Eastward

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 105 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 105
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 105
  3. Negative: 24 out of 105

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  1. j4ck_fl4sh_3k
    Jun 22, 2023
    3
    I'd have loved to enjoyed this game, but it was so "story and dialogue heavy" at the top that I couldn't progress. Its an issue that I have with most modern games, namely they want to tell a story rather then giving an experience.

    I cannot stand needing to sit thru bad comedy and over winded text bases speeches, every game I play now seems to have me put the gamepad on my knees for the    I'd have loved to enjoyed this game, but it was so "story and dialogue heavy" at the top that I couldn't progress. Its an issue that I have with most modern games, namely they want to tell a story rather then giving an experience.

    I cannot stand needing to sit thru bad comedy and over winded text bases speeches, every game I play now seems to have me put the gamepad on my knees for the first 30% of the game.

    Graphics look good.    … Expand
  2. evgen6891
    Jun 7, 2023
    8
    Good game. In 25 hours, she only sank a few times in the story and unnecessary running around, but overall very pleasant in terms of pixel art, music and gameplay. The authors put a lot of work into this game.
  3. BlueGuyTalks
    Mar 25, 2023
    9
    With a well-thought-out character ensemble and weapons, Eastward provides accessibility through its puzzles, boss fights, a food-making mini-game, and slice-of-life/mature storytelling.

    FULL REVIEW (CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS): I purchased Eastward in December 2021 and played it in March 2022. After beating the game in January of 2023, I’m proud of what it offered me each time I played    With a well-thought-out character ensemble and weapons, Eastward provides accessibility through its puzzles, boss fights, a food-making mini-game, and slice-of-life/mature storytelling.

    FULL REVIEW (CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS):
    I purchased Eastward in December 2021 and played it in March 2022. After beating the game in January of 2023, I’m proud of what it offered me each time I played it. The art style inside and outside the game is fun and comforting, adding flair and detail to character and setting designs. John and Sam are a delight to play, and I never questioned why John was mute because it never became a clear-cut issue. Every character John and Sam meet has neat quirks because you spend entire chapters alongside them. That’s without mentioning the dark and foreboding MIASMA enveloping everything the game’s setting contains. The empty black space adds tension to each chapter after exploring the game’s world and NPCs. The game’s antagonist, Mother, drives many of the game’s bosses to try and stop you, culminating with Mother fighting John as the final boss.

    As for Eastward’s combat and puzzles, some feel too difficult, whereas others feel too easy. The inconsistency varies depending on the player’s abilities, both with a controller or keyboard and Sam and John’s abilities and weapons. The combat mechanics uses John’s arsenal of a frying pan, a gun, a flamethrower, a cog shooter, and three types of bombs to deal damage and Sam’s small but vital arsenal of telepathy to stop enemies and activate other puzzle elements. However, the puzzles and bosses add a challenge regardless of skill level. It’s especially the case towards the end of the game, bar the final boss if you stock up on food beforehand. There are also a few mini-games to add to the game’s experience. Firstly, it has Earth Born, an entire JRPG inside the game. Secondly, there’s cooking, done via a combination of ingredients, which changes the recipe, and slots, which boosts the health given by the food. It gets a bit tedious after 20+ hours of making more food, but it’s a quaint negative to the experience.

    However, Eastward could have been so much bolder than it is. Its focus on the MIASMA and Mother could be more present than it was, especially in the first couple of chapters. The dynamic between Isabel and Alva could have the same treatment, as their relationship hints at being more romantic, but the game never goes further. The game has more potential than it offers, but it doesn’t mean it’s a waste. I hope the developers have a second crack at something similar to their first outing because streamlining aspects of the story will heighten the experience and create a beautiful adventure. Not everyone will love this game as I do, but that’s a pitfall I’m willing to live with for a story filled with companionship and the determination to deny the end of the world.    … Expand
  4. triadne
    Mar 15, 2023
    7
    Initial impressions, after prologue and fair way into chapter 1. The game has unmistakeable charm and has some engaging gameplay elements that are fundamentally robust. So far though, there are several issues that mar the experience. There are enemies that can drop on your head and there seems to be literally zero sign that it's going to happen. I don't find this to be a satisfyingInitial impressions, after prologue and fair way into chapter 1. The game has unmistakeable charm and has some engaging gameplay elements that are fundamentally robust. So far though, there are several issues that mar the experience. There are enemies that can drop on your head and there seems to be literally zero sign that it's going to happen. I don't find this to be a satisfying 'challenge'. The text sometimes has a tendency to auto advance with very little apparent reason, posing major problems for slower readers. The menu has a very strange arrangement, which can make it confusing to find the item you want to inspect. why aren't the cooking ingredients in the cooking tab for example? why isn't the backpack just on the same tab as quest items? why is the quest screen and the map screen, inbetween the quest items and the backpack? bizarre and nonsensical.
    The pacing also seems really slow so far. despite that, the pace at which I'm collecting quest items seems to suggest the game is really short.
    Other issues... The stuttering. I'm playing on an R7 with a rtx 2080 and 32gb ram. My system should not be struggling with this game.
    when I see electrical cables sparking, I tend to avoid them, yet the game wants you to interact with then, connecting and disconnecting live wires. to say this is irresponsible is an understatement. kids will be playing this.    … Expand
  5. Mahatma_Gramsci
    Feb 6, 2023
    8
    Eastward surprised me for its graphic. Every moves, face and movements are full of details and I loved that. Music is really good , maybe some tracks can be annoying sometimes.The story is simply in the beginning but then, with a beautiful twist that bring the story to an other level.
    The problem is for sure the game play. I had some problems with just two levels in the entire game, the    Eastward surprised me for its graphic. Every moves, face and movements are full of details and I loved that. Music is really good , maybe some tracks can be annoying sometimes.The story is simply in the beginning but then, with a beautiful twist that bring the story to an other level.
    The problem is for sure the game play. I had some problems with just two levels in the entire game, the boss fight are unique and wonderful but too easy. I'm sure Pixpil will do great things in the future. Is a developer that has so much potential. My heart, after the ending so sad, tell me to give 9 but i know that game play is too weak.
    I hope everyone can overcome on some slow story telling and easy game play. This game is a pearl.    … Expand
  6. krutoj
    Dec 12, 2022
    0
    This game is really beautiful and in the beginning it develops an interesting kind of charme. But the gameplay completely destroys it. Especially when the time based trial and error stuff in chapter 2 starts. Unfortunately this game is just style over substance.
  7. DelTorro
    Dec 11, 2022
    5
    Beautiful pixel art and decent music. The combat is fine, it has an old school appeal to me. But, the story and cutscenes are maddenly boring and long.
  8. Mandulum
    Oct 13, 2022
    4
    I was excited to play Eastward. It looked gorgeous. Unfortunately, the rest of the game is boring. After 7 hours it has lost my interested. The combat is rather repetitive and the story is moving at a snails pace.

    Date Dropped: 2022-10-12
    Playtime: 7h
    Enjoyment: 4/10
    Recommendation: Nah
  9. saifkhay
    Aug 12, 2022
    10
    Gorgeous art
    Badass characters
    Loveable Sound design
    Zelda BOTW cooking style
  10. HolyFoxx
    Jul 30, 2022
    7
    Eastward can be better.
    Firstly, I really like this graphic of the game. It is the most amazing pixel graphic I played. Storytelling is okay but it's so much cutscenes, which makes game boring. And gameplay is so weak, making me more bored.
    I hope dev will make more better game in the future.
  11. tremault
    Feb 24, 2022
    7
    Initial impressions, after prologue and fair way into chapter 1. The game has unmistakeable charm and has some engaging gameplay elements that are fundamentally robust. So far though, there are several issues that mar the experience. There are enemies that can drop on your head and there seems to be literally zero sign that it's going to happen. I don't find this to be a satisfyingInitial impressions, after prologue and fair way into chapter 1. The game has unmistakeable charm and has some engaging gameplay elements that are fundamentally robust. So far though, there are several issues that mar the experience. There are enemies that can drop on your head and there seems to be literally zero sign that it's going to happen. I don't find this to be a satisfying 'challenge'. The text sometimes has a tendency to auto advance with very little apparent reason, posing major problems for slower readers. The menu has a very strange arrangement, which can make it confusing to find the item you want to inspect. why aren't the cooking ingredients in the cooking tab for example? why isn't the backpack just on the same tab as quest items? why is the quest screen and the map screen, inbetween the quest items and the backpack? bizarre and nonsensical.
    The pacing also seems really slow so far. despite that, the pace at which I'm collecting quest items seems to suggest the game is really short.
    Other issues... The stuttering. I'm playing on an R7 with a rtx 2080 and 32gb ram. My system should not be struggling with this game.
    when I see electrical cables sparking, I tend to avoid them, yet the game wants you to interact with then, connecting and disconnecting live wires. to say this is irresponsible is an understatement. kids will be playing this.    … Expand
  12. Welkinz
    Feb 19, 2022
    6
    The art and music are so good, which stressed more about how weak the storyline is. Many plots just doesn't make sense. Combat also isn't much fun either.
  13. pmasterfunk
    Feb 3, 2022
    6
    I like Eastward. I wish I could give it a 10/10, but it has a bunch of niggling issues that really bring down its mathematically analyzed score.

    The game is beautiful. It has some of the best pixel art I've ever seen, and I think it sets a new standard for the style. Animations are fluid, lighting effects are breathtaking, character sprites are expressive and charming, locations are    I like Eastward. I wish I could give it a 10/10, but it has a bunch of niggling issues that really bring down its mathematically analyzed score.

    The game is beautiful. It has some of the best pixel art I've ever seen, and I think it sets a new standard for the style. Animations are fluid, lighting effects are breathtaking, character sprites are expressive and charming, locations are detailed and varied, enemy designs are simple yet effective. 13/10

    The dialogue is great, and it's impossible to not become attached to the plethora of wacky characters in the game. 11/10

    The music is pretty good, but I find the widely varying styles to be a bit distracting. Going from an orchestrated track to full-on chiptune is a bit odd. Still I think the music is solid. 8/10

    The action is mostly classic Zelda-like, with a main swinging attack, and some sub-weapons like bombs. Generally, the gameplay is fun, and some dungeons often have engaging puzzle sections. However, late in the game some basic mechanics get real testy. The main characters don’t get knocked back when hit, and enemies mostly bee-line for them, so when they get hit, enemies just stay on top of them, and once the invincibility window closes BAM! Another hit. Sounds pretty standard, but the enemies' walking speed is often quite a bit higher than the playable characters, so it’s hard to move away, and the invincibility window is EXTREMELY short, so the hits start piling on real fast. Also, lots of late game mooks take tons of hits to kill, over 10 for many of them. This makes fighting them mostly unfun. John's regular attack has a very short hitbox, and it also has a very long cooldown time before he can move, so once you start swinging you don't really want to stop, so I ended up mashing the attack button once I was in a somewhat decent position. I also found hit detection a bit frustrating with some of the smaller enemies. These problems aren't really present in the first half of the game, so for a good chunk of Eastward is fairly unchallenging, and then all of a sudden feces gets real and it's kinda frustrating. Dungeon design is really good thankfully. 6/10 for general gameplay

    Story- and plot-wise I feel like the game has some issues. It's fairly episodic, and I never felt like our heroes had much agency, mostly going from one place to the next either at random or because of outside forces. The pacing of the story can take sharp turns into filler-town when going from chapter to chapter, and that can lead to some odd tonal shifts. The game gets quite dark at times, but then swaps to a really cheery mood and we don’t have a chance to really sit in those dark vibes. Some of the lighter filler is quite good, however (chapter 6 is great).

    Some "main quest" stuff involves walking all the way to one end of the map, having a mostly pointless conversation, then walking all the way back to the start point, only to be sent back to the other end of the map again. Said maps aren't usually that big, but it's still boring. Having finished the game in just about 25 hours (not 100%), there are still many unknowns to me about the story. I am not averse to open-ended stories, but here it feels like lack or foresight. I can't really say what any character's motivations are beyond "be a good guy" and "be a bad guy". There is no moral dilemma to any of the decisions our heroes make. I know what the bad guys’ aim is, but I don't know why. I don’t understand the relationships between a bunch of characters.

    If the story had made me ponder my own humanity or mortality, I wouldn't really care about the previous points, but it doesn't do that. The premise is really interesting, but it seems like a waste of a setup for a bunch of thinly-related events that don't really offer any overarching theme or questions. 4 out of "Themes are for 8th-grade book reports"

    Within the world of the game, there is a playable arcade game (yo dawg I heard you like video games), called EarthBorn. It’s a short, dumb, frustrating take on old school Dragon Quest games. I love it. 9/10

    Ultimately, after finishing the game I'm not really interested in a second playthrough. It is by no means a bad game, in fact it has many great attributes, namely its visuals, sound, and dialog. It's super charming. The action isn't terrible, but it really isn't worth writing home about. The fact that the story is weak kinda ruins it for me. If it had been a tale of human hubris - which is what the premise kinda implies - I'd have taken all the garbage with it and given this a 10. If it had a New Game+ game, where I could try and find all the chests and recipes I'd missed, I'd give it an 8. But starting a new save file from scratch? Groan. *Edit: an update now allows chapter select, though it's not working with my file right now.*

    You'll probably have to forgive me for my poor math skills, but I give Eastward a [YMS.org voice] 6 out of 10, closer to a 7 than a 5, bye [/YMS.org voice]    … Expand
  14. Matte090
    Dec 14, 2021
    10
    This game is one of my favorite game genres, so I rate it very highly. After all, the plot touches me and the graphics are very nice and I don't mind when there's a bunch of miscellaneous stories because a lot of it is related to the plot helps me understand the story better.
  15. Ivan97
    Dec 14, 2021
    3
    Noioso e inutile, un walking simulator, delusione del 2021, mi aspettavo di meglio per il suo bellissimo art style
  16. Nashty208
    Nov 30, 2021
    1
    Felt like it would have be a good game, but it doesn't let you do anything creative. Follow story, go to next town, get more hearts, next town, more hearts. Long dialogue, slow pacing. Beautiful artwork and characters. I quit after 3rd town. Based on reviews it gets even slower. It could have been something, but it is not.
  17. SpookyCalhoun
    Nov 29, 2021
    10
    My favorite game of 2021. Beautiful art with an engaging storyline, charming characters, and well constructed classic adventure game style combat and puzzles.
  18. koala_kid
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    Wow what a charming game!!! It reminds me on Secret of Evermore, Final Fantasy VI and old Zelda games. The music is amazing as well as the likeable characters and sweet world design. The pixel art makes me smile and gives me some unforgettable nostalgic feelings - I absolutely adore this game!!
  19. bitlcs
    Nov 12, 2021
    10
    If you used to play top-down Zelda-like games and love them, you can't miss this game.
  20. hamik17594
    Nov 9, 2021
    2
    Every time Eastward has the opportunity to do something interesting, it will instead do something boring and predictable - and it will do it at half the slowest speed you could possibly imagine tolerating.
  21. ronadi7368
    Nov 2, 2021
    2
    It's hard to overstate just how underwhelming Eastward truly is. If you've never read a story, seen pixel art, or played a video game, maybe there is something in here for you. If not, prepare to be disappointed.
  22. lolhhh
    Oct 29, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. gorgeous art style and heartwarming story also good cooking mechanics character are all memorable and there is a 8 bit game within the game the game also has decent length definitely a favorite game for me… Expand
  23. Krysta
    Oct 26, 2021
    7
    This game feels like the developers one day wanted to make a big pot of soup, but they could never agree on what the soup would taste like, so each one was throwing random ingredients there to see what came out. This is how the story feels like a total disaster after the first chapter. What's the point of having a game that looks good, sounds good, and has simple but engaging gameplay, butThis game feels like the developers one day wanted to make a big pot of soup, but they could never agree on what the soup would taste like, so each one was throwing random ingredients there to see what came out. This is how the story feels like a total disaster after the first chapter. What's the point of having a game that looks good, sounds good, and has simple but engaging gameplay, but the plot of the game doesn't work?… Expand
  24. razi3l13
    Oct 22, 2021
    9
    The game has brilliant art, probably one of the best looking 2d games out there.
    Really great soundtrack.
    A great blend of action/puzzles, but the puzzles are on the easier side.
    Good story and atmosphere.
    Definitely the best indie game I've played this year.
  25. sounosuke
    Oct 19, 2021
    10
    I'm Japanese, but I'm sad that this game experience wasn't made by Japanese people.
    Why can't Japanese people make such a good work?
    It was a game work that made me happy as a Japanese person.
  26. pahoxa
    Oct 13, 2021
    0
    Beyond the gorgeous anime-inspired opening sequence Eastward is shockingly devoid of personality. It might be the worst-paced game I've ever played.
  27. Warrior_Crixus
    Oct 5, 2021
    10
    For a game developed by 3 students from Shanghai: Their first debut game is absolutely fantastic! As a huge fan of the Mother (Earthbound) series: I really felt the strong resemblance in artform and style here.

    The music was produced by the same guy who did the music for Unfinished Swan, Death Stranding and the upcoming Halo: Infinite. Great sounding memorable tracks in this game!    For a game developed by 3 students from Shanghai: Their first debut game is absolutely fantastic! As a huge fan of the Mother (Earthbound) series: I really felt the strong resemblance in artform and style here.

    The music was produced by the same guy who did the music for Unfinished Swan, Death Stranding and the upcoming Halo: Infinite. Great sounding memorable tracks in this game!

    The story itself while not as touching perhaps as Earthbound was is still one that I'll remember for years to come!

    People complaining about too much dialog... I didn't find it annoying at all personally. I would wholeheartedly recommend this title! It even launched at a very fair price point!    … Expand
  28. NFTLINS
    Sep 30, 2021
    0
    The story has a lot of problems and It was very frustrating... I just left the game.
  29. webeda2748
    Sep 29, 2021
    0
    Painstakingly slow. Interminably long text crawls with no personality or wit. Little to do and what there is to do is duller than watching paint try. Lingering scenes that weren't worth starting in the first place. Hand holding through gameplay sequences that would have been woefully outdated 20 years ago. Each character has one personality trait which never grows, changes, or deepens atPainstakingly slow. Interminably long text crawls with no personality or wit. Little to do and what there is to do is duller than watching paint try. Lingering scenes that weren't worth starting in the first place. Hand holding through gameplay sequences that would have been woefully outdated 20 years ago. Each character has one personality trait which never grows, changes, or deepens at any point in the game.… Expand
  30. cociv28082
    Sep 29, 2021
    0
    Shallow, uneven, unrewarding, unimaginative, and by-the-numbers (except where a by-the-numbers approach would have benefited the player experience). The writing and character work is lazy and stereotype-heavy and never rises above the level of 'placeholder characters in a placeholder story'. The gameplay feels like an afterthought; something the developers slapped on the game in the lastShallow, uneven, unrewarding, unimaginative, and by-the-numbers (except where a by-the-numbers approach would have benefited the player experience). The writing and character work is lazy and stereotype-heavy and never rises above the level of 'placeholder characters in a placeholder story'. The gameplay feels like an afterthought; something the developers slapped on the game in the last few hours before release. The art would almost be interesting to look at, except there's nothing interesting to do, no-one interesting to interact with, and so every map area is ultimately just a still image. In that regard, Eastward is about as entertaining as scrolling through a Google image search of "moody pixel art." Finally, the music: it's pretty nice. It'd be nice music for a nice game. As it stands, it's like a nice salad dressing poured over a bowl of gravel.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best PC Game of 2021
54
#54 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Gamersky
    Dec 2, 2021
    85
    Excellent pixel art, profound plot and deep story background, as well as the complementation of puzzle solving and combat, make Eastward an excellent work worth experiencing.
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  2. IGN Japan
    Nov 16, 2021
    70
    Eastward’s action and puzzles play things a bit too much by the book, the plot and storytelling don’t really come together, and the dialogue lacks wit. But even with so many negative aspects, the top-notch pixel art is true craftsmanship. These wonderful graphics were enough for me to push through, and perhaps you will too.
    Read full review
  3. Checkpoint Gaming
    Oct 29, 2021
    90
    Eastward is truly a gem of the pixel adventure-RPG genre. It is plain as day that Pixpil poured their affections for this genre into making this game. They’ve provided fluid and expressive animation rarely seen in pixel games, lively characters, quirky writing, and catchy chiptune soundtracks. It is visually enticing from the beginning and will continue to keep you hooked until you are satisfied with unravelling its narrative. Eastward has easily taken its place as my favourite game of this year. I highly encourage lovers of pixel JRPGs to try this game out for yourselves. John and Sam will cook you up a satisfying adventure you will want to devour whole.
    Read full review
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