I would have appreciated either a harder difficulty in the form of better hidden treasure or harder puzzles. I love a good challenge, and backtracking to collect potential loot was minimal, but there were too many times where the answer was obvious but the route was too long. I will say, however, that the puzzles, although well-constructed on a conceptual level to solidify new skills, routinely overstayed their welcome. Each city has its own uniquely involved culture, and spending time talking to each inhabitant opens up a well-lived in community that feels deeper than a first glance gave it credit for.Įastward doesn’t commit a lot of crimes - for a game that instantly reminded me of a wonderfully fluid mix of Earthbound, Miyazaki movies, and Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, it’s hard for me to find fault in the unabashed whimsy borrowed from beloved inspirations. In this current-apocalyptic setting, it’d be easy to think it’s all doom and gloom, but surface-level citizens seem to be keeping their spirits up enough. John and Sam’s adventures take them all over a decaying world, where the population is slowly declining due to a deadly toxin that is slowly spreading over the face of the Earth. Those skills slowly, slowly build upon each other as the game progresses, the zone of proximal development shifting and shrinking accordingly as time goes on. For example, John will have just a frying pan and bombs at his disposal early on, which will allow him to fling bombs across crevasses to kill enemies and unlock doors. On occasion, the pair will be separated, their respective skills allowing them to move forward depending on the puzzles presented. John and Sam act as a team throughout their adventures, with John leading and Sam following closely behind more often than not. Bound and determined to see for herself what lies beyond, Sam helps John realize there’s more to life than digging, and take a step towards the sun.Įastward is broken up into several chapters, with each chapter comprised of puzzles, enemies, boss battles, and plenty of story via interacting with NPCs and each other alike.
Suddenly, a gigantic robot blocks John’s path forward, and after beating it, Sam realizes she has powers that can aid her in her quest to reach the surface. Aimed with a trusty, rusty frying pan, he bats away slugs, man-eating plants, and enormous flies to find Sam at an open door, freedom within her grasp. Of course, it’s dangerous to go alone, so John follows in pursuit, only to be impeded by puzzles and enemies galore. After all, no one has seen it before, and fantasists are definitely going to go to Charon for their lies.īut Sam persists, heading to the Forbidden Land that connects to the surface. Most of the cave-dwellers all accepted Sam for the sweetheart that she is, but some snooty higher-ups have barred her access to education and have even accused her of lying about the beauty of the surface world. Of course, he’s considered the best digger because he discovered Sam in the cavernous caves, a mysterious young girl with snow white hair and a heart of gold.
John, being the best digger in the entire subterranean society, commands a limited amount of respect amongst his neighbors.
#EASTWARD METACRITIC PC#
Available on PC and Switch, Eastward has players taking on the role of silent protagonist John and the young, sweet Sam as they “discover delightful towns, strange creatures and even stranger people! Wield a trusty frying pan and mystic powers on an adventure into the unknown…” With a gorgeous soundtrack composed by Joel Corelitz ( Halo Infinite, Death Stranding, Unfinished Swan) and whimsical pixel art animation that will hearken back to SNES memories of yesteryear, Eastward is inviting and exciting, familiar and fresh, and a fantastic callback to its inspirations while being its own entity.Įastward opens up on John and Sam in the city of Potcrock Isle, an underground village with a well-established culture and hierarchy. That’s what developer Pixpil and Publisher Chucklefish want you to chew on while playing Eastward, players journeying through a society on the brink of collapse. But to really capture its essence… has it truly been done? And can it be done at all?
#EASTWARD METACRITIC SERIES#
Perhaps it’s not for lack of trying - after all, those are some pretty big shoes to fill, and there are indeed a ton of titles released every year that state the stellar series is their inspiration. For how beloved Earthbound/Mother is, there’s a surprising dearth of games that truly, wholeheartedly embrace and embody that spirit and style.
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