Ludography
80/100
Critics1 review
79/100
Metacritic9 critic reviews
More scores
Metacritic usersuser score
60/100
Player reviews
94% positive85 reviews
Runs on
Windows
Price
US$19.99

Where to get it

Wayward Strand cover

2022 · Ghost Pattern · Adventure · Indie

Wayward Strand

Wayward Strand is a heartfelt interactive story, told in a unique and curious way. Play as Casey Beaumaris - intrepid teenage journalist - as she visits an airborne hospital for the first time. Uncover the airship's mysteries, and explore the lives of its inhabitants.

Released
15 September 2022
Platforms
Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox OneXbox Series X/S
Genres
AdventureIndieRole-playingSimulation
Developers
Ghost Pattern
Publishers
Ghost Pattern
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Bird view / Isometric
Themes
HistoricalDramaMystery
Country
Australia
Age ratings
USK 6PEGI 12GRAC 15+ESRB TCLASS_IND 10
Languages
English
Time to beat
4hmain story6hcompletionist

About

Wayward Strand is a narrative adventure game by Ghost Pattern. It was released in September 2022 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Series S.

›Story

It's the summer of 1978, and Casey Beaumaris is trying to make the most of her holidays, when her mum asks her to spend a long weekend helping out at the airborne hospital where she works.

Casey prefers the company of books to people, but she agrees, secretly planning to write an article about her visit for the school newspaper.

With her trusty notebook at the ready, Casey arrives on board the airship. The staff are overworked as they prepare for the visit of an important official, while the patients react to grief, or deal with active trauma.

In the midst of these and many other interlocking and overlapping stories, Casey spends time with the patients, learning about their lives, and, as the stories unfold, discovering what she can do to help.

Explore A Living World

Within the world of Wayward Strand, time passes for everyone - characters continue their lives without waiting for you to interact with them. In Wayward Strand’s unique narrative structure, the stories of over a dozen characters constantly unfold around you in real time, as you, as Casey, roam freely throughout each day.

Choose which story to be a part of by following people, having conversations, and exploring the hospital.

The hospital’s residents are an eclectic cast of characters – some charming, some eccentric, some rude – each with their own desires, goals and imaginations. Every character moves and acts of their own accord, at their own pace, on their own timeline - sharing news with each other, arguing, joking, gossiping - or having a chat with Casey when she comes by.

Every playthrough gives you the opportunity to discover something you didn’t see previously - what you missed the first time, you might see the second, third, or fifth time around.

Your Journey

When you see someone, you can follow them, to see where they go and what they get up to. You can eavesdrop on peoples’ conversations, or come into the room and be a part of the discussion.

Spending time with particular characters will lead you to new storylines, locations, revelations and resolutions.

As the journalist for her school newspaper, Casey keeps track of events and information in her notebook. Players use Casey’s notebook to delve deeper into peoples’ stories, to make new discoveries, and to piece together mysteries.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Set in 1978, the player controls 14-year-old Casey Beaumaris, who explores a hospital airship above Victoria, Australia and interact with the residents and staff, while the game world changes in real-time.

Reception

GamesHub said its exploration of the theme of growing old is heartfelt, while they encountered moments unsure what to do.

GamesRadar+ lauded the writing for connecting the "innocence of youth" and "candidness of old age" and compared it to a soap opera.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Xbox Series X/S15 September 2022Worldwide
PlayStation 515 September 2022Worldwide
PlayStation 415 September 2022Worldwide
Windows15 September 2022Worldwide
Nintendo Switch15 September 2022Worldwide
Xbox One15 September 2022Worldwide

Games like this

Collections2 collections

Years

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.