EASTWARD REVIEW – PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD(SWITCH)
Pixpil’s action-adventure RPG Eastward blew my mind recently. It’s a well-told story with great gameplay and stunning visuals. The soundtrack is amazing. What more can I ask for? Although it may not be right for everyone, I will definitely be returning to Eastward in the near future!
Eastward , an action-adventure game developed by Pixpil that I recently bought for the Nintendo Switch, is . It is also one of my favourite games. It’s wonderful to find a game that you love. But Eastward felt just right for you. Although there are some flaws, I enjoyed every moment of it. This game is a masterpiece of stellar writing, beautiful visuals and great sound design.
You may have guessed that I will be recommending Eastward. Please note that this game may not be for everyone. For a start, it’s quite cutscene heavy. It wouldn’t normally be my thing, but the cutscenes are so good that I was hooked. I felt for the characters this game was the first time I had done so in a while. Nearly everyone I met wanted my help! It was a funny, but tragic, but ultimately wonderful experience that I would recommend to everyone! Eastward can be purchased on the Nintendo eStore or Steam for $24.99.
STORY – THE BEST OF THE EAST
TROPE ON A ROPE
Eastward‘s story is not new. John, the best digger in Potrock Isle’s underground city, discovers a young, magical girl in a vat. Sam, a young girl from Potrock Isle, is made his daughter. She is plagued by visions of the surface, and she longs to get there. John grants her wish and she embarks on an adventure of discovery, friendship and fun that will bring about tragedy. They don’t know that the Miasma awaits them.
If you have ever watched anime or played video games, this probably sounds familiar. Eastward‘s true strength is not in the story, but in the telling. It’s something I haven’t seen in a long time, and it makes all the difference. It is a joy to see these characters interact with each other. I even went to great lengths to speak to as many NPCs possible. It was then that I began to care about the people of this world. This interaction made stories I’d seen many times feel fresh again.
Old, but well-told
I was surprised at how the story interacted in the game. Particularly with John and Sam. John can be a bit blunt, but he is very adaptable. This is evident in his multipurpose weapons and signature pan. Sam is a limited child but very useful. Her magic can be used to solve puzzles, hold enemies in place, etc. You will also be rewarded for speaking to people by the game, usually with a heart orb and other prizes. Story and gameplay are interconnected.
Eastward has a lot of tropes and referential humor. Some people might find this a bit off-putting. However, there is an unmistakeable charm to it. Although it can take a while to get going in the beginning it makes good use of that time to build the world and those who live there. Eastward delivers the goods, as I have said. From start to finish, I was hooked. Even in weaker chapters, even if a joke didn’t work, I wanted to know what the next chapter would bring. I don’t know of any other way to measure a good story.
GAMEPLAY – PANTASTICLY POLISHED
FUN IS IN THE EAST
We hope you enjoy Zelda game. Pixpil is sure to. Eastward combines action-adventure gameplay with multipurpose weapons, environmental puzzle-solving and boss fights. You can also find big chests that contain a collectible item, which will give you more hearts. The fun stuff happens when you switch between John and Sam. Sam’s magic doesn’t hurt enemies but stuns them for some time, which allows John to get some hits without taking any point-of-contact injury. It’s used for puzzles that also make use tandem gameplay.
The gameplay was the least enjoyable part of Eastward. But it is actually quite fun. Although the puzzles aren’t difficult, the game teaches the mechanics very well and provides all the visual information. Many boss fights can be described as puzzles, which provides a nice counterbalance to the lack in difficulty. It’s quick and easy to switch between characters and weapons. I also love the way that the game world opens up once you find another use for a weapon. It’s a polished experience.
BUT SETS FOR BEST
However, this is where the majority of the problems are. This game is very cutscene heavy, as I mentioned before. The gameplay serves as a vehicle to tell the story. Although it works well on its own, some players may be annoyed by how often it is interrupted. Also, the Switch version crashes quite often. This is not a problem, Eastward meticulously autosaves. However, it can be annoying to see a cutscene twice or fight a boss twice. It can be difficult to aim. Although the game isn’t too difficult, it requires precision, which would be much easier with a keyboard and mouse.
These problems wouldn’t have been as noticeable if the rest were not so great. This is the problem with reviewing games you love. The more something is perfected, the more it looks bad. Every part of the game was enjoyable to me, although some parts were less fun than others. It was in line with the tone they wanted, allowed the story progress at a good speed, and looked great. Eastward is a great example of simple but well-executed gameplay.
AUDIO AND VISUALS – A CENTER FOR THE EYES
Eastward serves a feast according to the old saying “You eat with your eyes first.” This game is stunning! This game is 16-bit in style and clearly inspired by a few Ghibli films. It took my breath away. It was amazing how expressive the characters were. They were full of personality. I was drawn back by the story, but a part of me wanted to play just to see the next incredible view. Each character is unique, easy to identify, and pleasant to look at. No complaints!
Eastward surprised me yet again by being a game that I didn’t muet once. Although I have a tendency to reduce the volume to focus, I found the music to be too soothing. It’s brilliant! The music kept me engaged during the action scenes. It added a new dimension to tragedies. It made every city feel unique. You might find some of the sounds annoying, such as the 16-bit dialogue box doots. For me, there isn’t one thing I would change.
SUMMARY: The biggest challenge in trying to score a great game is knowing what it deserves. Eastward is not without its problems, but I think it would be a great game for many people. But, the best way to judge if an art piece is good or bad is to look at how it engages your mind. Three days straight, I couldn’t put Eastward down. Nearly everyone who I spoke to about it said that they’ve never seen me so excited about anything in a long while. It was possible that it was in the right spot at the right moment, but it was a great experience! Try it! You might love it as much as we do!Callum Davis is a South African-based writer who is somewhat cynical but generally friendly. He has a passion about video games and the industry that makes them. Callum loves platformers, stealth games and RPGs, but he also has a love for platformers. He is fond of any game that tells a story or offers fun gameplay. In his spare time, he hosts the podcast Byte Marx. He enjoys a good cup of tea and can make egg fried rice from leftovers.
