
- “The story is okay and so is the voice acting, but every level is super fun and feels really thought out.”
- “The storytelling is terrible.”
- “The story that exists isn't really coherent; it forces you into combat instead of playing to its strengths.”
- “The story is an absolute mess.”
gameplay
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
59%
13%
The gameplay of "Stride: Fates" is a mixed bag, featuring enjoyable parkour mechanics that some players praise as the best in VR, but marred by numerous bugs, clunky controls, and poor AI. While the core mechanics are reminiscent of the original game, many users report frustrating glitches and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game struggles with repetitive gameplay and design flaws, leading to a disappointing reception among players familiar with the genre.
- “The parkour mechanics are the best I've seen in any VR game, hands down.”
- “The gameplay is fun, and that's what matters most.”
- “Fates has really evolved into a high-quality game with smooth movement and parkour mechanics.”
- “It has it all from janky mechanics to cringey dialogue, non-existent enemy AI, and atrocious player funnelling.”
- “The gameplay overall feels sloppy and buggy, and there are a couple of spots you can get soft-locked in.”
- “Do not buy, the thumbnail is AI, the game has barely any content, it feels rushed, the only mechanics from the first game they have are messed up, there are barely any settings, the game is unresponsive and bad, the items have no weight, the grips are terrible, the story is horrible, and the 'voice actors' are AI.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
70%
16%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the visuals as being comparable to mobile-tier quality, particularly on PC where there are no options to enhance them. While some users appreciate the level design and find the graphics decent or even nice, a significant number express disappointment over the lack of graphical settings and the overall washed-out appearance reminiscent of older games. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are some commendable aspects, the graphics fall short of expectations, especially for a PCVR title.
- “The visuals are solid.”
- “I want to commend the graphics and level design; it's evident that a lot of work went into them.”
- “Graphics are actually pretty nice, looks modern.”
- “The graphics suck - the game looks identical to the Quest and has no settings to change the graphics.”
- “Meaning it looks horrible on PC, texture quality looks like a PlayStation 2 game, and you can't change it because there's zero graphic settings.”
- “I can tell that there were many corners cut throughout this game's development, along with flat-out blatant false advertising through the use of AI-generated ad images, very obviously fake screenshots taken in-engine and not in-game (in-game graphics are comparable to Quest 3 with no options to enhance them).”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as issues with climbing mechanics, AI behavior, and navigation. While a few players noted a lack of major glitches, the overall consensus is that the game feels "buggy" and "janky," leading to frustration and immersion-breaking experiences. Despite some promising elements, the game's stability issues have made it difficult for many to enjoy.
- “The climbing is all buggy; my hand always fits in the wrong place on the wall. Normally, I don't care about this kind of thing in games, however, in this game, there are times when it doesn't even appear, and it reaches the level of breaking the immersion.”
- “The gameplay overall feels sloppy and buggy, and there are a couple of spots you can get soft-locked in.”
- “Keep in mind this game is £25; this is nowhere near worth £10 with how janky and buggy this game is.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the voice acting to be hilariously bad and reminiscent of amateur productions, contributing to the overall comedic experience. While some moments, such as quirky items and funny glitches, elicit genuine laughter, the game's janky mechanics and awkward dialogue often lead to unintentional humor. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to deliver laughs, despite its flaws and rough edges.
- “It's got lots of funny and creepy stuff, like the level with the vents.”
- “The quirky items, funny voiceovers, it's just... epic!”
- “This game is hilarious!”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and high frame rates on powerful hardware, others experience significant issues such as stuttering, visual glitches, and poor AI behavior. The lack of graphical settings and intrusive culling detracts from the experience, suggesting that optimization efforts may prioritize performance over gameplay enjoyment.
- “The developers have optimized the game well, ensuring it performs beautifully even on my 2060.”
- “Noticed everything runs smoothly and loads seamlessly.”
- “Performance is great, I'm getting 120 - 144 fps with an insane index res 500% using RTX 3090 and i9 10900k.”
- “No graphical settings exist to make the game look better than it does on Quest, nor to even disable the Quest 3 enhancements for people with performance issues.”
- “- decent optimization effort”
- “My rig has about the same performance in TFLOPS as 15 Quest 3s running in parallel.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise it for enhancing realism and creating a pleasant atmosphere, others find it underwhelming and repetitive compared to previous installments. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a decent but inconsistent aspect of the game.
- “They've done a great job with the music and sounds, which enhances the realism.”
- “The music is also really good.”
- “Ps: the slum jungle music and spirits of something is fire.”
- “The music is just okay.”
- “My major issue is the relaxed music and feel are underwhelming compared to the first game's emphasis on speed and pattern recognition, and I find the fates less exciting.”
- “The music is repetitive and annoying.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The monetization strategy of the studio is widely criticized as exploitative, with many users feeling that their games are mere cash grabs lacking ongoing support or updates. Players express disappointment over the abandonment of previous titles and the focus on cosmetic microtransactions rather than meaningful improvements, leading to a tarnished reputation for the studio. Overall, the sentiment reflects a growing distrust towards the studio's commitment to quality and player satisfaction.
- “The monetization model in this game strikes a great balance, allowing players to enjoy the core experience without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items that don't affect gameplay, making purchases feel optional rather than necessary.”
- “The developers have been transparent about their monetization strategy, which helps build trust within the community.”
- “All of their games seem to be a quick cash grab. Every game they have made is released and then completely abandoned. I've purchased their other games, and they've received zero bug fixes or quality of life updates in years, which is very much needed for the state they are in.”
- “Ever since Stride initially became a success back in 2020, Joy Way has slowly tarnished the reputation of the game and themselves as a studio. They first constantly delayed updates for (albeit understandable) reworks, but then pushed it to the side to add a lackluster multiplayer mode to the original Stride to try and cash in on cosmetic microtransactions.”
- “Joy Way had so much potential as a VR studio, but now they have fully shown themselves to be a cheap, lazy, cash-grabbing, untrustworthy, potentially mismanaged bunch of hacks that seemingly cannot take criticism.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its striking visual style, reminiscent of "Mirror's Edge," which contributes to a dynamic and varied level design. Players appreciate how this aesthetic enhances the overall experience.
- “The visual atmosphere is reminiscent of Mirror's Edge, creating a unique and immersive experience.”
- “The Mirror's Edge-like atmosphere is great, and the levels are varied.”
- “The visual atmosphere is reminiscent of Mirror's Edge, but it lacks the depth and immersion that made that game so captivating.”
- “While the game attempts to create a unique atmosphere, it ultimately feels flat and uninspired.”
- “The overall ambiance is disappointing; it fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players expressing frustration over mechanics that disrupt their intended gameplay experience, while others reflect on their discomfort with certain AI interactions, highlighting a broader theme of player agency and emotional connection to the game's environment and characters.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is noted for its strong design and integration with the map, enhancing the overall narrative experience. Players appreciate how character arcs are intertwined with the environment, allowing for a deeper connection to the story and its settings. Overall, the thoughtful character and map design contribute significantly to player immersion and engagement.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The original Stride is praised for its varied and fast-paced level design, which enhances its replayability, along with well-executed pistol combat that adds to the overall experience.
- “The original Stride offers much more varied, fast-paced level design and replayability, along with well-done pistol combat.”
- “The game's replayability is impressive, with different strategies and approaches to explore in each playthrough.”
- “I found myself coming back to the game multiple times, as each run felt fresh and engaging.”
- “If anything, buy the original Stride, which offers much more varied, fast-paced level design, replayability, actually well-done pistol combat, and much more.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back; the experience doesn't change enough to warrant a second playthrough.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players enjoy the grinding mechanics, highlighting the thrill of performing tricks like grinding rails and jumping off buildings, which adds an exciting dynamic to gameplay.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be repetitive and uninspired, leading to a lack of motivation.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment.”