Wayward Strand Reviews
Wayward Strand provides a poignant reminder that life is fragile, but within its delicate boundaries, we have a gift unlike anything else. The residents are all interesting thanks to great writing and a solid cast, and when you're done, you'll be left feeling a deep sense of respect for the elderly.
A heartfelt story about growing up and getting old with an interesting time mechanic set inside an airborne hospital.
Wayward Stand tells an intimate story that you discover at your own pace. The non-linear design gives you the freedom to personalize your journey through a long weekend at work with your mother. The in-game clock makes the world feel alive and pushes you to follow story arcs rather than meander. While the conclusion is a little lacklustre and there is an absence of gameplay, this is a wonderful passage through a moment in time.
With a lovely cast and setting, Wayward Strand is sure to land into your heart even if it does lack gameplay essentials such as more frequent save points or, at the very least, a skip button.
Wayward Strand all in all is a unique enough game that showcases interesting game elements and story with interesting characters and different backgrounds of characters that think, talk, and feel all uniquely different. But with different narrative outcomes and endings it does not feel entirely rewarding to play the game more and more to get those unique differences or moments.
When all is said and done, Wayward Strand is a great narrative experience but not a game for everybody. The lack of clear direction and rewards can make its simple gameplay loop feel overwhelming, and the grounded themes it tackles aren’t always easy to get through. For those willing to give it a look, though, it’s a game that offers characters who players won’t be able to keep from falling in love with, and the experience it offers will stick with whoever plays it long after the credits roll.
Overall, Wayward Strand is an interesting game that explores humanity in a way that few games have, while its time limit to each day means choosing who to spend time with has an added importance. Technical issues hold the game back, alongside a lack of dialogue depth as the weekend rolls on. However, overall this is still an engaging game for players who want a more cerebral title.
Wayward Strand offers up a uniquely Australian take on the narrative adventure game with a gorgeous art direction and moving portrayal of hard-working people in a harsh system. Despite a couple of pacing issues and an unforgiven save system, Wayward Strand is an approachable and hugely enjoyable little world to explore and find some catharsis in.
If you are vehemently opposed to narrative experiences with very light gameplay elements, Wayward Strand may not be something you will gravitate towards. For fans of the genre, it would be hard not to recommend. I – who usually prefer the third-person, open world flavours of the month – found myself thoroughly entertained by its charming cast of characters and its uniquely compelling storytelling style.
Wayward Strand is a thoughtful and compelling game with a unique setting.
Wayward Strand revels in its ability to funnel players' curiosity down multiple avenues of branching intrigue. Though light on actual "game" there is little excuse not to become easily transfixed by its whimsical, touching nature.
An experience that touches the soul and the heart, about the most precious present we can make to other people: our time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With its eccentric elderly cast, intricate themes, unique agency mechanics and narrative structure, Wayward Strand is a compelling experience that reels you in and leaves you wanting to call your grandma.
Wayward Strand is a delicate piece of work, as its title might imply. Despite the flight of fancy proposed by the very idea of an airship hospital, it's a remarkably unassuming game–not literally down-to-earth, but certainly grounded in its portrayal of lives nearing their end and one just beginning, and the common hopes, dreams and fears that connect all those lives together.
Wayward Strand is a beautifully crafted, cosy game with a singular real-time, simultaneous narrative structure that compels multiple, unique playthroughs.
The game is fully voice acted, adding quite a bit of personality to the cast. If you enjoy a laid back experience that just has you talking to people, Wayward Strand is worth a look. Old people have some pretty neat stories, and the ones on this airship are no exception.
Wayward Strand is one of the most sophisticated narrative-focused games of recent times and, in its simplicity, manages to be captivating and sensitive without appealing to any cheap sentimentality. It should not appeal to every type of player, but fans of the genre will find here an authentic experience, striking characters, and really meaningful choices.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Wayward Strand in many aspects is just like an elderly who takes their times and cannot be rushed. The dialogues cannot be skipped, the characters cannot be hurried and every event unfolds following its own pace. Some stories are almost boring, while others carry a heavy emotional load.
Wayward Strand is a great narrative adventure game but its experimental nature won’t be for everyone. The gameplay is rather basic, topics may be uncomfortable for some to listen to, and the lack of clear direction won’t gel with everyone. I didn’t mind these things as the characters and stories they had to share were enough to draw me in and keep me interested until the end. Even now, I’m still thinking about certain moments from it and I want to go back to play more to see what information I missed the first time.
Australia has a long history and heritage in video games, but very rarely do I see Australian game developers aim to contribute to our national body of narrative work like Wayward Strand does, and I cannot express in words just how admirable I find this effort to be.