The Strayed Demo

Platformers always seem to find a way to impress, even if the genre is one of the oldest out there. New mechanics and ideas are implemented on a regular basis, and it’s always fun to experiment with new games. Granted, it’s certainly not easy to lure people with a platformer, especially when there are thousands available out there.

The Strayed is a retro platformer in which you have a very basic purpose: get to the end of each level and collect as many coins and special items as possible along the way. Unfortunately, there is no grand idea at play, so the mechanics are more or less the same as in every other platformer. Even so, if you are in the mood for something new, this can certainly keep you busy for a while.

The story begins with the main character stranded on an island after a plane crash. Although the island in question looks uninhabited, it turns out that a variety of evil spirits call it their home. Not only that, but there are many traps hidden all over the place, which makes exploration that much more difficult and risky. On the other hand, there is also plenty of treasure to find, so it may be worth the risk.

Gameplay-wise, it should be simple to get familiar to the mechanics, because they are quite common in the genre. In short, you have to jump around over enemies and spikes, while also collecting coins. These coins can be used as payment to avoid replaying the entire level when you die, so they certainly come in handy. It should be fairly simple to get comfy with the controls.

The retro graphics are satisfying as well, although they look much better than the old-school games it tries to emulate. That’s obviously a good thing, on the other hand, especially if you put value on pleasing aesthetics. Unfortunately, not the same thing can be said about the sound, which is in serious need of a complete overhaul at this point.

In the end, The Strayed is definitely a decent game, but it could be a lot better with a bit of effort. Hence, the gameplay is a tad too repetitive, and there is nothing special to differentiate it from other platformers out there. On top of that, the sound effects are sub-par as well.