Yahtzee reviews Eternal Strands, a debut game from a new studio. Explore its gear-grinding, extraction, and giant monster combat mechanics, comparing it to Monster Hunter.
Walkthrough
- 1The game features a gear-grinding and extraction loop where players mount expeditions from a base camp to open-ended areas.
- 2Players fight monsters, collect crafting materials, and pursue story objectives.
- 3Combat is described as spongy against regular enemies, with an elemental system that can trivialize encounters.
- 4Crafting recipes are unspecific, allowing for material substitution and reducing the need for obsessive grinding.
- 5Giant monster fights are a highlight, compared to Shadow of the Colossus but more accessible, serving as a reward and a way to learn/upgrade spells.
- 6The game is likened to a Fisher-Price or theme park version of Monster Hunter.
- 7The first half offers exploration and discovery, while the second half relies on repetitive quest objectives in previously visited areas.
Tips
- Focus on exploring the environment and collecting materials without excessive worry about specific item drops due to the flexible crafting system.
- Engage with the giant monster fights as a rewarding activity, similar to a treat after completing other tasks.
- Appreciate the game as a demonstration of the developers' understanding of game design principles, anticipating future, more original works.
The primary reward is learning new spells from giant monsters and upgrading them through repeated encounters. The game also offers a sense of accomplishment from its well-executed core mechanics, despite its derivative nature.
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