I have Neil Gaiman’s American Gods / Sandman series to compare this game’s script to (since Sandman dealt directly with Calliope and Orpheus in far more tragic (and artful terms), but it’s an unfair comparison because Stray Gods pales so desperately in comparison.
The script wasn't terrible, but it lacked heartfelt magic apart from that first auditorium scene.
The same goes for this soundtrack. Like seriously, way to phone it in, Austin Wintory. Maybe he had his hands tied by the script and the executive direction on this game, but jeez. This is a shitty musical.
Like by any standard, the music isn’t harmonically cohesive or catchy. And Laura Bailey seems like the only one trying, with nobody else keeping up. The first song feels like the magic musical moment in Act 3 of Kentucky Route Zero where the roof comes off and you’re transported to this other world of music. But every other song in this game feels like it’s trying to get back there and floundering. It would be unbearable on stage live.
I don’t fault the cast, but I do think the problem is that this game feels cast forward, art second, script a distant third, and gameplay forgotten in the shuffle. This is not a role playing game: it’s just a visual novel. And as a visual novel, it’s fine. It’s just vastly inferior to its peers in adjacent media of literature and musicals.
As a video game, it looks good. But there’s no immersion with the characters. Scenes just play — and you pick the emotional tone of the response. And maybe you flirt a little bit (which feels forced). Don’t get me wrong, I love visual novels and the premise of present day gods who use glamours to hide their presence. I liked Wolf Among Us, too. But unfortunately even that script was much stronger, even as a nerfed adaptation of the Fables comics.
Please forgive my dour review. If I never read, attended a musical play, or played anything like Stray Gods, I’d be swooning right now. So please know I like this premise and it’s illustrated art, but I’d advise checking out American Gods full-cast audiobook if you liked this game and find my review offputting.
P.S.,
I had a shit ton of bugs in this game that really hindered my enjoyment of it, too. Super rough for a game 6 months after release.
The script wasn't terrible, but it lacked heartfelt magic apart from that first auditorium scene.
The same goes for this soundtrack. Like seriously, way to phone it in, Austin Wintory. Maybe he had his hands tied by the script and the executive direction on this game, but jeez. This is a shitty musical.
Like by any standard, the music isn’t harmonically cohesive or catchy. And Laura Bailey seems like the only one trying, with nobody else keeping up. The first song feels like the magic musical moment in Act 3 of Kentucky Route Zero where the roof comes off and you’re transported to this other world of music. But every other song in this game feels like it’s trying to get back there and floundering. It would be unbearable on stage live.
I don’t fault the cast, but I do think the problem is that this game feels cast forward, art second, script a distant third, and gameplay forgotten in the shuffle. This is not a role playing game: it’s just a visual novel. And as a visual novel, it’s fine. It’s just vastly inferior to its peers in adjacent media of literature and musicals.
As a video game, it looks good. But there’s no immersion with the characters. Scenes just play — and you pick the emotional tone of the response. And maybe you flirt a little bit (which feels forced). Don’t get me wrong, I love visual novels and the premise of present day gods who use glamours to hide their presence. I liked Wolf Among Us, too. But unfortunately even that script was much stronger, even as a nerfed adaptation of the Fables comics.
Please forgive my dour review. If I never read, attended a musical play, or played anything like Stray Gods, I’d be swooning right now. So please know I like this premise and it’s illustrated art, but I’d advise checking out American Gods full-cast audiobook if you liked this game and find my review offputting.
P.S.,
I had a shit ton of bugs in this game that really hindered my enjoyment of it, too. Super rough for a game 6 months after release.