Eternal Strands: Redefining the Action-RPG with Magic, Puzzles, and Boundless Creativity

EEternal Strands — launching on Game Pass tomorrow, January 28 — doesn’t simply take inspiration from its predecessors but treats them like imaginative thought experiments. What if, in a Monster Hunter game, every piece of armor could be crafted from any material, with each choice subtly affecting its stats? What if boss monsters featured miniature puzzles as part of their design? Or what if the colossal titans of Shadow of the Colossus could appear in any environment, introducing unique challenges based on terrain and weather? How about a BioWare RPG where the spell wheel isn’t just for combat but for reshaping the world around you?

These comparisons are undoubtedly ambitious. But despite being the debut project of a small studio, Eternal Strands radiates creativity, innovation, and a desire for player experimentation.

You play as Brynn, a seasoned warrior wielding elemental magic — a “spellsword” who joins a group of explorers, enchanters, smiths, and researchers. Their goal? To enter the long-abandoned Enclave, once a hub of magical innovation but now left in ruins after a mysterious catastrophe. The game presents classic RPG elements — magic, monsters, and mysteries — while quickly introducing fresh ideas that set it apart.

Magic takes center stage, serving not just as a combat tool but a deeply simulated system with environmental consequences. Fire spells ignite vegetation and superheat stone pathways, ice freezes enemies or cools flaming areas, and telekinesis allows you to manipulate almost any object. These mechanics interweave in inventive ways — for instance, creating a gravity well, filling it with fire, and detonating it for explosive results.

The magic system encourages constant experimentation. I discovered five hours in that heating ore-laden rocks with fire before smashing them yielded more valuable materials — a clever detail that turns seemingly mundane elements into dynamic gameplay features.

Beyond magic, the game offers interconnected zones, each an open-world playground filled with blueprints, dynamic weather, shifting day-night cycles, and hidden secrets. Brynn’s climbing ability — reminiscent of Zelda — encourages exploration both horizontally and vertically.

The highlight of these zones is the “Great Foes” — towering bosses like flying drakes and colossal automata. These encounters are puzzles as much as battles, requiring players to find creative solutions beyond simply whittling down health bars. For example, a drake may require you to ice its wings to force it to the ground, while another foe involves scaling its body to unhinge armor plates before targeting weak points.

Victory over Great Foes unlocks spell upgrades and a codex revealing strategic clues for defeating them more efficiently. One drake, for instance, offers up its magical core only when airborne and dehorned, requiring careful planning and execution.

Adding complexity, these bosses can appear in any area, reacting differently to weather and terrain, making repeat encounters rewarding. Their rare loot further incentivizes multiple fights.

Progression mirrors Monster Hunter by focusing on gear rather than experience points. You can craft armor and weapons using any material, each altering stats and appearance. This customization turns crafting into a strategic decision — and the varied aesthetics of materials add a visual layer of reward.

Amid all its innovation, Eternal Strands manages to be surprisingly relaxing. Side tasks allow players to deepen relationships with their party members, and there’s no pressure to rush the main story. I spent hours gathering materials simply to craft a metallic red suit of armor, finding joy in the process rather than frustration.

By blending familiar elements with bold new ideas, Eternal Strands delivers a fresh take on the action-RPG genre. Far from a mere experiment, it’s a glimpse into what the future of the genre could be.