Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 174 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 80 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 81 | 875 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 69 | 52 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 88% | 81 | 779 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 27, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 779 total reviews in window · weighted 235.7 up / 33.5 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (116)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Eternal Strands is a standout action-adventure that offers a refreshing take on exploration, combat, and storytelling. It’s a game that rewards creativity and patience, allowing players to tailor their experience to their preferences. While it’s not without its flaws, the game’s strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. For those who love immersive worlds, dynamic combat, and the freedom to play at their own pace, Eternal Strands is well worth the journey. Whether you’re climbing towering giants or unraveling the secrets of the Enclave, this game promises an adventure you won’t soon forget.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Eternal Strands could have been one of the biggest surprises of the year if the gameplay had been more polished and had a bigger budget. In terms of story and characters, this is a great title that is overshadowed in places by an underdeveloped combat system, grindy elements or some ill-conceived systems. If you are a gamer who plays mainly for the story then it's definitely worth trudging through this game, but if gameplay comes first for you then you can definitely wait for a sale.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 73
“The team at Yellow Brick covered a lot of ground in this first game, both in scope and physically in game with the number of areas available to explore. They did a lot of good things within their budget but I would love for them to scale back, hone the rougher edges, and focus on making them great. If you’re a fan of experimenting in combat with a charming cast, I recommend Eternal Strands for you. The story won’t move you, and the combat, while at times challenging, isn’t anything new. But if you’re curious, you’ll find the magic that keeps you coming back.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Eternal Strands has a few nice ideas and tons of potential with its robust magic system. The giant boss fights are a definite stand-out but all of this is hampered time and again by basic gameplay design that usurps the fun. In an effort to try and add in this magical physics system, the trade-off is very limited stamina, big magic cooldowns and an inability to level up base stats. That’s before mentioning some of the performance issues and pretty mindless side quests to pad the run-time. There are elements here that make Eternal Strands a super fun game, but after completing everything this one has to offer across its 25 hour run-time, it’s a disappointingly mixed experience overall, which is a real shame.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Eternal Strands is a pretty and yet a very shallow game, that is better be left ignored, unless you absolutely don't have anything else to play.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Eternal Strands is a nice mix of Shadow of the Colossus and The Legend of Zelda. It doesn't present a huge challenge, but it does reward attentive and creative players. The most appreciated features are the ability to combine spells and the item crafting system.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Eternal Strands does its best to make each of your return trips through its seven main maps as interesting as possible, slowly throwing in stronger enemies, changing up the epic monster encounters, and varying the extreme weather and time of day.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Eternal Strands is a game that sins by excess. Although it presents an interesting and majestic world, it soon loses its color when we realize that the game is more interested in wasting your time than entertaining you, with long and expository dialogues, bloated missions with complex objectives and, to top it all off, poorly polished gameplay with countless bugs. Eternal Strands still has its positive points in the midst of all this, but at the same time it is full of issues that need to be improved.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Eternal Strands is a fantastic action roguelite with a unique weather system, a deep story, and a challenging combat system. The game’s ambitious and unique combination of mechanics offers a completely new gaming and combat experience. That said, some aspects still need fine-tuning, such as performance optimization and difficulty balancing. If the developers can realize the game’s great potential, Eternal Strands could become one of the best games in its genre. It’s definitely a game worth giving a chance.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While I feel the game’s story could have been stronger and the main melee combat could have been less clunky, when Eternal Strands' magic starts flying around and its gameplay inspirations coalesce, I see an absolutely solid foundation to keep building upon.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Eternal Strands stands out in the action-adventure genre thanks to its original take on magic and innovative use of Weaving. While the game does have some minor technical imperfections, such as a camera system that could benefit from further refinement and a slow-paced start, these flaws are easily overshadowed by the game’s strengths. The gameplay is engaging and strategically demanding, offering players a rewarding challenge. The world is captivating and immersive, brimming with mystery and wonder, inviting exploration at every turn. Additionally, the combat system encourages and rewards creativity, allowing for varied and dynamic encounters. For those who cherish adventures rich in exploration and magic, Eternal Strands is a title that should not be overlooked. Engaging and strategic gameplay A fascinating and immersive world A combat system that rewards creativity If you love adventures full of exploration and magic, Eternal Strands is a title you won’t want to miss”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
ZdobywcyGier.eu
Stryftek
The Punished Backlog
TheReviewGeek
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
Slant Magazine
GameFM
Gaming Professors
Seasoned Gaming
Indie Games Devel…and 104 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Eternal Strands: ‘PARASITE COSMETICS’ Update 🦗Jun 27, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- [PATCH NOTES] Version 1.0.13.9394May 22, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Eternal Strands Spring Update: Stargazer ✨🪽Apr 15, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- [PATCH NOTES] Version 1.0.13.5634Apr 8, 2025
- UPDATE 1.0.13.1426Mar 4, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- [PATCH NOTES] Version 1.0.12.9818Feb 18, 2025
- Eternal Strands update to version 1.0.12.9210Feb 11, 2025
- [PATCH NOTES] Version 1.0.12.9210Feb 11, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Developer Update #4 🧵🪡Jan 13, 2025
- Dev Update #3Sep 27, 2024
- Developer Update #2Aug 14, 2024
- Developer Update #2Aug 14, 2024
- Developer Update #1May 16, 2024