System: Change
Launch date: August 10, 2023
Developer: Summerfall Studios
Writer: Humble Video games
Greek mythology has been a well-liked inspiration for video video games for a while now, with each AAA sequence and indie titles putting us into the world of the pantheon of gods and their numerous conflicts, that are sometimes resolved with violence. Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical brings with it a distinct method, giving us a modern-day setting and difficult us to resolve our variations by the ability of tune. The result’s one thing that most likely received’t be profitable over the hearts and minds of these averse to breaking out into tune with the flimsiest of excuses anytime quickly, however may have anybody else singing its praises.
Stray Gods places you within the sneakers of Grace, a school drop-out in a band going nowhere who finds herself out of the blue thrust into the position of the final Muse within the Greek pantheon when the earlier one, Calliope, dies in entrance of her. The chief of the Gods, Athena, decides that Grace must die for Calliope’s homicide, except she will be able to show her innocence in time. With the stakes laid out, the participant is thrust into the middle of a homicide thriller that unravels throughout three acts by way of Telltale-style narrative selections and, naturally, musical numbers.
Whereas dialogue selections are often minor in nature and can solely change the dialogue of the scene barely, at two factors you have to to decide on between three totally different features that can open up choices to vary the end result of occasions, and may even change the lyrics and focus of songs. Some dialogue choices might be seen however locked out for those who didn’t decide the facet that they’re aligned to, which supplies a sense of weight to your selections, and likewise offers the title some replayability. All selections will result in the identical ending, however Grace’s relationship with characters could be vastly totally different relying on what you decide.
The songs are the spotlight of Stray Gods, and I discovered most of them to be catchy and interesting, with only some awkward strains that felt like they’d be pressured in reasonably than as a result of they match the tone of the tune. As you possibly can immediately affect the lyrics of every tune at a number of factors, altering their tone and final result fully, the writing right here is praiseworthy for its relative lack of those awkward moments, which frequently come throughout extra as tacky than cringeworthy. That is precisely what you’ll count on from a stage play that doesn’t take itself too significantly more often than not which, regardless of the severity of its central battle, Stray Gods doesn’t.
To help its soundtrack Stray Gods is backed by a number of the business’s most recognizable voice expertise, together with Laura Bailey as Grace and Troy Baker as Apollo. Should you acknowledge the voices behind the characters then that is icing on the cake, because it’s fairly one thing to listen to them in solos and duets, displaying a facet of their vocal expertise that isn’t displayed in lots of (if any) different roles that they’ve taken on previously. Every member of the Greek pantheon is a recent modern-day tackle the mythological determine on which they’re primarily based, and whereas they lack the depth you may count on from a character-driven story, have sufficient attraction that investing time in them by dialogue feels rewarding. And, in fact, you possibly can romance nearly all the pantheon for those who make the precise (or unsuitable, for those who’re not eager on sure characters) selections.
Stray Gods additionally has a novel visible presentation, with an nearly cel-shaded comedian ebook fashion with static character fashions and backgrounds. Regardless of the shortage of animation that is fairly putting and colours are particularly vibrant on the Change OLED specifically. Nevertheless, I skilled some cases of visible blur and noticeable slowdown at a number of factors, which is each shocking and disappointing contemplating the standard of the remainder of the product, and the way little there is happening visually at occasions when in comparison with different titles on the Change which might maintain a constant body fee. Patches could tackle this in future, however this can be one thing price protecting in thoughts you probably have different choices.
The Verdict
Though its quick runtime implies that it usually lacks the narrative depth of its friends, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a delight from its opening act to its finale, making up for what it lacks in substance with an abundance of fashion. Should you’re not a fan of musicals then this most likely received’t be one thing that adjustments your thoughts, however for those who’re not averse to characters spontaneously bursting out into tune on the slightest excuse then it is a distinctive and entertaining expertise effectively price choosing up.