#stray gods game

[himemiyas]

#stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods spoilers #mine

[gibz-n-things]

my experience playing stray gods. i wish i were not so obvious but persephone was made for me specifically.

#stray gods #persephone stray gods #comic #fanart #stray gods fanart #stray gods persephone #stray gods spoilers #stray gods game #art #artist #artwork #fancomic #roleplaying game #stray gods the roleplaying musical #illustration #artists on tumblr #fan art

[thisishowoursonggoes]

lolololol I had to choose this option at least one time

#stray gods #stray gods grace #stray gods game #Athena #stray gods Athena

[eldritchgray]

Just finished my second playthrough of Stray Gods, and I know he's not really considered the popular choice, but listen to me. Romancing Pan is so much fun actually. Is he an asshole? ya. Is he also a sneaky bastard? absolutely.

But while romancing him you start to lean that Pan has been hiding behind a facade in order to protect himself. And he's been doing it for so long, he's kind of forgotten how to be genuine. And at the end of the game he IS genuine, and also a total sweetheart

Also, I am not immune to Pan's puppy dog eyes, they're too much, my heart immediately melts for him

#“you like the sneaky bastard character?” #yes this is on brand for me #i'm always a sucker for the sneaky ones #all i'm saying is give the Pan romance a try #it's really fun #stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods spoilers #grace x pan #stray gods pan

[multifandominfj]

Welp, I got a new comfort ship and hyper-fixation now 😂. It’s been weeks since I’ve discovered Barbie x Gloria, and I’ve already latched onto Grace and Freddie like a vice grip. I’m ALWAYS here for a good “Friends to Lovers”.

Honorable mentions go to Zaddy Apollo, Ashley Johnson as Calliope, and Queen of the Underworld, tatted up Persephone 🤤.

This video game is overflowing with Queer energy and I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT. 👏🏻🌈

(This is also the second time I’ve become attached to a ship from a video game. My first loves were Steph and Alex from Life is Strange: True Colors.)

#stray gods: the roleplaying musical #stray gods grace #stray gods spoilers #stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods freddie #i ship these two so hard #they own my heart #i loved them

[smol-cryptid]

I’m on my 3rd playthrough of Stray Gods already and wow Pan is my fave 💚

#smol-cryptid #my art #fanart #stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods the roleplaying musical #stray gods pan #pan #I told myself I would try other romance routes #but then pan shows up and I can not not pick him every time

[that-ari-blogger]

It's Time

Ok, this song. (This post might be a bit heavy)

Usually, near the end of a musical, there is a quiet, reflective number before the bombastic finale. This is often the final straw for a large percentage of the audience, who find themselves brought to tears by the rest of the story, and this just catalyses it.

Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical has two of such songs. Adrift Reprise, and It's Time. I have already done some analysis on the former of those, but It's Time, I left for last.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

One of the strengths of Stray Gods is its connection. This is a story about a young adult trying to find her place and her purpose. She is adrift, with so many places to go, and she looks to her elders for advice. Surely, they have their lives figured out. Right? But no. I think Apollo says it best at Aphrodite's party.

"We get older, we have more to forget. We hold grudges longer. But wiser? No, not so far."

Stray Gods pulls on very real emotions in its audience, very few people in the audience know where they are going, or what their life will lead them to. So, the themes of fate and choice in this musical become more pertinent. You cannot know what your future will hold without it feeling like a burden, but you can make choices. Good or bad, you can always choose.

This is what the Adrift Reprise number is all about. But there is another almost universal experience that this story hits you with. An emotion that It's Time centres around. Loss.

The vast majority of humans have lost someone at someone close to them at some point in their lives. As you get older, the chance of this happening only increases. It's an unfortunate fact about being mortal. And here's the thing, in Stray Gods, mortality and immortality are not mutually exclusive.

Everyone in this story is mourning, either the loss of Calliope, or the old Hermes, or Hephestus, or the gods who have gone missing. These idols can live forever, but they can also not. The idols are humans, but more. More powerful, more magical, more experienced, but also more fragile, and more weak, and more weird.

Persephone's relationship with Calliope is subtle at first, but once you notice it, you see it everywhere. From the portrait of Calliope in Persephone's office, to the anger at her murder, to the immediate switch from avenger to protector the second she clocks on to Grace actually being Calliope's chosen successor.

So, when they finally meet in the underworld, this can either be an aha moment or a surprise, and either works.

"So many years of history,

The fights, the highs, the miseries,

I'm so proud of you, but it's time to go."

"I never truly saw before,

how trapped we were, how far from shore,

great at the time, but now it's time to go"

In a single verse, two stanzas, this song summarises what could possibly be a centuries long relationship. Tumultuous, but real. For all of their faults, there is a love there. You can see why the relationship broke down, and you know Persephone and Calliope well enough at this point to infer a few more details about that. But you also know that looking back, the connection is still there.

I also want to point out that nautical metaphor again. It links back to Adrift and gets referenced in just about every other song. But the difference now, is who it is aimed at. Usually, Grace is the one being called out for drowning in choices or something similar, but now its Persephone realising just how far out she is, and looking back on her relationship with Calliope, only now can she see where she went wrong. Maybe, if Calliope was still alive, she and this new Persephone could work things out. Now that Persephone isn't obsessing about that throne and can actually admit fault.

The tragedy is that we will probably never get to find out. Because Calliope is dead, and you can't change that.

But what about something you can change?

@ohnoitstbskyen has a phenomenal video titled Grief In Art, which I highly recommend you check out. In it, he gives the following summary of the emotion:

"Grief comes with anger, with emptiness. It comes with loneliness and exhaustion and a dozen other complex and multifaceted feelings that all intermix and grind against each other. That's part of why it can be so overwhelming."

I am willing to bet that this isn't a foreign concept to a large percentage of Stray Gods' audience.

So, tell me, if you were given the chance to bring back a lost loved one, would you take it? It's a complicated question. But if, right now, I told you I could bring back your mother or brother or friend, would you say yes? What price would be too steep? What is the value of a human life? How much would you give?

Personally, I would say yes. To me, every life is unquantifiable, and I would give anything for just a conversation with certain people.

But what about Grace? And what about Freddie?

There are two ways you can come at It's Time in the musical. Well, three actually, but we'll get there in a moment. You either are following the romance storyline with Freddie, or you are not. And from what I can tell, this song makes no distinction between the two. You bring your own baggage.

"It was quick and so was I,

I was not prepared to die.

But Grace, I choose this,

And I know you'll get by."

Do you bring Freddie back from the dead? It's possible, and you'd get your happy ending. You can, but should you? That much is up to you.

Actions have consequences, that's kind of the thesis of this story. One consequence of Grace's actions was the death of Freddie. You can undo that, if you want.

I have played through this game a fair few times at this point, and at this moment, I have gone through both options. If you were to approach this as a simple, numerical question, the answer would be obvious. There is no physical benefit in the game to either decision, so you should do what Freddie says and let her stay dead. The reason this is such a difficult choice is because of the humanity in it.

You know the right choice, to let Freddie stay dead, to not go against her wishes, to not give her the eidolon. Freddie says she is content with her decision, so you should go with that, right?

But are you strong enough to make that choice? I know I wasn't the first time I played this game.

There is one other element that complicates this, and it's fascinating to me. Because that third approach to this song is retrospect.

What if you have played this game before and brought Freddie back? Then you get Freddie's love confession, and it changes the entire story. It's prophecy, like Apollo warned us about. You know the fate you are trying to achieve, so you take actions against yourself to try and thwart it, essentially locking yourself in that path, whether you like it or not.

Does the promise of a happy ending change your choices here?

Final Thoughts

There is a reason I left this song until last. It's one of those songs in musical theatre that brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it or listen to it. The instruments, the melody, the fact that this is the only time Grace ever says "Farishta". Everything about this song is amazing.

Next week is my final roundup for Stray Gods, and as a quick reminder, I am putting out a request for your analysis, be it musical or artistic or lyrical. Send me a message, or comment, reblog this post, and I will try to include as many as I can (credited to you, naturally) in the final analysis to build a big picture of what everyone thinks of this musical.

So, stick around if that interests you.

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#rants #literary analysis #literature analysis #character analysis #what's so special about...? #stray gods #greek mythology #stray gods grace #stray gods game #stray gods the roleplaying musical #grace x freddie #stray gods spoilers #stray gods freddie #greddie #stray gods persephone #stray gods calliope

[sarcasticsra]

APOLLO: [ancient, powerful, God of Sun and Prophecy]

ALSO APOLLO: [stutters and chuckles bashfully when a pretty girl calls him cute]

#stray gods #stray gods game #grace x apollo #I know it doesn't show in the art #but he's also blushing #the way that line is delivered YOU CAN HEAR IT #stray gods apollo #stray gods grace #stray gods the roleplaying musical

[orions-garden]

visiting apollo

#literally their interaction #stray gods #stray gods the roleplaying musical #stray gods game #apollo please get your shit together #my posts

[expositor-jo]

So...

I finished my first playthrough of Stray Gods

I'm crying so much

This game is so incredible

#stray gods #laura bailey #janina gavankar #ashley johnson #mary elizabeth mcglynn #erika ishii #troy baker #anjali bhimani #khary payton #abubakar salim #felicia day #rahul kohli #stray gods game

[merrythunder2013]

#stray gods apollo #apollo stray gods #stray gods #apollo #stray gods game #stray gods fanart

[thisishowoursonggoes]

#stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods pan #stray gods grace #Grace and pan #pan and grace

[ashmatashs]

I’ve officially played through Stray Gods twice now, and both times as soon as I got to The Throne, I can’t help but laugh, Anthony Rapp really brought his all to Orpheus and I love it. Everything he does in the song is just perfection.

The whole goth Grecian Bard look has to be be one of my favorite portrayals of Orpheus in media.

(Side note is it giving anyone else black parade vibes or is it just me)

#stray gods #stray gods orpheus #greek mythology #stray gods game

[mimocrocodilelol]

"The ritual"

#stray gods #stray gods game #aphrodite #stray gods aphrodite #my art #i made something #rewatched stray gods playthrough #love it #designs and songs and characters are wonderful! #if you haven't seen it #check it out it's so good #i personaly like the green path throughout the hole game #cuz it gives you more satisfying ending #click for quality cause mobile is stupid #sorry for rambling

[that-ari-blogger]

Conflict!

It is often said that "conflict drives a story" and while that is mostly true, it isn't helpful writing advice. It's just an observation. A story is about a character wanting to do something, and their struggles to do that are the conflict, that's where the conflict stops. You don't need antagonists or villains or fights or even arguments in a story, you just need stuff, and conflict will arise.

Essentially, conflict brings about character by putting individuals in unusual situations and showing off facets of them that aren't usually on display.

But what happens when two characters are in conflict with each other? Then (if the writing is decent) you get an emotionally dense few moments, and in a musical, you get a song like Old Wounds.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

This isn't a long song, and there aren't that many branching paths (you get two choices in the entire song). But there is a lot going on here, emotionally speaking.

I noted in another post that Persephone is heavily associated purple. And that remains here, although it has softened slightly as you have got to know her to a more maroon-ish palate.

Appollo is also associated with a colour, that being blue. As in, he's the sun and the blue that surrounds him is the sky. Hence why this shot is so cool:

It's Grace literally having to choose between her two allies. Also notice what is happening. The blue light is shining over a plant, helping it to grow, while the pink shows an image of Calliope. It could be a photograph, it could be a painting, I'm not sure. The blue represents the future, while the purple the past.

Also, Persephone has an image of somebody she knows looking regal in her office. Why does she have this? What is the history between these two? (Historians will say they were good friends)

Anyway, what are these two characters arguing about? I mentioned conflict, and there is definitely some here, but what is it? The two of them just start bickering out of nowhere. And that's exactly it. Apollo picks fault with Persephone's wording, then they call each other blind, then the real wounds come out.

What's interesting here, is that Persephone has been established to have an old wound, Hades, and this song explores it. But Persephone doesn't engage this, Apollo does. Apollo is the one who starts the fight. Why?

Guilt. In my reading of this song, Apollo is playing incredibly defensive here. He has accepted his guilt and his need to change earlier in the story, at least verbally. But when push comes to shove and the consequences of his actions come into play, he immediately lashes out verbally.

And it's what he takes issue with that piques my interest. Persephone has rationalised that people deserve what they get, actions have consequences. Apollo doesn't agree with that.

Then there is this shot. As the two of them bicker and talk over each other, the camera swirls and the colours that represent them become intermingled, a neat little metaphor for the difficulty of this situation. And above Grace's head, forgotten by both of them in this moment, the reason they are both here, and the consequences for both of their actions.

"You abandoned me to a terrible fate." "You replay your injuries till it's too late." "This is not about you"

Here, the theses of both characters. One is stuck in the past; one is avoiding it. One is trying to grow away from the past without truly reconciling with it, the other has rationalised in a way that is self-destructive. Neither can move forwards without the other, there is a balance that needs to be struck.

What strikes me, however, is how similar these two characters are. They use the same insults for each other, they believe extremely similar things. When we met Apollo, Phantom Pains was almost exactly Persephone's current viewpoint. That's why they are so irreconcilable. These are two characters with some deep self-loathing issues who see themselves in their opponent. Specifically, they see the worst parts of themselves. Guilt, loss, anger.

That's what this conflict is about, looking to the past or looking to the future. Grace needs to take a middle road, but she can't because these two can't get over themselves. That's why this final choice is so difficult, because they are both so right, and both so very wrong.

Previous - Next

#rants #literary analysis #character analysis #literature analysis #what's so special about...? #greek mythology #stray gods #stray gods persephone #stray gods the roleplaying musical #stray gods the musical #stray gods spoilers #stray gods game #stray gods apollo

[mabari-pup]

I know I'll have to do the apollo and pan romance paths eventually for achievement reasons, but just how am I supposed to do that with the knowledge of how freddie's been feeling all this time

the game can't expect me to just be normal about that now

#there's also persephone #who I'm so incredibly weak for #I'm not strong enough to resist going down that route again #stray gods #stray gods game #stray gods a roleplaying musical #stray gods spoilers