Wayward Strand

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 82 reviews
  • story
  • emotional
  • gameplay
Wayward Strand Game Cover
Wayward Strand is a stunning tapestry woven from the rich stories of fully realized characters that come together to form a beautiful, unique, emotional interactive narrative.
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Wayward Strand is a narrative-driven adventure game set in a floating hospital in the 1970s. As teenager Casey, players explore the hospital and interact with its residents, uncovering their stories and relationships through dialogue and observation. The game's unique time-loop mechanic allows players to experience different events and conversations at different times, adding depth and replayability to the story.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews
story6 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Wayward Strand offers a beautifully immersive experience with well-written characters and excellent voice acting, creating a warm and heartfelt atmosphere.
  • The game's unique real-time narrative design allows players to explore the lives of the residents, fostering a sense of connection and empathy.
  • Its charming art style and relaxing pace make it a delightful slice-of-life game that encourages players to appreciate the small moments and stories of others.
  • The game lacks manual saving options, requiring players to complete entire days in one sitting, which can be frustrating and tedious.
  • Some players found the pacing too slow, leading to moments of boredom as they waited for characters to finish their dialogue or actions.
  • There are minor technical issues, such as glitches in animations and audio skipping, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • story35 mentions

    The story of "Wayward Strand" is a heartwarming slice-of-life narrative that focuses on the relationships between characters, particularly between Casey and her mother, set in a nursing home. While it lacks a traditional overarching plot or mysteries to solve, the game excels in its rich character development and emotional moments, encouraging players to engage deeply with the narrative at a leisurely pace. Its unique storytelling approach, reminiscent of children's picture books, allows for a personal and interactive experience, making it a standout in story-driven gaming.

    • “This is a slow-paced game that focuses on story and conversations.”
    • “The slow pace of the gameplay is essential to the narrative design, encouraging connection between the player and the story and leading to some emotive and poignant moments that really stand out.”
    • “Wayward Strand is a fantastic story-rich game.”
    • “There's not much more backstory to it than that, and it doesn't feel like anything would be different about the story if this nursing home were on the ground.”
    • “Whilst there is a small overarching story between Casey and her mum's relationship, the rest of it is completely up to the player.”
    • “Great game, at first it feels kind of boring because you have to pretty much interact with the same patients over and over, but as the story progresses and things around you start happening, it becomes really interesting.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming narrative, lovable characters, and a unique storytelling approach that evokes nostalgia and warmth. Players appreciate the game's ability to create meaningful moments and a soothing atmosphere, making it a memorable experience that encourages deep engagement with its heartfelt themes. Overall, it is celebrated for its beautiful aesthetics and well-crafted writing, appealing particularly to those who enjoy wholesome, slice-of-life narratives.

    • “Superb cast of characters, truly heartwarming moments, and a storytelling method unlike any other game.”
    • “It is a beautiful game that combines a complex and heartfelt narrative with eclectic characters, an unusual setting, and a stunning aesthetic.”
    • “Its soft, but detailed design perfectly encapsulates the heartwarming narrative of the game.”
  • gameplay19 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a slow pace that emphasizes narrative and character interaction, allowing players to explore an airship hospital over three in-game days. While some find the core mechanics flawed and repetitive, others appreciate the emotional depth and unique storytelling approach that unfolds as the game progresses. Overall, the gameplay serves as a vehicle for engaging with the story and characters, though it may not appeal to those seeking high-stakes action.

    • “The gameplay allows you, as Casey, to realize why this is the case for her mother, but with your interactions with the inhabitants of the airship, you discover secrets about not just them, but also about the ship itself and former inhabitants, giving the game a slight air of mystery.”
    • “The slow pace of the gameplay is essential to the narrative design, encouraging connection between the player and the story and leading to some emotive and poignant moments that really stand out.”
    • “That’s pretty much the gameplay: exploring the airship hospital and getting to learn about it and the characters you interact with over the course of three in-game days.”
    • “Sadly, though, this is a video game, and I just can't recommend a game where the core gameplay mechanic is so flawed.”
    • “There is a lot of potential in this concept, and I think almost everything besides the gameplay and walking animation was executed very well.”
    • “The gameplay consists of walking around, talking to elderly people, or just hanging out with them in silence.”
  • graphics16 mentions

    The graphics of "Wayward Strand" are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, which enhances the game's complex narrative and charming characters. While there are minor graphical issues, such as character clipping, the overall aesthetic, combined with excellent voice acting and music, creates a warm and engaging experience that resonates with players. The game's visuals are described as cozy and eclectic, making it a standout in the indie game scene.

    • “Wayward Strand is an incredibly ambitious narrative video game with great writing, a refreshing art style, and a fascinating setting.”
    • “It is a beautiful game that combines a complex and heartfelt narrative with eclectic characters, an unusual setting, and a stunning aesthetic.”
    • “The art style is lovely and perfectly complements the music.”
    • “There’s also some janky graphical issues like characters clipping through each other when they walk through doorways, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The visuals lack polish, making the game feel less immersive than it could be.”
    • “The art style is charming, but the graphics sometimes feel outdated and could use more refinement.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its varied and immersive soundtrack, with each room featuring its own unique track that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note that the chill and calming tunes effectively capture the essence of rural life, complementing the charming art style and narrative beautifully. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's emotional impact and lasting impression.

    • “Couple that with a charming visual style that has a very children's book feel and a varied soundtrack, with every room having its own track, and you have an amazing experience that stays with you long after you beat it.”
    • “The soundtrack is chill, calm, and amazing!”
    • “This simple premise works thanks to its elaborate narrative device, supported by great writing, voice acting, visuals, and music.”
    • “Couple that with a charming visual style that has a very children's book feel and a varied soundtrack, with every room having its own track, and you got an amazing experience that manages to stay with you long after you beat it.”
    • “Perhaps this is the first ever narrative game that I have played that perfectly portrays my home state and rural-town feel, from the background sounds, characters, voices, phrases, and even the menu soundtrack.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Wayward Strand offers significant replayability due to its dynamic world and well-developed characters, each with unique personalities that encourage multiple playthroughs to fully experience the narrative. The game's emphasis on player choice, excellent writing, and a cozy aesthetic further enhances its appeal, making it a must-try for fans of narrative-driven and wholesome games.

    • “This gives a very dynamic feel to the world; it makes the characters feel alive and autonomous, greatly supported by the writing. Every character has a unique personality with different facets and layers, which adds a good amount of replayability since you can't see everything in a single playthrough.”
    • “Its focus on replayability, player choice, excellent writing, voiceovers, and cozy aesthetic make this a game I highly recommend to narrative lovers, especially those who enjoy wholesome games.”
    • “There is definitely a replayability element to Wayward Strand.”
    • “Immense replayability value.”
    • “Replayability value: yes, extremely so.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in "Wayward Strand" is characterized by its heartwarming and amusing moments, particularly through the portrayal of engaging and funny elderly characters, which adds a refreshing and nostalgic element to the gaming experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend humor with a deeper narrative, making it a unique and enjoyable journey.

    • “There were a lot of heartwarming, funny, and interesting moments, and I really felt like I was going to be able to deep dive into this game and unravel every detail of the story.”
    • “Wayward Strand is one of those games that makes you realize that we've been missing out on something all this time, and in this case, it's cool and funny old people.”
    • “Where are all the cool and funny old people in video games!”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The reviews highlight strong writing and excellent voice performances, contributing to an engaging and original gaming experience. However, there is no specific mention of optimization issues, suggesting that the game runs smoothly in terms of performance.

    • “The writing is so good, the voice performance as well, love it so far!”
    • “The characters are rich and engaging, and the performances of the cast are marvelous.”
    • “Such an original game filled with great writing and performances with an undeniable Australian flavor.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, particularly due to the need to restart chapters to explore different characters, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of replaying the game.

    • “Though I want to replay again and again just to visit different characters at the same time, it is too tedious to restart the chapter.”
    • “It is also very slow and tedious.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game experiences some minor visual glitches and bugs, but these issues are generally considered manageable and do not detract significantly from the overall experience, especially for those interested in its narrative depth.

    • “It had some visual glitches when I played it, but it's still worth checking out if you're interested in narrative-focused games that take the medium in interesting and fruitful directions.”
    • “Some minor glitches and bugs, but this beautiful game is well worth looking past those.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by high-quality voice acting and an immersive soundscape, complemented by beautifully crafted, hand-drawn environments. Players appreciate the fully voiced dialogue, which deepens their engagement and immersion in the game's world.

    • “Enjoyable high-quality voice acting and an atmospheric soundscape, all set in beautifully crafted, hand-drawn environments.”
    • “I really liked how the entire game was voice-over, so I didn't have to read everything, and the voiceovers help to immerse me in the game's atmosphere.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of Wayward Strand highlights the often-overlooked charm of indie games, which can be overshadowed by the heavy marketing budgets of larger titles. This suggests a preference for more authentic, less commercially-driven gaming experiences.

    • “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend money on features that should be included in the base game.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many of the game's best items are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the full experience without spending extra.”
    • “The in-game purchases are overwhelming and disrupt the flow of gameplay, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

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Play time

1hMedian play time
1hAverage play time
1-1hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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