REVIEW: ‘Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical’ Is A Musical Theater Delight (PC)

The idea of telling a story about Greek gods in musical form is ingenious, and suggesting that story in the form of a video game just makes perfect sense. When I first saw that description of Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, I thought, “How has no one thought of that before?” Developed by Summerfall Studios and published by Humble Games, this novel concept delivers a unique storytelling experience that allows players to create a beautiful musical with an emotionally resonant story.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical follows the story of Grace (Laura Bailey), a college dropout trying to make it through life. Her life is turned upside down when Calliope (Ashley Johnson), a Greek Muse, suddenly and inexplicably dies on the floor of Grace’s apartment. Grace assumes her role as Muse and is brought before the other Muses to answer for Calliope’s death. Determined to find the truth behind how Calliope died, Grace sets out to prove her innocence to the other Muses in an adventure chock full of Greek mythology shown in a brand new light.

There are many familiar characters from Greek mythology in Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, but they are all presented in a new and unique way. The names may be familiar, but I was constantly caught off guard when various Gods and other mythological creatures acted in ways that subverted my expectations. I was initially skeptical that Summerfall Studios could change things up without completely changing up the Greek mythology inspirations, but they ultimately delivered. It was nice to see characters I thought I knew in a brand new light, and the way they changed based on my decisions as Grace was also well done.

Stellar performances by an all-star voice cast certainly help with these new portrayals. There are some real voice-acting legends like Laura Bailey as Grace, Troy Baker as Apollo, and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Persephone. The rest of the cast is exceptionally great, and I certainly was not expecting such a talented cast as a part of this project. They nail the dialogue and songs in ways that make the story more engaging. It also helps enhance the musical feeling by having such a talented cast portray the characters.

The core gameplay in Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical revolves around Grace’s choices along her journey. This isn’t a typical role-playing game where characters wander around, obtaining items and leveling up. Gameplay is relatively limited in that sense, with selecting dialogue options and locations to visit being the only major gameplay mechanics. That does not mean the game is completely limited. It is far from it. In her conversations with the many characters Grace comes across, players can choose to dialogue options that will either charm, negotiate with, or strong-arm her way through her present situation. These choices drastically change the dialogue between Grace and those around her, giving plenty of replayability to the story.

The real highlight of this decision-based gameplay is when it comes to the actual musical component. Now that she is a Muse, Grace can compel others through song and uses this as the story progresses. The same types of dialogue decisions that can be made in normal conversations are all present in song form and dramatically change the song that unfolds. Every choice I made felt so authentically like an actual musical that I was thoroughly impressed. The composition team of Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory (Journey, Banner Saga), Tripod (musicians Scott Edgar, Steven Gates, and Simon Hall), and Montaigne (Jess Cerro) delivered one of the most incredible video game soundtracks I have ever heard. Each song is beautifully crafted, and I felt like I was an active part of the music-making process.

The incredible musical and storytelling creativity of Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is matched by the hand-drawn visuals. There is so much detail in every character and setting, and some of the visual sequences during the song scenes were breathtaking. Musicals are typically vibrant and colorful, and the visual team nails that flamboyant presentation while not losing sight of some of the darker story beats and the visuals that need to accompany them. They also do a great job of giving familiar characters new and unique designs that make the new take on Greek mythology even better.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical does an excellent job of blending video games and musical theater in a way that should appeal to virtually everyone. Excellent storytelling and a masterfully crafted soundtrack combined with incredible visuals give a new take on Greek mythology. The branching dialogue options make it perfect for multiple playthroughs, with so many new ways to have the story unfold.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical releases August 10th on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xox Series X|S, and PC.