The boss battles do well in introducing engaging battle puzzles of their own but otherwise Eastward feels like I’m just moving from story beat to story beat. Upgrades feel superficial and the combat falls flat. This is both a testament to its strong writing but also a statement to shallow mechanisms. While there isn’t too much in the way of gameplay mechanics, the story was compelling enough to drive me towards its ultimately satisfying conclusion. Truth be told, I’m not sure if the weapons need to be that deep. Other weapons can be acquired, but nothing that deep. Other than that, there isn’t much as far as a progression besides paying for upgrades or carrying capacity. It wears its influences on its sleeve and isn’t shy about it. Also with its story, allusions can be made to Last of Us but in a lighter pixel art tone. No, seriously: this includes red and yellow hearts with specific food buffs. Upgrades are also available to do more damage with your weapons, increase inventory space and even a cooking system that looks and acts suspiciously like Breath of the Wild. The difficulty is relatively low in both accounts as I died only a handful of times throughout my play and was rarely stumped for too long on puzzles. Puzzle sections split up the duo, forcing you to swap back and forth to allow the other to proceed. John uses weapons like a pan or flamethrower to fight off enemies while Sam can use her mysterious light powers to stun. There are dungeon sections as well that have you switching between John and Sam to use their own unique specialties.
It’s not necessarily on railsdefinitely trying to tell its own specific narrative. This is all accompanied by a catchy dystopian chiptune soundtrack that punctuates every scene.Īs far as playing Eastward, it’s a straightforward narrative game as you move from quest marker to quest marker exploring more of the world and seeing what interactions you can find. The landscapes change from dreary dark mines to bright blue skies, which makes for striking contrasts. These characters are rendered in a cartoon art style that is playful but doesn’t downplay the story when things get serious. Not to take away from our protagonists but everyone shines here, from the lovable knucklehead explorer Izzy and her robot sidekick to the bumbling mayor of the underground. Interacting with each person you meet fills the world with even more rich backstory. Each interaction is well written and conversations feel authentic to even the most minimal bit players.
#EASTWARD SWITCH FULL#
While John and Sam are the focal points, the game is filled with full fleshed-out side characters that fill what feels like a realized world. Onward they travel by train helping new and fascinating people along the way. The surface is actually a thriving post apocalypse filled with bustling cities, farming villages, and a deadly miasma that threatens to destroy all of civilization. After their apparent exile from their home to the surface, they find that it isn’t exactly as damning as initially foretold. While they are content in their daily routines, they soon become entwined in a mystery regarding the above world where Sam really came from. John is a silent gruff miner in an underground town that discovered and adopted a child in Sam. This story weaves mystery with discovery and encourages you to tag along as our heroes trek Eastward.
Their journey is a narrative adventure riding the rails to unexpected locales and meeting a cavalcade of interesting characters. You play as John and Sam, an unlikely duo from a mining town underground. We’ve seen our share of post apocalypses in the last decade but rarely have they come with the sense of spirit and personality as Eastward, the debut offering from Pixpil.
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