Eternal Strands, the much-anticipated debut title from Yellow Brick Games, is shaping up to be one of the games that surprised us with its unique approach to gameplay. With a focus on reactive physics, magic, and exploration, this third-person fantasy adventure is gearing up for its official release date on January 28, 2025. Here’s everything you need to know, from its innovative systems to its sprawling narrative set in the Enclave.
At its core, Eternal Strands is an action-adventure game where you play as Brynn, a young but fearless Weaver who seeks to unravel the secrets of the Enclave. The Enclave, once a centre of magical development, was sealed away behind a magical wall known as the Veil. Now, Brynn embarks on a quest to uncover the mysteries of this lost civilisation while battling colossal enemies and exploring a richly interactive world.
The game draws inspiration from titles like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon Age, and The Legend of Zelda, blending elements of high adventure with a vibrant art style. As game director Frederic St-Laurent puts it in a Gamescom 2024 interview: “It’s a game of exploration, progression, and creativity.”
No, Eternal Strands is a single-player game designed to immerse players in its narrative and gameplay systems. While you won’t be able to team up with others, Brynn’s companions at the basecamp provide plenty of interaction, dialogue choices, and character development.
Not quite. Eternal Strands features “open zone” exploration, allowing you to navigate large, interconnected biomes with progression tied to the story. This structure ensures a balance between player freedom and focused objectives.
The gameplay in Eternal Strands revolves around blending elemental magic, weapons, and the environment to defeat enemies and solve puzzles. The Mantle, Brynn’s magical cloak, allows her to wield flame, frost, and telekinetic force, which can be combined in innovative ways.
Environmental Manipulation: Ignite forests to block paths, freeze water to create bridges, or use telekinesis to fling boulders at enemies.
Combat Variety: The game encourages players to experiment. For instance, you can pin a dragon’s wing with ice and then use fire to expose its weak points.
Physics-Driven Exploration: Climb every surface, whether it’s a cliff or a towering Epic, and use your abilities to unlock new areas.
As of now, Eternal Strands is confirmed for digital launch only on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Epic Games Store. While a physical release hasn’t been announced, players can look forward to a public demo on January 21, 2025, just a week before launch.
The game’s reactive physics system and emphasis on creativity set it apart. As Mike Laidlaw, the developer and former Dragon Age director, explains, the goal is to say “yes” to player creativity. For example, combining a spell with environmental elements like ice and fire allows for unique solutions during combat and exploration.
Additionally, Eternal Strands prioritises systemic crafting and loot. Each material you gather directly influences your gear’s stats and appearance, providing endless opportunities for customisation.
According to a Wccftech Q&A with game director Frederic St-Laurent, the game length is confirmed between 25 and 35 hours for the main story, with side quests extending gameplay to around 40 hours. “We designed it to offer something for both speedrunners and lore lovers,” St-Laurent noted.
The story is enriched by a cast of characters who reside at Brynn’s base camp. These companions play a significant role in the narrative, offering quests, crafting assistance, and lore insights. Dialogue choices influence relationships, giving players a sense of agency.
Through the Codex system, players can gather lore fragments to piece together the history of the Enclave. This system rewards exploration and deepens the connection to the world’s mysteries.
Battling towering Epics is one of the game’s core features. These enemies demand creative strategies, whether by scaling their massive forms or using elemental magic to exploit their vulnerabilities. The loot dropped by these foes can be influenced by how you defeat them—for example, freezing an enemy might yield different resources than burning it.
Fans of Final Fantasy XIV Online will be thrilled to know that Square Enix’s Creative Studio III is collaborating on post-launch content for the game. The first update will introduce a new Epic creature, an armor set, and weapons designed by lead artist Yusuke Mogi.
Minimum Requirements:
Performance: 60 FPS @ 1080p
Graphic Settings: Low
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super [6GB] / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT [6GB] / Intel Arc A580
CPU: Intel Core i5-9400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3350G
RAM: 8GB
OS: Windows 10 / 11
Additional Notes: SSD required.
Recommended Requirements:
Performance: 60 FPS @ 1440p
Graphic Settings: High
GPU: GeForce RTX 3070 [8GB] / Radeon RX 6800 [16GB] / Intel Arc A770
CPU: Intel Core i5-11600 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
RAM: 16GB
OS: Windows 10 / 11
Additional Notes: SSD required.
The game also aims to be Steam Deck Verified shortly after its January 28, 2025 release. For ease of play, the game will support custom key bindings and accessibility options in the controls menu.
With its innovative mechanics, sprawling lore, and vibrant world, Eternal Strands is a testament to the passion of Yellow Brick Games. Whether you’re scaling an Epic, crafting gear, or exploring the secrets of the Enclave, this debut title promises to deliver an unforgettable adventure.
Be sure to try the demo, add the game to your wishlist, and join the adventure on January 28, 2025!
