Stray Blade
Release Date: April 20, 2023
RPG, TPP, fantasy, indie games, action RPG, PS Plus Premium, PS Plus Extra, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A TPP Action RPG, in which we play as an adventurer traversing the Lost Valley of Acrea. Stray Blade features colorful locations and dangerous opponents faced in dynamic, flashy combat.
Stray Blade is an action RPG set in a colorful land full of secrets and dangers. It was developed by an independent German studio Point Blank Games and published by 505 Games.
Plot
Stray Blade is set in the Lost Valley of Acrea, a legendary place which fell from grace, its power built up by the God-Kings gone due to devastating wars. The main protagonist manages to find the valley, but pays for it with his life. Soon, however, he returns to the living, bound to this land forever. To regain freedom he must destroy relics of the past and restore balance in the valley. During his quest he's accompanied by his faithful companion Boji.
Mechanics
Stray Blade makes use of the third-person perspective (TPP). The player discovers the secrets of the valley, traversing dense forests, monumental ruins, gloomy caves and massive canyons. On our quest we'll also face many enemies in dynamic battles. Combat emphasizes speed and dexterity, requiring near-instant blocking, dodging and countering enemy attacks. Aside from regular opponents we'll also face the God-Kings themselves. Though mighty, they're not invincible, each victory rewarding us with the King's power.
As we progress through the game, we develop our adventurer and his companion. Curiously, they gain experience in different ways. While the playable character grows stronger by defeating enemies, Boji does by learning ancient knowledge. Over time, both characters acquire new abilities. Throughout the game we also gain resources, which we can use to craft better equipment.
We must also remember the valley is constantly changing due to our actions. Additionally, acquired skills and equipment unlock access to previously inaccessible areas. For this reason it's worth it to revisit locations, finding new secrets and challenges.
Technical aspects
The visuals of Stray Blade make use of a colorful, cartoonish artstyle somewhat reminiscent of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
Videos and Screens
[1:09] Stray Blade Valley of Strays DLC trailer
[2:42] Stray Blade launch trailer
Softpedia: 7 / 10 by Cosmin Vasile
Although my journey throughout the world of Acrea has been enjoyable, I think that some of the design choices drag the gameplay experience down rather than enriching it. The basic crafting system feels like it’s been added to gate the loot (armors and weapons), while the character progression for both protagonists is quite linear and uninteresting.
Push Square: 7 / 10 by Simon Fitzgerald
Stray Blade is an enjoyable entry-level Souls-like RPG with a beautifully built world to explore. Its intriguing narrative and comical companion, Boji, will keep you entertained for its full 20-plus hour duration. Although bugs and frame rate issues are present, we would recommend Stray Blade to those looking to get a foot in the door of the Souls-like genre.
COGconnected: 68 / 100 by Mark Steighner
It’s a shame when a game is built around a mechanic, only to have that element not live up to its potential. Stray Blade is all about dodges, parries and rolls, but they’re sluggish and imprecise and just don’t work very well. Aside from that frustration, Stray Blade has attractive art and level design, familiar action RPG mechanics, and maybe even some potential, if the combat can be patched into better shape.
Stray Blade Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Developer: Point Blank Games
Publisher: 505 Games
Age restrictions: 16+
Stray Blade System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz / AMD FX-9590 4.7 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / 8 GB Radeon RX 480 or better, 30 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz, 12 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 2070 / 16 GB Radeon RX 6800 XT or better, 30 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
DLCs for Stray Blade
Valley of Strays
DLC
November 15, 2023