Strayed Lights Reviews
Strayed Lights is a decent game with some good ideas but can't use them to their full potential. The gameplay and enemy design will become repetitive after a while, but the narrative design of it is bold and something we don't see often. Strayed Lights isn't the best indie game of this year but it is worth a play if you are looking for something new.
Action game fans will be left bored by the combat, but kids who are getting used to 3D action games will find Strayed Lights worth a play. The emotive ambiance and the low-stakes gameplay make the experience intriguing for younger gamers who would normally be confused by exposition or extended scenes of dialogue or text. The disappointingly short playtime is a bummer, but that means it will hold the attention of kids.
Your view of Strayed Lights is going to depend on what kind of player you are. If you love playing defensively, then you'll like what's on offer, as it mostly works with a few hiccups. If you're more of an attacker, then the slower-paced fights and lack of minion variety doesn't make for an appealing adventure. The game is short enough that it doesn't drag on for too long, making it worth experiencing for those who are intrigued.
Strayed Lights offers up some solid combat encounters, a beautiful world, and an excellent score that makes it worth playing even if some other parts like the story and exploration aren’t as great. The game is very cinematic and nailing the parrying against basic enemies and bosses is satisfying. If you’re OK with getting through it in just a few hours then I’d give this one a solid recommendation.
Strayed Lights is fun for what it is and a beauty to look at. However, hiding in the shadows are issues that left me wanting.
Strayed Lights is a simple game that had one novel idea and the will to turn it into a sensorial experience. Despite the fact that the combat feels like it’s been inspired by From Software’s games, Strayed Lights lack that challenge of a soulslike title.
With Strayed Lights, the developers of Embers make their debut on the video game scene with a production full of personality and interesting ideas. Inspired art direction and intriguing gameplay constitute obvious points of merit, as bold as they are ambitious, such that allow the title to stand out from the competition. Unfortunately, however, the price to pay is significant: an almost linear level design, a bland narrative compartment and a sense of progression that is rarely incisive. Son flaws that prevent the production from ascending to greater heights, but do not affect its enjoyability.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Strayed Lights is one of those small but curious games. The game leans into the parrying mechanic you might find in a soulslike and centers around it creating a great gameplay loop that might be a little bit short for some people, but is worth the experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There's so much to love about "Strayed Lights," but unfortunately the game as a whole feels like it's only 50% complete.
Strayed Lights is a difficult game to love. It looks and sounds nice, and if you're really into dodging weaving rather than charging into battle I could see how it might be interesting in small doses, but as it stands, it doesn't feel like there's enough here to really make for a satisfying game.
I found Strayed Lights too quick to finish and with little content. The lack of dialogue or notes ruins what could’ve been an interesting story. The combat and bosses were fun, apart from the final boss since its attack let up.
Strayed Lights had a lot of potential, but it will remain unfulfilled due to plenty of issues.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Strayed Lights is short, sweet and especially a highlight in the experience it offers to players. Its unique block/parry combat system brings something new to the table, and I loved almost every instance of it, especially in the big boss battles spread throughout the journey.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Strayed Lights looks beautiful and has a deep combat system that is rewarding for those able to click with it. It just didn’t click for me. Much like the NPCs in this game, I felt lonely and desperately needed a hug. Though I honestly like what this game is going for. The presentation feels cinematic, with large open areas to explore and epic boss battles. So it’s another of those examples of a game I like but just could not connect with its parry system. I have enough real-life stresses currently, which is not helping. With that in mind, I still recommend it, but a demo would have been really helpful for players to test the waters before they commit to purchasing. If you have fast reflexes and don’t mind long battles, then go into the light and have fun. But if you’re looking for a calmer experience, then seek light elsewhere.
With its unique twist on combat and a great sense of style, I went into Strayed Lights with high hopes. However, while its presentation and challenging parry-centric boss battles certainly shine brightly, its largely nonexistent story, a lack of enemy variety, and frequent crashes caused that light to fade well before the conclusion of its four-hour runtime. If you’re simply looking for a novel take on the action-adventure genre, maybe pick this one up once it goes on sale. For anyone else, Strayed Lights is tough to recommend.
A short but sweet experiential title, Strayed Lights shines bright above its station to deliver an atmospheric tale of self-discovery, rewarding combat and a fantastic graphical and audio treat. This light may not burn long, but it’ll leave quite the impression despite the odd minor issue.
Though we're still in May, I can already say Strayed Lights is one of the great surprises of 2023. The beautiful and enchanting visuals contrast perfectly to the intense, addicting combat, turning the exploration and action experience memorable. It ends up lacking in a few areas but it's more about wanting more of it. Maybe a future update, expansion and/or continuation could take this good concept to the level it deserves.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While undoubtedly ambitious and quite beautiful, the overall play experience doesn’t quite deliver on its promise
Strayed Lights is a visually stunning experience that is also polished and has a ton of fun. While it may not be a long game, it is packed with excitement thanks to its brilliant parrying system and combat. Some of the bosses will stick with you after the credits roll and Embers has delivered a solid video game that is built on a solid foundation.