Eternal Strands: A Refreshingly Original Action-RPG Crafted from Familiar Elements

In their latest venture, Yellow Brick is experimenting with more than just a magic system. The game’s world is divided into various zones, each acting as a mini open-world environment. These areas are packed with blueprints for unlocking new equipment, feature dynamic weather, and vary based on whether it’s night or day when you enter. Each zone presents both major and minor objectives alongside hidden secrets waiting to be discovered. The design encourages exploration both outwards and upwards, echoing recent Zelda games; Bryn can scale nearly any surface, making it just as important to look up as it is to take in the landscape before you.

What truly defines each of these zones is the presence of the imposing Great Foes. From soaring drakes to colossal automatons, these bosses roam freely, representing your toughest battles. Conquering them is essential for unlocking and enhancing your spells, as each spell is linked to beating a specific Great Foe multiple times to unlock and fully upgrade it.

What sets the Great Foes apart is that they are more than just hefty health bars to whittle down; each encounter is a puzzle in itself. For instance, to defeat an automaton boss, you must scale its massive form, detach armor plates, and target specific parts of its body. Meanwhile, a drake might take flight, attacking from above, unless you can freeze its wings to bring it crashing down—at least until its next fiery barrage.

Once you overcome a Great Foe, you gain access to a codex entry that delves into its lore and hints at strategies to vanquish it without simply depleting its health. This involves uncovering methods to extract the magic that powers it, effectively granting an instant victory and adding another layer to the puzzle. Take the drake, for instance—it reveals its magic only when airborne and its horns are destroyed. However, it can easily throw you off balance in this state. Your task is to carefully aim at its horns and disable just one wing, allowing it to fly while limiting its agility, paving the way to claim your reward.