Review of Eternal Strands for PlayStation 5

Let’s dive into the enchanting world of Eternal Strands, the latest release from Yellow Brick Games, available on the PlayStation 5. This magical action-adventure game takes you on a captivating journey to restore what has been lost to Brynn’s people. As a young Weaver, Brynn faces the challenge of recovering remnants of the Enclave while dodging a relentless, destructive mist. Although Yellow Brick Games is a new player in the industry, it’s led by experienced hands; Director Mike Laidlaw of Bioware, famous for Dragon Age, and team members from Ubisoft, draw inspiration from classics like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

As the story begins, an engaging animated and voice-acted cutscene sets the stage, followed by a quick chat with Oria. You’re soon geared up for your mission. Equipped with an earpiece, you stay connected with Oria who guides you via the Scry table. The Scry’s critical function is to magically whisk you away from perilous situations if needed.

Eternal Strands offers three difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, and Hard. On Easy, Brynn benefits from extra health and automatic refills on her Vitality Tonics when rescued after defeat. Normal provides a balanced challenge, whereas Hard cuts down Brynn’s health and reduces the effectiveness of her tonics, posing a tougher test for players craving difficulty.

The game’s controls are intuitive. Move Brynn with the left analog stick and survey your surroundings using the right stick. Need to make a quick escape? Press in on the left stick to sprint. Jump with the X button, dodge with Circle, and interact using Triangle. Your basic attack involves the Square button, and holding it down unleashes a charged strike. To block, press R1—and if you’re skillful, time it right to parry enemy blows. Using a bow involves drawing with R1 and releasing it to shoot; you can even kick with the Square button while aiming. Lock onto foes by pressing the right stick, and if you’re hurt, press down on the D-Pad to heal.

Prepare your strands with L2, weave them, and cast with R2. This mechanic lets you cast Weaver’s Grasp to grab and hurl objects marked by a purple glow. Your magic arsenal expands as you defeat bosses, unlocking abilities like Ice Wall, which freeze the air into ice blocks—perfect for launching at enemies. Beware! Fire arrows ignite dry grass, spreading flames that can harm both enemies and Brynn.

Back at your base, gather resources split into categories such as woven or forged, and put them towards crafting new gear in the smithy. With Sola’s help, assign resources to maximize the attributes of your creations, which affect everything from weight to heat resistance. Don’t forget to upgrade with Sevastyan and harvest bosses’ Locus Points to enhance your powers with a strand of their magic.

For trophy hunters, Eternal Strands offers a full list, including a coveted Platinum trophy. Accumulate 28 Bronze, 12 Silver, and 3 Gold trophies through story progression, epic boss fights, crafting unique gear, upgrading to the max, and even defeating mighty foes unarmed.

As you explore, scavenging for resources is crucial. Collect items to craft weapons, armor, or update your base. Found a new recipe or Codex entry? You’re one step closer to 100% completion. Use elemental magic wisely; freezing or burning foes improves loot quality, and side quests are essential for gathering materials and maximizing your journey. Ready to embark on this epic quest? Eternal Strands launches tomorrow on PlayStation 5.

Disclaimer: This Eternal Strands review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Yellow Brick Games.