Robin Bhuyan
Eternal Strands Review: Eternal Strands, developed by Yellow Brick Games, released on January 28, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is an intriguing fantasy action-adventure game. With a mix of sword combat, elemental magic, environmental interactions, and epic monster battles, the game attempts to offer unique gameplay. If you are wondering whether you should play the game or not, go through our review of Eternal Strands to decide if you should buy or not buy!
Graphics and visuals
Don’t let the game’s visuals fool you, by looking at just the game’s promotional or gameplay videos, because when you actually play the game, it may feel quite terrible. We don’t always want realistic visuals, and we do appreciate cartoonish art style, but unfortunately in the game, the graphics appear bland and outdated, and it may feel like you are playing a 2006 game. The cartoon cutscenes that appear occasionally might be charming, but the visuals during the gameplay can feel quite dull.
Dull Story and Poor Character Development
The game centers on Brynn, a young Weaver determined to regain her people’s ancestral home. Although the idea sounds cool, the delivery missed the mark. It’s hard to connect with Brynn or care about her adventure. The start feels like the developers rushed to cram everything in. You don’t even feel anything for the main character, their journey or the main story. The introduction feels rushed, as if the developers have just thrown everything to your face!
Combat and Gameplay Mechanics
Eternal Strands introduces a magic system, allowing players to harness elemental powers like fire, ice, and telekinesis. For instance, players can freeze water to create bridges or set the environment ablaze to damage enemies. However, this might seem interesting on paper, but many players have found the combat mechanics chaotic and the controls clunky, especially during intense battles.
Boss Battles and Exploration
One of the game’s standout features is its epic boss battles against towering creatures. These encounters require players to climb and strategically dismantle these giants, which can remind us of games like Shadow of the Colossus. These battles are often the highlight of the gameplay experience, offering a sense of scale and challenge. This might be the only positive aspect of the game. The game’s maps are however terribly small and uninteresting… the world feels totally empty. And how can you connect with the story when there are no friendly or neutral NPCs- just enemies and bosses?
Unlike many fantasy games where NPCs provide information, side quests, or unique dialogues that enrich the experience, Eternal Strands offers very little in this regard. This lack of world-building can make the game feel repetitive over time, as players are primarily moving from one battle to the next without deeper any emotional connection.
Conclusion of our Eternal Strands Review: Is it worth playing?
Eternal Strands aspires to deliver a unique action-adventure experience by combining various aspects from various action adventure and RPG games. However, it falls short in areas such as graphics, storytelling, and character development. It might be enjoyable for new gamers, but experienced or professional gamers will not find any enjoyment. So, unless you are new to fantasy action-adventure games, the answer is no. If you are hoping for an experience similar to Elden Ring or Witcher 3, get ready to be disappointed!
Yes, the premise had potential, but poor execution across visuals, story, and gameplay mechanics makes it a weak entry in the genre. The clunky combat, empty world, and lack of character depth can be frustrating. Even the elemental magic in the game, which should’ve been a standout feature, seems poorly implemented. Unless you feel that the interesting boss battles are worth it, then feel free to go for the game. And we highly doubt this game would be a success- especially when they released it just 2 days ahead of the long-awaited PC version of Marvel’s Spiderman 2!
