Embarking on another new and fresh and captivating journey with all the great games coming out this year, I delved into “Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical,” a creation by newly formed developers, Summerfall Studios, hailing from the heart of Melbourne, Australia. This initial foray into the gaming realm introduces a harmonious blend of storytelling and interactive gameplay, all under the watchful eye of the Greek pantheon. In this intriguing choose-your-own-adventure style tale, I took on the persona of Grace, voiced by the very well-known in the games industry and talented actress, Laura Bailey. Grace, once a university dropout, becomes entangled in the accusation of slaying the final muse. Her task: to exonerate herself before a divine assembly comprising Athena, Apollo, Persephone, and Aphrodite, all within a fleeting seven-day span. Armed with her freshly honed musical abilities, Grace endeavors to unravel the enigma encircling Calliope’s demise.
Visually, “Stray Gods” is an exquisite work of 2D hand-illustrated artistry. It seamlessly melds comic book aesthetics with intricately stylized character designs, and did a fabulous job of transporting me into the story, unlike most visual novel type games where the camera is always stagnant and characters are looking directly at you all the time, here you feel like you’re in the pages of a comic book with the camera constantly doing creative techniques to keep the player invested. I’ve heard the argument of this game being more of an interactive film rather than an actual video game, and while that can be a valid argument, I’m still here reviewing it, so there’s that. Just keep in mind if you play games only for the gameplay, there isn’t all that much here to work with.
“Stray Gods” sits comfortably in the realm of choose-your-own-adventure games. Eschewing the concept of death or failure, the game revolves around the continuous weaving of choices, allowing room for adjustments and refinements. What struck me as particularly fascinating was the manner in which pivotal decisions were made through song. As I navigated the game’s landscape, interacting with characters and exploring locales on a map, I’d inevitably find myself serenading my intentions and choices. These melodies influenced the trajectory of the story, weaving a web of consequences in the lyric that resonated with every harmony. A remarkable highlight of the experience lies in the virtuoso voice cast, which includes esteemed luminaries from the gaming world. Hearing these revered actors’ step beyond conventional dialogue to indulge their vocal prowess in song was a treat, many of them being already musicians, I’m sure Troy Baker jumps at the chance to sing in a video game any chance he gets. The roster really brims with A-list talent, outside the ones I already named, these are talents I’m sure you’ve heard of in many other video games prior.
Upon doing my research for this game, I found it really interesting that the inspiration was drawn primarily from the iconic musical episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was an iconic moment in TV history, because that’s what sparked many long running television shows since then to have their own musical episodes at some point. Just thought that was cool enough to be worth sharing. Anyways, at the heart of “Stray Gods” lies a tapestry of poignant writing that taps into a spectrum of emotions, dealing with some really resonating themes and topics. This emotive essence doesn’t merely reside within ordinary exchanges, but flourishes within the musical interludes. The developers really succeeded in crafting an experience that fuses the essence of musical theater with the interactive nature of storytelling. Their efforts bear fruit in the form of a narrative that branches according to player choices, determining not only dialogue and story progression, but also the cadence, lyrics, and musical genre of Grace’s vocal renditions.
As the tale concluded, I acknowledged that not all choices bore the weight I anticipated, yet the overarching narrative carried me through a journey infused with emotion and inhabited by impeccably crafted characters. Admittedly, should the musical numbers fail to resonate with the player, the connection to the narrative and its characters may be tenuous. For me, they really clicked, the songs never lasted too long, and they’re certainly good enough to listen to more than once. With this being a very choice heavy game, it almost demands multiple playthroughs to get the most out of it. While the debate regarding whether it truly constitutes a traditional game persists, the experience remains an exquisite adventure well worth embarking upon.
8/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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