Strayed Lights is an action-adventure game developed and published by Embers. It launched on April 25, 2023, for PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Strayed Lights is Embers’ very first title, and it has generally been received well since release. The game’s unique and colorful approach to well known action-adventure hallmarks has helped it stand out in a crowded market of similar combat-heavy games.
Strayed Lights Premise
Strayed Lights players on Steam have categorized it as a “soulslike.” This adds it to an ever-growing informal genre that takes heavy inspiration from From Software’s iconic RPG franchise. Strayed Lights boasts high-stakes combat with an emphasis on timing. Effectively blocking enemy attacks is essential to success. Like Dark Souls, Strayed Lights features large-scale cinematic boss fights. The core gameplay system in Strayed Lights revolves around changing the color of your inner fire. Your color will determine which attacks you will be able to successfully repel.
Strayed Lights casts players as a newborn being of pure light and flame, on a journey toward full awakening. The creature’s dreamlike journey takes them through a mystical world of overgrown nature and dark, menacing cityscapes. The story is told without dialogue, but the world is heightened by a soundtrack from acclaimed composer Austin Wintory. This renowned figure has provided soundtracks for many iconic video games, like Journey and the more recent diving simulator Abzu.
Strayed Lights Characters
Since Strayed Lights has no dialogue and minimal lore, a list of major characters is a largely impossible task. The player character, a nameless being of light, is arguably the only major character. The enemies this creature faces are, according to the Steam page, largely their own siblings. They’ve been corrupted and deformed by overwhelming emotions. In order to “defeat” them, you must help balance their emotions and overcome the negativity that has impacted their lives. Other enemies appear as inner demons from the protagonist’s own emotional struggle. These manifestations take physical form in order to halt your progress. Strayed Lights features a diverse roster of beings, even if identifying and naming them all is a tall task.
Strayed Lights Cheat Codes
Unfortunately, Strayed Lights does not feature any formal cheat codes. Since the game is primarily a meditative and immersive journey through the emotional realm, it could be argued that manipulating the title through cheat codes might undercut the tone of the game. Of course, if you’d still rather mess with the title’s fundamental mechanics, there are third party cheat engines available online. As always, these programs are very risky. Downloading this software without a firm awareness of its source could put your PC at severe risk for viruses or malware. As with all internet downloads, you need to make sure you trust whatever source you’re using.
Of course, if all you want is to improve your own performance at the game, there are plenty of ways to do that without cheating. There are several tips and tricks that will aid you in Strayed Lights. One of the most important is to invest in the Balance skill upgrade as soon as possible. This skill eliminates the need to switch between colors for a short period of time, letting you focus on parrying attacks without worrying about which color you need to be. Awareness of what your enemy is doing is key to combat in Strayed Lights, and to that end, you should pay close attention to purple attacks. Since these cannot be parried, careful observation is crucial. Purple attacks have a sound effect that will play when they’re about to land, so you should use that to inform the timing of your dodge.
Strayed Lights FAQ
Is Strayed Lights open world? Strayed Lights is best described as a semi-open world game. Not long into the game players enter a central hub, and from there you can explore largely at will. The game offers very little guidance at this point, but there is a spirit in the hub that will illuminate the path you are supposed to follow. Careful exploration is an important aspect of gameplay in Strayed Lights, but there is a path the game expects you to follow through its expansive, dreamlike world.
How long is Strayed Lights? According to How Long To Beat, Strayed Lights takes roughly four or five hours to beat, depending on how much time you spend looking for secrets. This is a very short runtime for a game of this type. Of course, since it’s a debut title, the small length makes some sense. Small indie teams like Embers generally don’t have as many resources as major AAA developers, and it’s likely that Embers chose to keep the game length short in order to devote more resources to more important aspects, like combat and world design. That said, the game is currently listed on Steam for $25. If four to five hours of gameplay strikes you as too little for that cost, you might want to look elsewhere.