Stray Gods Turns a Fantasy RPG Into a Playable Musical

Shortly after the curtain rises on Stray Gods, Calliope—you know, the Muse from Greek mythology—drops dead in your apartment. But not before transferring her musical powers of persuasion and inspiration on to you.

While this might seem like an Olympean stroke of luck for Grace, a college dropout trying to find a new singer for her struggling band, some other members of the Greek pantheon suspect foul play. Now you find yourself with one week to prove your innocence, or else face the wrath and judgment of some seriously powerful immortals.

This is the dramatic setup for Summerfall Studios’ brand-new interactive role-playing musical, which just launched today on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. A novel mix of urban fantasy, story- and character-driven RPGs, and Broadway, Stray Gods is a musical for video game lovers, and a video game for musical lovers. Let’s shine a spotlight on how each aspect of this epic fits together.

For urban fantasy fiends

Stray Gods takes place in a world where the Greek gods we all know—Apollo, Persephone, Hermes, Athena—live in hiding in our own modern-day world. These contemporary Idols are defined by the mythology we’re familiar with, but they’re also struggling with the complications of life as we know it today—and for many of them, the old stories were just the beginning of their personal drama. Apollo, God of Prophecy, struggles with how he’s dealt with thousands of years of visions. Persephone is Queen of the Underworld no more, cast out after slaying her husband Hades and usurping his realm.

Some of these characters will become your friends. Some will be your foes. And if you like a dash of romance in your fantasy RPG tales, some might even become your lovers. As you play, you’ll find yourself able to forge more serious relationships with Apollo or Persephone, as well as your mortal best friend Freddie and the delightful dubious (and ultra-stylish) Pan.

For role-players

Like your favorite RPGs where character and story take center stage, Stray Gods is driven by your choices and interactions—and if you’re familiar with the work of the game’s creative director David Gaider (lead writer of Dragon Age), that’s probably not a surprise twist.

Like many RPGs, Stray Gods’ narrative unfolds and relationships develop through branching dialogue options, as you choose whether to strong-arm, charm, or use your head to approach the game’s situations. Unlike pretty much any RPG, Stray Gods also unfolds through interactive lyrics and music, too.

Grace’s defining decisions are characterized by a trio of traits that Summerfall calls Charming (color-coded green in-game), Kickass (appropriately red), and Clever (cool blue). When trait-based decisions turn up at key moments in Stray Gods’ songs, your choice can alter not just the character beats, but the tone, the tempo, and even the musical style of the tune.

For musical fans

To account for all of the narrative and tuneful possibilities, Music Director and BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory, alongside fellow song co-writers Tripod and Montaigne, were faced with the truly Herculean challenge of creating branching music, words, and melodies—and making those branches flow together seamlessly.

Depending on your Charming/Kickass/Clever decisions, a song might take a harder, punk-er, percussive turn, or drift into a more soulful and string-heavy arrangement. All told, there are thousands of potential song variations you could experience in your playthroughs.

The music is brought to life by a modern-day pantheon of voice talent—including Laura Bailey (Grace), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Persephone), Troy Baker (Apollo), Khary Payton (Pan), Janina Gavankar (Freddie), Felicia Day (Athena), Ashley Johnson (Calliope), Anthony Rapp (Orpheus), and more stars from across games, television, and Broadway.

When crafting Stray Gods, Summerfall Studios wanted to ensure as many people could enjoy the experience as possible—and part of that included building in accessibility options related to the music and more.

These options include subtitles and audio descriptions of the events, UI sizing options, control remapping, the ability to control the timing of songs’ progress, and more. For a full explanation of the options to help you decide if Stray Gods is the game for you, visit www.summerfallstudios.com/accessibility.

Check out Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical — available today on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical

Humble Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 2

★★★★★

In a modern fantasy world, college dropout Grace is granted the power of a Muse – power she’ll need to find out the truth behind her predecessor’s death before time runs out. You’ll decide who Grace allies with, who she can trust, and who may betray her in this beautifully hand-illustrated roleplaying musical. Written by David Gaider comes Stray Gods – an urban fantasy tale of finding your place, taking charge of your fate, and discovering answers. Your choices will change the endings, as well as the path you take to get there. A compelling story of hope, self-discovery, and forging your path. Find Your Voice “Adventure, love, and songs await! Charm, negotiate, or strong-arm your way through their world as Grace, playing through original, fully interactive musical numbers composed by Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory, Tripod (musicians Scott Edgar, Steven Gates, and Simon Hall) and Eurovision Australia’s own Montaigne (Jess Cerro). Fully orchestrated and performed by an all-star cast, you’ll feel as though you’re right there on the stage. With thousands of potential variations based on your choices, you’ll craft the soundtrack to your own one of a kind musical experience. Find Answers “Choice and consequence built from the DNA of RPGs – no two playthroughs are the same. Delve into a hidden world of mythic Greek gods and monsters as you get to know a cast of hilarious, enigmatic, and compelling characters. Forget what you know about these mythological beings – in Stray Gods you’ll forge friendships and find foes with many familiar names, but not so familiar stories. Play as star and stagehand as you determine the story you want to tell through conversation and song. Find Love? “Find friendship, love, or yourself. Build friendships with mortals and Gods alike. Stoke the fires of romance if you so choose – explore, pursue, and confess your love with four potential paramours. Decide who you want to be through every choice. David Gaider’s storytelling and characters come to life with performances by an all-star cast, with the likes of Laura Bailey, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and more cast members across video games, television, and Broadway to be revealed soon. A Whole New World
A musical for video game lovers, and a video game for musical lovers. With all the comedy and tragedy of your favorite stage shows, Stray Gods is a tongue-in-cheek and heartfelt reconception of Greek mythology combining what we love about contemporary musical theater with video games where character and story take center stage. Collaborating with some of the best in music, broadway, television, and games – Stray Gods is a debut not to be missed.”