Eternal Strands by Yellow Brick Games is making its debut on the PlayStation 5, offering a fresh and enchanting action-adventure experience. Join me as I dive into the depths of this magical journey in our Eternal Strands review.
Step into the shoes of Brynn, a young Weaver tasked with reclaiming what her people have lost. The game’s intricate narrative invites you to traverse the remnants of the Enclave while dodging the encroaching menace of a deadly mist. Although Yellow Brick Games is a newcomer to the industry, the studio is spearheaded by Mike Laidlaw—known for his work at Bioware on the Dragon Age series—and supported by a team with Ubisoft pedigree. They’ve blended inspiration from classics like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and The Legend of Zelda series into this captivating new adventure.
The game kicks off with an entertaining cutscene, complete with voice acting, followed by a brief chat with Oria, setting you on your path. Equipped with an earpiece, Brynn remains in constant communication with Oria, who offers guidance from the Scry table. The Scry also doubles as a magical refuge, ready to pull you back from the brink when danger strikes.
Eternal Strands offers three levels of difficulty: Easy, Normal, and Hard. For those opting for Easy, expect Brynn to have more health, and after a defeat, her Vitality Tonics are replenished. Normal provides a balanced challenge, while the Hard setting reduces Brynn’s health and halves Vitality Tonic effectiveness, setting the stage for a true test of skill.
The controls are intuitive, allowing you to move Brynn with the left stick, survey your surroundings with the right, and sprint with an added press. Jump with X, dodge with Circle, and interact using Triangle. Combat is straightforward yet dynamic—basic attacks are on Square, charge them by holding it down, and defend with R1. Should you time it right, pressing R1 can parry an incoming attack. Mastery of the bow is crucial, pulled back with R1 and released to fire, with an added kick move on Square. Lock onto foes by clicking the right stick, and when wounded, press down on the D-Pad to heal using Vitality Tonics. Remember, actions like sprinting and attacking deplete your stamina, visible on the gauge. Utilizing the up button will bring forth a guiding wisp whenever you need to find your next objective.
Weaving is another compelling element of the gameplay—press L2 to prepare and R2 to cast magical strands. Use this to wield Weaver’s Grasp by grabbing and hurling objects marked with a purple glow. Switching spells is a breeze with the Magic Wheel on L1, letting you adapt your strategy on the fly. You’ll start with only a couple of magical abilities, but as you face off against bosses, vanquishing them adds their power to your arsenal.
For instance, conjure an Ice Wall to create icy projectiles, or exploit environmental interactions like igniting dry grass with fire arrows. Mastering these elements rewards you, as foes caught in elemental traps may drop rare loot—keep that in mind as you strategize!
Back at your base, crafting becomes pivotal. Gather materials categorized as woven, tanned, or forged to forge new weapons and armor. With help from Sola, utilize resources in crafting, where top slots notably impact your creations’ attributes. Consider the material properties like weight and heat resistance, which also influence the final appearance. Crafting sometimes intersects with quest requirements, and upgrades are possible too, so be sure to visit Sevastyan. Pay attention to boss battles for unique strategies to unlock Locus Points, merging magic to absorb their strength.
Trophy hunters, rejoice! Eternal Strands comes packed with a full trophy list, including a coveted Platinum. You’ll navigate through chapters, defeat menacing bosses, craft resistant armor, maximize base upgrades, and more. The anticipation builds as you aim for the ultimate completion.
This enchanting journey sees you in the role of Brynn, with a mission to salvage what was lost to her people amidst a deadly mist. Yellow Brick Games, although freshly on the scene, draws inspiration from gaming giants, promising a rich experience akin to the adventures found in Breath of the Wild and its sequel.
As you wander through diverse landscapes, gather resources, construct items, fortify your equipment, and heighten your base capabilities. Keep your eyes peeled for crafting recipes and Codex entries to ensure you fully conquer the game. Elemental combat provides an edge—freeze adversaries or set flames aflame to wreak havoc from afar. Dive into sidequests at camp to enrich your path in the main story while assisting fellow group members.
Eternal Strands is poised for its grand release on PlayStation 5 tomorrow. Are you geared up for this magical new adventure?
Disclaimer: This Eternal Strands review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Yellow Brick Games.
