Review of 'Eternal Strands' for PlayStation 5

Eternal Strands, a fresh magical action-adventure from Yellow Brick Games, has arrived on PlayStation 5. In this captivating title, you’ll step into the shoes of Brynn, a young Weaver on a quest to reclaim what her people have lost. Your journey will lead you to the remnants of the Enclave while you navigate the dangers of an ominous mist that threatens to consume everything. While Yellow Brick Games might be a new studio, its director, Mike Laidlaw, brings experience from Bioware’s Dragon Age series, and other team members come from Ubisoft. The game draws its inspiration from iconic titles like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom.

As the cinematic cutscene concludes, and after a chat with Oria, your adventure begins. Equipped with an earpiece during your missions, you’ll receive guidance from Oria via the Scry table. This tool, crucially, can magically pull you back to safety if danger escalates beyond control.

Eternal Strands offers three difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, and Hard. In Easy mode, Brynn enjoys increased health, and her Vitality Tonics are replenished upon rescue. Normal mode presents a balanced challenge, ideal for most players. However, if you’re brave enough for the Hard setting, be prepared—Brynn’s health decreases, and Vitality Tonics heal less. That’s where skill truly counts!

You’ll maneuver Brynn using the left analog stick and look around with the right stick. Sprint with a click of the left stick, jumping with X, and dodging with Circle. Interact using Triangle and unleash basic attacks with Square. Holding it down triggers a charged attack, and you can block with R1. Time your block perfectly to parry by pressing R1 just as an attack hits. When you acquire your bow, draw it with R1, shooting by releasing. Enjoy a swift kick while aiming by tapping Square. Lock onto targets with a click of the right stick and heal with D-Pad down. Be keen on your stamina, as sprinting, attacking, and climbing drain it. A quick press on the D-Pad up summons a guide wisp.

Prepare your magical strand with L2 and weave it using R2. The Weaver’s Grasp lets you grab and launch objects marked with a purple glow. Switch magical strands using L1 to access the Magic Wheel and adapt to different scenarios. Initially, only two magical abilities are available, but as you conquer bosses, more become accessible.

For instance, Ice Wall turns air moisture into ice missiles, while fire and ice spells interact with their environment in compelling ways. Ignite dry grass with a fire arrow, and it spreads rapidly, warming the vicinity—affecting foes and Brynn alike. Enemies under elemental effects can drop rarer loot, so use these to your advantage.

Gather resources during your journey to use in crafting back at base. Materials are categorized—woven, tanned, forged—and with Sola’s guidance, you craft arms and armor. The top crafting slots impact the stats most, with material properties influencing weight and resistance and even item color. Sometimes, crafting is essential to complete quests. Upgrades are also an option—visit Sevastyan to enhance your gear. Watch bosses closely for unique strategies to reveal their Locus Points, merging their magic with yours for enhanced powers.

And for those trophy enthusiasts, the game comes packed with achievements, including a coveted Platinum trophy. With 28 Bronze, 12 Silver, and 3 Gold trophies, your collection will grow as you progress through the storyline, conquer formidable bosses, and complete challenges such as crafting special armor or defeating powerful creatures unarmed.

As you explore, always be on the lookout for resources from various sources. These can be instrumental in crafting, upgrading your arsenal, and enhancing your base. Diverse crafting recipes and Codex entries await those eager to 100% the game. Abilities, like freezing adversaries or setting traps, grant creative tactical opportunities. Sidequests at the camp yield additional rewards, complementing your main missions and gathering necessary items for your companions. Ready to dive in? Eternal Strands launches tomorrow on PlayStation 5.