Stray Gods: Orpheus DLC Deep Look

Stray Gods: Orpheus is emotionally raw and focuses on the idea of writing a new chapter in life, no matter how difficult or scary it may be.

Summerfall Studios’s Stray Gods was easily one of the most memorable games I played in 2023. There is something so original about a choose-your-own-adventure story in song that replaying the game over and over to see the different song options was an addictive experience. I was beyond excited to find out that Orpheus was getting his own DLC adventure, as he left such a powerful impression with only a very brief appearance in Stray Gods. The DLC focuses on Orpheus leaving the underworld to potentially write a new story for himself in the mortal world. The results are an entertaining adventure of everyone’s favourite egomaniac learning that there may be more to his story than he realizes.

The story begins in the underworld, where Charon and Orpheus are playing a game of chess. Bored of his everyday life in the underworld, Orpheus craves a change. It’s then that Hermes appears, offering Orpheus a chance to partake in the mortal world once more, and helping him on a quest to find true love and discover what he has been missing in the mortal realm for hundreds of years. From speed dating to rock concerts, Orpheus and Hermes go on an adventure chock-full of humour and self-discovery.

Once through the door, everything changes…

Stray Gods: Orpheus takes place immediately after the endgame of Stray Gods, so it’s important players have completed the original story to have some additional context as to what is happening here. Given that this story focuses on characters who had a little less screen time, it’s great to see Summerfall Studios give Orpheus and Hermes the spotlight to shine in this bite-sized story, given their limited screen time previously. Now that the Idols are no longer hidden from humankind, it places Orpheus in a unique scenario where he must figure out his new purpose in life, whether finding love or becoming the rock god he knows he is.

Orpheus packs a lot of memorable story beats into its two-hour runtime. One of the best comes from Hermes suggesting that Orpheus consider the idea of speed dating. What ensues is a fantastic song that rhythmically changes based on the decisions that Orpheus makes. From power ballads about ex-boyfriends to techno beats about a tech bro “looking for love,” this whole section is comedy gold and will keep players laughing through all of Orpheus’ horrible encounters. In fact, all of the new songs are fantastically constructed, begging to be replayed just to see all the different decision combinations one can make. “A New Love” is full of humour and heart, while the track “Epilogue” provides all of the rockstar energy that one would expect from the great Orpheus. During that particular track, players can add flute and violin sections in this epic song, which can shift the overall tone of this finale track.

The full rock god energy at its finest.

Since the DLC’s main theme is all about writing a new chapter for oneself, all of the songs have a strong focus on Orpheus dreading the past and learning how to forge a new path. What makes Hermes a great foil for him is the fact that they can show Orpheus how much the world has changed, and how embracing a new world can be inspiring; he does this by escorting Orpheus to different mortal hangouts to meet people. There is a lot of fantastic banter between Orpheus and Hermes, and even some of the more serious moments, such as hanging out with Eros in a tavern, offer an important glimpse into Orpheus’s past and the guilt that he clings to when it comes to Eurydice’s death. The game does a great job of moving between humour and somber moments within its tight runtime.

Much like Grace in the core game, Orpheus will sing songs and the player can make decisions in the moment that can change the genre, lyrics, and overall tone, providing tons of replayability. The decisions Orpheus makes in these songs also affect his relationships with other characters, as well as what ending the player will receive. Players can make Orpheus pathetic, egotistical, or even thoughtful, and all of these personality choices make sense for the character. Anthony Rapp does an amazing job lending his vocals to Orpheus, and embodies all of the songs with emotion and personality, while still adding charm and humour to the overall performance. Erika Ishii delights as Hermes, providing both charming influencer vibes and offering tons of empathy throughout the narrative. Hermes acting as a liaison to the mortal world is fitting, as they can guide Orpheus through this new and scary path.

Finishing Stray Gods: Orpheus reminded me a lot of the early 2000s pop hit, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. The song goes into how all our stories are about finding who we are, even if we’re centuries old. It’s about reaching out into the distance, filling the blank pages with new memories and stories, and finding the words to express who you want to be, not just who you were in the past. Stray Gods: Orpheus is emotionally raw and focuses on the idea of writing a new chapter in life, no matter how difficult or scary it may be. If you adored Stray Gods, this DLC is worth every penny.

Disclosure: This article is based on a copy of the DLC provided by the publisher.