It can be a bit of a slow burn in the beginning, but it uses that time well to establish the world and the people who live in it. The story and gameplay feed into each other.Įastward is filled with tropes, referential humor, and a level of wackiness that some people may find off-putting, but there’s unmistakeable charm here. It’s also worth noting that the game rewards you for talking to people, usually by giving you a heart orb or some other prize. So her magic is useful for puzzle solving, holding enemies in place, and so on. Sam, on the other hand, is limited as a child, but very helpful. Which is shown in his multipurpose weaponry and his signature pan. John is a bit of a blunt instrument, but very adaptable. One thing that took me by surprise was how the story interacted with the gameplay. Whitewhale Bay, a city to the East of the Potrock Isle Old, but Well Told I really started caring about the people in this world, and interaction of that level is what made a story I’ve seen a thousand times before feel fresh again. It’s an absolute joy to watch these characters talk to each other, to the point that I went out of my way to talk to as many NPCs as I could. I haven’t seen character interaction like this in quite a while, and it makes a world of difference. But, the real strength of Eastward isn’t in the story itself, it’s in the telling. This probably all sounds pretty familiar if you’ve played video games or watched anime before. Little do they know, the Miasma is waiting. Her wish is granted, and she and John embark on an odyssey of discovery, friendship, fun, and tragedy. However, she’s plagued with visions of the surface and desperately wants to go there. The young girl, Sam, becomes his daughter in that very video game way of neither of them saying it out loud. John, the top digger in the underground city of Potrock Isle, finds a young, magical girl floating in a vat. The story of Eastward isn’t anything new. I desperately wanted to help nearly everyone I came across! It’s a silly, yet tragic, ultimately wholesome experience that I’d recommend to anyone! Eastward is available for purchase on the Nintendo eStore and Steam for $24.99.ģ) Audio & Visuals – An East for the Eyes Story – The Best in the East Trope on a Rope
This was the first time in a long time that a game made me feel for its characters. Normally, that wouldn’t be my jam, but they are done so well that I was hooked.
But please note, I don’t think this game is for everyone. Stellar writing, simple but polished gameplay, gorgeous visuals, and sound design all come together here spectacularly!Īs you may have guessed by now, I’m going to be recommending Eastward. There are flaws, but I loved every minute of it. It’s a really wonderful thing when you find a game you love, but it genuinely felt like Eastward was made specifically for me. It’s also secured itself as one of my favorite games. It'll also be on GOG and Humble, though doesn't appear to have a page on either store just yet.Eastward is an action-adventure roleplaying game, developed by Pixpil, that I picked up on the Nintendo Switch recently.
If you're in for a bit of retro apocalypse, you'll find Eastward on Steam for £22/$25 on September 16th. Eastward calls itself inspired by the likes of Mother and The Legend of Zelda, which you can certainly feel in a recent gameplay video.Įastward's retro flair tunes and old RPG stylings also earned it a place on RPS's list of most anticipated indie games of 2021. Sam, meanwhile, has two different stamina bars: one for her normal energy attacks that replenishes over time and one for her magical abilities that needs to be refilled with magical orbs by breaking pots or defeating enemies.Īside from combat, you'll also use Sam and John to solve puzzles, sometimes sticking together and other times splitting up. John's guns and bombs are a finite resource that you'll need to stay stocked on when fighting baddies. You'll have to manage different resources for each of them. You'll control both Sam and John, using Sam's telekinetic powers in combination with John's more earthly options like frying pans and flame throwers. Pixpil get into other specifics like Eastward's combat in their devlogs. Today's trailer is a mostly moody affair featuring some of those stylish environments and the swell tunes.