Stranger Things 3: The Game
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Stranger Things 3: The Game Media
Critic Reviews for Stranger Things 3: The Game
A true licensed tie-in game, Stranger Things 3: The Game is most fun when you let fandom lead the way but can fall flat on its own. [Warning: This review contains spoilers for Netflix's Stranger Things, Season 3]
Retro charm can't hide dull design in a game that, almost impossibly, has no clear audience.
The video game adaptation of the popular show emulates the '80s aesthetic well, but the action is boring and the missions rarely push you to do more than move from point A to point B
Stranger Things 3: The Game isn't going to set any gold standards for video game tie-ins, but it does a fine job of capturing all the elements that have made the TV show such a phenomenon. Exploring Hawkins and interacting with the wider cast is really going to appeal to fans of the franchise, but the repetitive quest designs and unremarkable combat can make it a bit of a slog if you've yet to catch the Stranger Things bug. Still, thanks to its appealing visuals, accessible gameplay and atmospheric synthwave soundtrack, there are arguably many worse ways to spend your summer.
I'm conflicted. Cooperative titles like this are hard to find nowadays, especially with drop-in, drop-out co-op. There's no denying it's fun exploring with a friend and the game contains some genuinely clever challenges, especially during the boss fights. There's the seed of a great game here, and I'd genuinely like to see more like it. I really hope BonusXP gets the chance to use this engine to make something else: It's pretty good for a licenced product, but ultimately, that's all it is.
Why a show set in the 80s has a video game tie-in that recalls the worst of 90s licensed games is a mystery, but this has absolutely none of the charm, wit, or excitement of the TV show.
BonusXP has taken the hit Netflix series and crafted a fun, yet at times frustrating, pixelated adventure game. Some of the boss battles can really try your patience, and limits on recovery items (medkits and Coke) certainly don’t help matters as you push toward the final episode. On the flip side, there are all kinds of hidden areas to return to and explore further; even if I haven’t seen a percentage log, there’s just something about knowing you’ve 100% cleared a game.
Stranger Things 3: The Game proved to be a much more mature and complex title than what could have been expected.
Review in Italian | Read full review
