Wayward Strand review: a heartfelt story told through an intricate timepiece
Playing Wayward Strand feels like navigating a detailed clockwork mechanism. It reminds me of those cuckoo clocks where on the hour every hour a tiny door opens revealing two mechanical dolls that come together and have a 'lil smooch. That’s essentially how Wayward Strand works but on a bigger scale. Characters are set on strict routines, following predetermined paths and schedules that are often invisible to you. They welcome an interruption - a friendly natter or helpful hand - but whether you’re there or not, they’ll go about their business regardless. The world keeps on spinning and all that.
It’s an interesting way of capturing the passage of time, and in Wayward Strand how you choose to spend that time is pretty important in a game that makes a point of not waiting for you.