Eternal Strands: A Fresh Spin on a Classic Action-RPG

Yellow Brick is experimenting with more than just magic in its latest game. The game’s world is divided into several zones, each acting as its own mini open world. These zones offer a treasure trove of blueprints for new gear, variable weather conditions, and changes that depend on whether you venture in during day or night. Plus, each area is packed with main and side objectives, along with secrets waiting to be discovered. The zones don’t just expand horizontally, but vertically too—echoing the style of recent Zelda games. In this game, your character Bryn has the ability to scale almost any surface, making it just as important to look upwards as it is to scan the horizon.

A standout feature of each zone is the Great Foes that inhabit them. These colossal adversaries range from airborne drakes to gigantic automatons. They present the toughest combat challenges you’ll face while also unlocking and enhancing your spell abilities. Each spell is connected to a particular Great Foe, meaning you’ll need to defeat each one multiple times to fully access and improve your magical arsenal.

What makes the Great Foes truly interesting is they aren’t just massive bars of health to deplete; each encounter is a puzzle in its own right. Take one of the automaton bosses, for instance. You’ll need to clamber over its enormous frame, removing armor segments to expose weak points. Meanwhile, a drake boss might soar into the air, attacking from its airborne sanctuary—but you’ll have the chance to ice its wings, forcing it to remain grounded, at least until it breathes fire again.

Once you first conquer a Great Foe, you unlock a codex entry that not only reveals its backstory but also provides hints on how to beat it more efficiently without merely chipping away at its health. Instead, you can find methods to extract the magic powering it, essentially a one-hit defeat that adds another puzzle layer to the fight. For example, the drake only reveals its magical core when it’s flying and its horns are shattered—but in its highly mobile state, it can easily dislodge you from its back. You’ll need to break its horns and immobilize one wing—enough to let it fly but not evade your next move—to secure victory.