Transistor

After completing the game I almost instantly returned to it for another 9 hours of New Game+ and after I’m done with it I’ll do 9 more. Or maybe twice as much. [07/2014, p.52]

Breathtaking presentation plus creative combat plus a metaverse of metaphors equals a romance that is brief, but oh so captivating.

Gorgeously rendered and scored, if somewhat hazy when it comes to the actual story. [July 2014, p.54]

A bit abstruse, but beautiful and engaging nonetheless. [Issue#250, p.69]

Gaming gold. It may be short, I clocked my first play through in around 6 hours, but it’s a beautiful 6 hours.

Without being weird and unrecognizable as a video game, Transistor turns many video game tropes on their heads—subtley.

Transistor isn’t perfect, there are issues with the combat system and sometimes the art gets in the way of the combat itself but that isn’t enough to deter this masterful execution of storytelling.

Transistor is no pioneer of the genre, but it is not afraid to be "special". It's a game which squeezes emotions out of you, and which will reward you with its both greatly written and put story, and enjoyable gameplay. This is a must for everyone who seek intense gaming experiences.

It is a wonderful single-player experience, and I highly recommend escaping for a day into the colourful city of Cloudbank.

While I wasn't the biggest Bastion fan, Supergiant had definitely stepped things up with Transistor. Deep, stylish, fulfilling and concise, Transistor can easily be described in terms used for music rather than games—And like a great song, it stays in one's head long after the credits roll.

Deeply atmospheric, featuring gorgeous visuals and a haunting soundtrack, as well as a combat system that serves as both a blessing and a curse, Transistor is most definitely not a blockbuster for everyone, in the sense that Bastion was. What we have here, is a deeply unapologetic sci-fi noir drama, that carves its own path through the dimly lit, fractalised, non-universe of Cloudbank. It will not hold your hand but it will richly reward those willing to work for its mysteries.

Strip away all of Transistor's cool neon-noir sci-fi trappings and the game's a love story between a woman and a sword.

From its combat mechanics and customisation, to the narrative and the visually orgasmic art-style, this is an experience to be savoured, to lock yourself away in the confines of your gaming boudoir and revel in its luxurious design and perfection.

While it doesn’t quite live up to the magnificent standard set by Supergiant’s previous game Bastion, Transistor still makes its mark with deep gameplay and an engrossing story.

A mysterious and futuristic trip with a strong narrative, superb atmosphere and strategic battle system. If you look for an A-RPG with a different experience it's definitely here.

This unique blend of action and tactical RPG elements in one, along with the deep level of complexity, finds the combat to be enticing and addictive in its execution.

If you're the exploratory type, you'd do best to direct that particular urge unto Transistor's elegant and stimulating combat system. Just smile past its empty corridors and thinner-than-you'd-like fiction and Red will glowingly smile right back at you.

It isn't a bad story, with plenty of intrigue from its setting and characters. The issue comes in when it tries to take a leap into the realm of allegory, where it never ties itself together thematically in a satisfying way. In that way, Transistor is like a virtual croissant. It is layered and delicious, but there is a lingering airy emptiness to it that makes it hard to fill up on just one.

While it would be hard to call Transistor disappointing, it's also impossible to say that it's as good as Supergiant Games' previous title. If the game had taken more time to explain its story, characters, and world, it probably would have been a more enjoyable experience.

Not all of the game’s bold ideas are entirely successful but in terms of the visuals, music, and storytelling ambition this is one of the most absorbing indie adventures of the year.

Sometimes frustrating in terms of both gameplay and narrative, Transistor manages to be a redolent title with a ton of imagination. While not quite as clever as its presentation suggests, it's a pretty little title that ends on a beautifully bittersweet note.

I recall Bastion feeling far more open ended, offering me a scoring challenge and plenty of incentive to boost the difficulty level. But Transistor commits the cardinal sin of not making me want to keep going. It feels as if it’s ended before it’s over. The new game plus should be the opportunity to flex everything I’ve unlocked and yet here I am using the same tools, with no reason to raise the difficulty because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all it has to offer.

It’s oozing with style and aesthetic charm, and it drew me into its weird and wonderful world immediately. But its beauty is outshined by combat deep enough to sink into for hours and hours. The game’s vision is intoxicating, and its execution is inspired.

A brilliant and rewarding combat system propels a story that never becomes as interesting as it seemingly should.

Transistor is a wildly smart action-RPG that places all of its trust into your intelligence. Nothing from its cyberpunk story rife with mysteries, to its deep combat that encourages experimentation, is ever spelled out for you, which I personally loved.

Despite some reservations with the ending, Transistor is captivating in ways that few other games can manage. It creates a place that we wanted to be a part of, learn more about, and most importantly didn’t want to leave. Transistor isn’t something you’ll forget about immediately after finishing it. Instead, it’s one that you’ll wish you could play again for the first time.

Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in these instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul.

It doesn't really manage to combine brains and entertainment. That's a pity because it could be a great game.

There’s a great game in Transistor, and a deceptive and strange world, and a touching character relationship between Red and the sword, even if it only makes sense once you’ve seen the ending cinematic. But Transistor won’t give you those things up front; you’ll have to earn them. That means putting up with a story that seems meaningless and a battle system that starts out feeling limited to the point of being potentially annoying.

From its surreal setting and enigmatic characters, to its surprising upgrade system and combat, Transistor is a game that is happy to let you discover its charms over time. For players willing to accept a slightly more opaque experience than many games, Transistor offers an escape into a strange and enchanting world.

Enjoy the artful approach to science-fiction, enjoy the hoops Supergiant's jumped through to position you in the right place to engage with its combat, and you can even enjoy the very fact that the game often struggles to get its deeper messages across. After all, if the developer had something straightforward to say, it might not have had to make a game in the first place.

Transistor is another great indie game with awesome visuals, unforgettable OST and great gameplay mechanics.

The new tactical combat is welcome and there's some real enjoyment to be had in tinkering around with all of the available Functions. However, if parts of Bastion left you cold, then you may find the similar structure of Transistor and its themes will have a hard time winning you over.