Ahead ofEternal Strands' release, a lot of attention has been paid to how much Yellow Brick Games' debut title resembles beloved action-adventure games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandShadow of the Colossus. And while there are definitely elements of those titles present inEternal Strands' gameplay, it might surprise players to learn that one of the title’s core inspirations was originally Capcom’sMonster Hunterseries. As it turns out, much of theMonster HunterDNA that inspiredEternal Strandsremains present in the upcoming final product.
During a recent conversation with Game Rant,Eternal Strandsdirectors Mike Laidlaw and Frederic St-Laurent discussed the game’s combat and progression, which should feel familiar to anyMonster Hunterfans. The core gameplay loop ofEternal Strandsis centered around the feeling of an expedition, and character progression is entirely governed by the spoils from these expeditions. As such, it relies more so on the loot that can be crafted rather than more traditionalRPG systems. Together with the massive, kinetic beasts that roamEternal Strands' enclave, the game’s progression and mechanics should feel right at home to fans of theMonster Hunterseries.
Eternal Strands' Gear is the Cornerstone of Character Progression
WhileEternal Strandsmight have some immediately recognizable influences based on its moment-to-moment gameplay, the way that the game handles character progression and power curve is different from what many might expect given itsBreath of the WildandShadow of the Colossuscomparisons. Laidlaw and St-Laurent were ready to point out multiple times that the general flow of combat and the way thatEternal Strandshandles character progression is actually more similar toMonster Hunter. As St-Laurent notes, “…we don’t have an XP system, so it’s not by completing quests and earning XP that you level up. It’s all based on loot and on gear that you craft. You don’t find any weapons or armor in the game. Everything is crafted by your crew at the base camp.”
Thanks to Brynn’s thermodynamic powers, players also have some degree of strategy when it comes to influencing the all-important loot pool. St-Laurent further elaborates on the dynamic nature ofharvesting materials inEternal Strands:
…if you burn, let’s say, a hound or something, then all the fur-type loot is going to be destroyed in the process…If you go for enemies that are made of metal, you use ice and you brittle them, and they break, then you’re going to shatter all the metal components you could forge or carve…If you’re looking for certain things, you’re going to go for certain monsters, and you’re going to defeat them in certain ways.
Like Monster Hunter, Eternal Strands' Gameplay is Built Around the Idea of the ‘Expedition’
Aside from its gear-based progression and emphasis on harvesting materials and crafting,Eternal Strandsis also built around the idea of the “expedition,” something that factors heavily into bothMonster HunterandDragon’s Dogma. Laidlaw notes that “…a sense of expedition and then coming back home and sort of resting up” is one ofMonster HunterandDragon’s Dogma’s core elements that’s “quite present” inEternal Strands' gameplay.
Eternal Strandsstill has several elements that help to set it apart from the twoCapcomfranchises it draws a lot of inspiration from, but it may still resonate with fans of those games. As Laidlaw puts it, “…we’re not spot-onMonster Hunter, but the kineticness of the creatures and so on is a big part ofEternal Strands. I think, honestly,Monster Hunterplayers are going to be very familiar with how we’ve decided to do progression.”
