Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, developed by Summerfall Studios and published by Humble Games, is a rather unique game that combines the charm of musical theater with the interactivity of roleplaying games and visual novels. Set in a modern fantasy world where Greek gods roam among humans, Stray Gods presents a narrative filled with murder, intrigue, romance, and, of course, musical numbers. We checked it out on a PlayStation 5.
In this interactive roleplaying musical, players take on the role of Grace, a college dropout who stumbles upon a world of gods, mysteries, and magical musical powers. The game begins with Grace’s band holding auditions, where she meets the enigmatic Calliope, who possesses otherworldly singing abilities. However, tragedy strikes as Calliope is mortally wounded and passes her divine essence, known as an eidolon, to Grace. Accused of Calliope’s murder, Grace is given a week to uncover the truth behind her death.
The narrative unfolds through a series of decisions, conversations, and musical numbers, all of which are influenced by the player’s choices. The game’s unique twist lies in its musical battles, where characters engage in song duels that adapt based on the player’s selections. These choices extend beyond the songs, affecting relationships, alliances, and even potential romantic interests – those with some visual novel experience will see a lot of familiar territory here. Stray Gods showcases a vast array of characters from Greek mythology, each with their own distinct personalities and stories.
The musical numbers, composed by Grammy-nominated musician Austin Wintory, Tripod, and Montaigne, offer a diverse range of genres, from ballads to pop and even rap. While some songs may come across as slow and understated, the overall soundtrack provides a compelling backdrop to the narrative. The game’s voice cast, including Laura Bailey, Troy Baker, and others, adds depth and emotion to the characters, making their interactions memorable though quality performances.
Visually, Stray Gods adopts a comic book-style aesthetic that lends itself well to the game’s storytelling. The characters’ static positions during dialogue may seem unusual at first, but this choice contributes to the game’s unique visual identity. The game’s visual design evokes the feel of turning through the pages of a nicely illustrated graphic novel, but definitely leans more towards the visual novel side of things than the “roleplaying game” alluded to in the title.
While Stray Gods excels in many aspects, it’s not without its flaws. Audio inconsistencies, such as varying sound levels and inaccurate subtitles during performances, occasionally disrupt the immersive experience. A pre-release patch was pushed out that should fix some of these issues though, so you might not encounter this. Additionally, navigating the game’s map can prove frustrating, as selecting locations is not as intuitive as desired. And as mentioned, some players might also find the RPG elements somewhat lacking, as the game leans more toward a visual novel-style experience.
In conclusion, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical successfully marries the world of musical theater with interactive storytelling. Its engaging narrative, memorable characters, and innovative musical battles make for an enjoyable experience that offers replayability through multiple decision paths. While it may have a few minor technical issues and lacks in traditional RPG complexity, Stray Gods remains a unique and recommended adventure for fans of music and storytelling alike.
Score: 7.9/10
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