The EastWard main characters John and Sam live in a substrate community in which one learns the World Above , that is the Oberwelt, early to fear. In the course of the game, you explore the native cave, learns of all sorts of secrets and, of course, goes to the outside world sometime; However, it is very different than in the stories.
Atmospheric world with exciting figures
Rarely was pixel graphics as expressive as in Eastward. This is due to the masterful use of light and shadow, which gives the game a bit ominous in witty moments. On the other hand in the great detail: the film posters in John s caravan, the dripping shower, the graffiti on the walls - such trifles reward every exploration tour and make the world of Eastward alive and credible.
Here you can watch Eastward in the Gameplay Trailer:
The relationship between the silent John and his supernaturally gifted drawdaughter, the lively Sam, is the heart of the game. The two lives in Portrock Isle, a tackled, underground mining city, in which life is colder and merciless, as the cute figures suspect. Here is fled, blasphemed and drunk. The underground city is a pleasant variety of common dystopia clichés; The rough atmosphere is not caused by strained pseudocool 80s vibes, but by real tensions between the figures.
My frying pan and me
Contrary to all warnings Sam wants to see the world above with his own eyes. At some point, the inhabitants of Portrock Isle have enough of the freelancer and banish them and John to the surface. And the adventure begins.
The game principle is strongly reminiscent of the classic 2D-Zeldas. You explore the area, do small tasks for quirky characters, gets useful items and fight them through dungeons. There it is teeming in front of small, annoying opponents such as giant flying or mutated nudibranchs, which are usually done with few blows. In the dungeons, you will find new weapons, actuated switches, defeated a boss at the end and earns another heart. The beautiful thing: Eastward adds this proven formula a lot of own personality and takes himself wonderfully on the shovel and the role models. Instead of sword and shield John is armed for example with a frying pan.
First, you play John and Sam alternately, after about an hour you can then change between the two. John is coming up stush on opponents while Sam freezes her with the help of her psychocinese forces. Creativity is rewarded - her fails monster with Sam s forces, switches over to John and then succumbed to the mistvers with him.
Even for solving puzzles, teamwork is inevitable: For example, Sam clears out of the way for John to rise to a switch, which in turn opens the door. It is amazing how fluid the change of John works to Sam and how different both figures still feel: John is heavy and sluggish with dull steps, Sam, on the other hand, slightly, noiseless, almost floating - a wonderful interplay of animation and sound design.
Too often, however, she stands in front of simple switches, which hits us to the neck after 35 years of Zelda. Too often, the solution of a puzzle is a simple recharge between John and Sam. And too often, you march without challenge through the dungeons, as the fighting feels good, but never really demanding. We would have wished for more innovative. Respect in front of Zelda is good and beautiful, but Eastward also takes over the dusty aspects of the series.
A successful homage with its own touch
However, the really special about Eastward is the small and unerring story that tells it in this postalapalypt setting. Sam wants to go to school and dreams of the world outside the caves. Her father John is resigned and wants to protect his drawer in front of the dangers of the world. The game takes a lot of time to work out this relationship and moves the quiet moments to the foreground. John and Sam are real people and no superheroes: As Sam we wait afraid of John s bedside bed.
As John we accompany Sam for her first day of school. This is staged atmospherically, but the many dialogues interrupt the play flow. There is no voice output, only speech bubbles. However, this texture relieves the game often takes the atmosphere. The world is as expressive that you do not really need the many dialogues. The landscape details tell the story much more subtle; The subway, which must serve as a tacked school, says, for example, a lot about the pragmatic survival of the inhabitants of Portrock Isle. Caution: The game is currently only available in English!
Eastward is a deep breach of classics like Earthbound, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and Zelda. Despite slow game rhythm and monotonous puzzles: with very own charm, atmospheric pixel graphics and a sensitive father-daughter history, Eastward breaks up many dystopia clichés and creates its own world full of secrets and loving details.
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