Eastward

 Switch
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 109 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 109
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 109
  3. Negative: 13 out of 109
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  1. Daisuk
    Oct 21, 2021
    6
    It looks absolutely fantastic, and parts of the game are also a joy to play. The game is however hindered a lot by its stop/start-nature, with cut-scenes intruding on the flow and fun of the game far far too often. Given that the story itself is rather lack-luster, in my opinion, this is a pretty grave miss for the game. I played this game for 5-6 hours, I enjoyed probably 30% of it a lot,It looks absolutely fantastic, and parts of the game are also a joy to play. The game is however hindered a lot by its stop/start-nature, with cut-scenes intruding on the flow and fun of the game far far too often. Given that the story itself is rather lack-luster, in my opinion, this is a pretty grave miss for the game. I played this game for 5-6 hours, I enjoyed probably 30% of it a lot, but just couldn't be bothered with the endless cut-scenes in the end, in a game that ultimately just didn't engage me enough.… Expand
  2. Witchearts
    Sep 19, 2021
    10
    A masterclass on pixel art, fantastic soundtrack, and touching storytelling gives Eastward a 10 from me. A wonderful introduction to Pixpil, well worth the wait, and leaves me excited to see what they have for us next!
  3. btmgov
    Sep 18, 2021
    9
    If you loved Earthbound, you will at the very least like, if not become totally consumed by, this game, it's story, and it's characters. Yet another true indie treasure.
  4. Anderstheguy
    Oct 22, 2021
    4
    This game looks amazing. That’s all it’s got going for it. If pressing the A button to advance boringly written and tedious dialogue is your idea of fun, this game is for you! The story is a drag. You get to walk from point a to point b and MAYBE there will be a short puzzle or some combat, but the bulk of this game is story heavy. And it feels like it was written by a juvenile boy. SoThis game looks amazing. That’s all it’s got going for it. If pressing the A button to advance boringly written and tedious dialogue is your idea of fun, this game is for you! The story is a drag. You get to walk from point a to point b and MAYBE there will be a short puzzle or some combat, but the bulk of this game is story heavy. And it feels like it was written by a juvenile boy. So sad. Really wanted to love this game.… Expand
  5. easturd
    Nov 2, 2021
    0
    If you ever thought that music and art are all you need in a video game, Eastward is here to correct you. The music and the art are well-done. Except that they don't support or enhance the story. They don't elevate or inform the gameplay. The story and gameplay aren't in any way informed by the music and art. The story and gameplay are bottom-shelf product that aren't just half-baked butIf you ever thought that music and art are all you need in a video game, Eastward is here to correct you. The music and the art are well-done. Except that they don't support or enhance the story. They don't elevate or inform the gameplay. The story and gameplay aren't in any way informed by the music and art. The story and gameplay are bottom-shelf product that aren't just half-baked but have never even seen the inside of an oven. Eastward really didn't have to have much of a story or even remotely imaginative gameplay to skate past on the strength of its aesthetic; again, it has decent art and music. But the art communicates nothing about the characters and little about the world they live in. The music elevates nothing because there is absolutely nothing going on with any of these characters and none of the tension is well-managed. To say anything about the gameplay is to give it more thought than was given to its creation.… Expand
  6. rrkwarmonger
    Sep 19, 2021
    10
    I've played this game for 4 hours now and I am so hooked
    Everything -gameplay
    -combat
    -visuals
    -soundtrack
    -world -characters
    -puzzles
    -exploration
    Everything is done so masterfully. It's a complete package and worth the price.
  7. keanex
    Dec 28, 2021
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I struggled with giving this a score because I didn't finish the game. I am at 7 hours and am bored out of my gosh darn mind. The game is overloaded with dialogue and none of it has been exciting at all to me. Every time I turn on the game I'm stuck reading text for 5+ minutes and it's not enjoyable. There are some weird oddities too, like when Jon discovers the pods in the first town, why doesn't he alert them? The writing feels juvenile and broken in continuity and logic at times.

    To make matters worse, the puzzles and combat are entirely forgettable. I haven't enjoyed any of them to this point and I'm now in the second city. After 30+ minutes of mashing b through the bad dialogue I'm given a mediocre action puzzle experience.

    It's a shame because the art is gorgeous, but after multiple sessions of trying and trying to enjoy this, I have to admit that focusing on playing this is killing my motivation to game.

    I'm giving it the highest of the negative scores because I have a negative view of it, but think there's potential.    … Expand
  8. Draakisback
    Sep 28, 2021
    10
    Bought this game because of the art and genera, stayed because of the narrative, world, characters and gameplay. This game might end up being my GoTY; it will at least end up a top 5 contender on my list (since axiom verge 2 is a thing and Metroid dread looks like it may live up to the hype).

    Eastward is a bit deceptive in that it looks like your typical 2d Zelda-like game. And while it    Bought this game because of the art and genera, stayed because of the narrative, world, characters and gameplay. This game might end up being my GoTY; it will at least end up a top 5 contender on my list (since axiom verge 2 is a thing and Metroid dread looks like it may live up to the hype).

    Eastward is a bit deceptive in that it looks like your typical 2d Zelda-like game. And while it does certainly have elements of those types of games, it really isn't a Zelda-like because the Narrative is so much an integral part of the game. Most Zelda-likes give you a world to explore and have some minor narrative moments here and there. Eastward is more like Earthbound or Undertale in many respects. It is somewhat linear and the story drives the gameplay forward rather than the other way around.

    Normally this is something that would bug me, especially given that there is no voice acting; but in the case of eastward, the world and characters are so interesting/charming that it hooks you in and you keep playing to see what happens next. In every town, after every event, I took the time to talk to basically every NPC that I could because each of them had their own little arc. You care about these characters, especially Sam and John and many of the side characters also steal the show in their own right.

    I will say that there are some minor rough edges in terms of balance and the fact that you can miss some important things if you don't look hard enough. By the end of the game, I had no cooking components so I had to rely on prefab healing items but this is a minor complaint that could be resolved with slightly higher drop rates and maybe some grinding on my end. The difficulty is also a bit all over the place, many of the normal monster packs can be challenging while bosses are usually fairly average to beat with a few exceptions. The Boss encounters are still very memorable though and the game flows quite well in how it presents these enemies. The other minor complaint I have is that the game is a little bit rushed at the end. The first few chapters are decently long while the last few are more focused and shorter. It works as a story though so, this is the most minor complaint that I could level against this game.

    Honestly, I look forward to seeing what kinds of games these devs make going forward and I really am hoping for a sequel at some point because the characters and world are just that good. I know the devs have some quality of life patches in the works which will be welcome additions to the game.

    Get this game if you want something that is somewhat darker in tone with light hearted and emotionally driven characters, you won't regret it.    … Expand
  9. Chimerah
    Oct 3, 2021
    10
    Beautiful pixel art style. Love the story and dialogue. Reminds me of games when I was younger when they still put lot of love into their games.
  10. Subject98
    Oct 6, 2021
    7
    Was looking forward to this and finished with mixed feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, music, visuals, atmosphere etc, the only strike I'd make against the story is that it's a bit overwritten at times. Stretches of dialogue are not uncommon to last over an hour or even close to 2.

    Where this game lacked for me is the gameplay. Coming from Zelda titles, Alundra, Crosscode etc,    Was looking forward to this and finished with mixed feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, music, visuals, atmosphere etc, the only strike I'd make against the story is that it's a bit overwritten at times. Stretches of dialogue are not uncommon to last over an hour or even close to 2.

    Where this game lacked for me is the gameplay. Coming from Zelda titles, Alundra, Crosscode etc, the dungeons here in Eastward seem to have been designed without much care. Linear, straightforward and require very little thought, finding a key is a minute detour every single time, and the majority of them are over in 20 minutes. I guess if you hate dungeons then you'll like the game more for being that way.

    To highlight a dungeon I liked, one of the first ones 'Ancient Ruins' was probably my favorite. The manner in which it was constructed made it fun to explore. You're not just following a straight line through sewer tunnels, you're exploring the floors of a long abandoned shopping mall. I was hoping this feeling of urban exploration would be expanded upon in future dungeons and I could have forgiven the simplicity of the level design if so, but there were only 1 or 2 others that were interesting. To pluck out one more positive though, there is a dungeon theme they start using later on that's one of the best I've ever heard, called 'industrial'.

    The combat is okay but nothing particularly special. At best it's passable, at worst, being so sluggish can make rooms full of enemies feel like a big mess. Since you have two characters who can both take damage, your partner following you can still take damage even if you successfully avoid an attack as the one you're controlling, which makes it feel pointless to do anything but have a DPS race with the enemies.

    The bad stuff aside, I did really enjoy the boss fights pretty much across the board. Some were better than others but none of them sucked, and for the most part they became crazier and more fun to fight the further I got.

    On the whole I would still recommend this game even if it has some blemishes where gameplay is concerned, because the experience is such a wild emotional rollercoaster ride all the way to the end.    … Expand
  11. SebboBastian
    Dec 28, 2021
    4
    So sad that such a beatiful game with so interesting art direction can be so boring. I really looked forward to this game but stopped playing after chapter 4.
    Wall after wall of text filled with flat boring dialogue and pun humour. Dont know why so many indie games persists to choose the nerdy pun humour to tell their stories.
    The more action filled parts of the game is pretty fun but    So sad that such a beatiful game with so interesting art direction can be so boring. I really looked forward to this game but stopped playing after chapter 4.
    Wall after wall of text filled with flat boring dialogue and pun humour. Dont know why so many indie games persists to choose the nerdy pun humour to tell their stories.
    The more action filled parts of the game is pretty fun but mostely you just run between different characters and talk unintresting dribble.    … Expand
  12. xiekaidream
    Sep 17, 2021
    9
    非常舒服的画风，良好的打击感，简约的UI，到位的指引，活灵活现的NPC，各种忍俊不禁的对话~
    缓缓道来的节奏，没有压着你走的感觉，也没有感觉无聊，很久没有这么舒服的rpg了
  13. Meeleepit
    Sep 30, 2021
    10
    Since the 1st mention of Eastward I was hooked.

    After 2 years of checking weekly for a launch date Eastward finally arrived. The world is magical ,the characters is entertaining and heart warming, exploring is adventurous I am in love with this title and I cant get enough of it. There is a tad to much dialogue but I enjoy it. The pixel art is amazing and the music is a hit.    Since the 1st mention of Eastward I was hooked.

    After 2 years of checking weekly for a launch date Eastward finally arrived.

    The world is magical ,the characters is entertaining and heart warming, exploring is adventurous

    I am in love with this title and I cant get enough of it.

    There is a tad to much dialogue but I enjoy it.

    The pixel art is amazing and the music is a hit.

    It runs flawlessly on the switch.

    Well done to Pixpil, you created one of the best Indie games I have ever played.    … Expand
  14. Tom_Supreme
    Sep 23, 2021
    10
    This game is an absolute serious contender for GOTY. The visuals, the music, the world they created, the story... you can feel that Pixpil gave all of their heart to make this game as good as possible.
  15. bustbaby
    Sep 21, 2021
    9
    Great visuals and music, combat is good but certain hitboxes can be annoying, having the character that follows you able to be damaged means you need to account for both when evading attacks which can be frustrating. Story is really good, I didn't have as much of a problem with too many dialogue boxes but I can understand why people would get frustrated.
  16. ophone
    Feb 13, 2022
    8
    First of all the game's negative aspects:
    - Combat is wobbly.
    - The in-game progress is too linear for the genre, even if there is a lot of tiring back and forth especially in the last city. - Most recipes John can cook don't make sense. Who uses only milk for an omelette? But in the end the positive sides overlap all of the negatives: - The setting is marvellous, I wonder if this    First of all the game's negative aspects:
    - Combat is wobbly.
    - The in-game progress is too linear for the genre, even if there is a lot of tiring back and forth especially in the last city.
    - Most recipes John can cook don't make sense. Who uses only milk for an omelette?

    But in the end the positive sides overlap all of the negatives:
    - The setting is marvellous, I wonder if this is the way Chinese developers imagine the west.
    - The pixel art is top notch with a lot of warm colours.
    - The soundtrack fits the setting.
    - The characters are likeable, especially the two protagonists: Fidgety Sam and taciturn John with his frying pan which serves as cooking tool and as weapon.
    - The game's decelerated pace.

    I wouldn't say this game's a must own for Switch, but it's definitely worth a try foremost for those who like to read in a game.    … Expand
  17. AlohaGamester
    Oct 16, 2021
    10
    If I had to sum it up I would say Eastward plays as if The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past and Earthbound had a baby in the year 2021. This is a Beautifully made Game. The story, and soundtrack will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. I never found myself bored while playing it. The two main character are so perfect for eachother I keep asking myself how did they come up with thisIf I had to sum it up I would say Eastward plays as if The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past and Earthbound had a baby in the year 2021. This is a Beautifully made Game. The story, and soundtrack will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. I never found myself bored while playing it. The two main character are so perfect for eachother I keep asking myself how did they come up with this stuff. There's never a dull moment in Eastward!… Expand
  18. millerbrandon57
    Sep 28, 2021
    3
    I really wanted to like this game, but it just doesn’t respect the player’s time. There are walls upon walls of text and slowly planning cameras every couple minutes. I understand that the game is trying to build the world and the relationships, but it just wasn’t enough to pull me in. The gameplay is kind of fun, but it’s fairly limited and a lot of repetition. If I played for a halfI really wanted to like this game, but it just doesn’t respect the player’s time. There are walls upon walls of text and slowly planning cameras every couple minutes. I understand that the game is trying to build the world and the relationships, but it just wasn’t enough to pull me in. The gameplay is kind of fun, but it’s fairly limited and a lot of repetition. If I played for a half hour, it would probably be 20 minutes of text and cutscenes, 8 minutes of walking, and 2 minutes of puzzles/combat. Also, I’m a huge fan of JRPGs, so the game’s influences aren’t lost on me. It’s just boring.… Expand
  19. joblywobly
    Sep 19, 2021
    3
    This game is done nicely: visuals, music, heroes, occasional gameplay. What ruins it is unskippable minutes and minutes of dialogs. You are being punished for playing Eastward by reading lines and lines of chatting between heroes and npcs. There is no way of skipping, no speed up. You have to constantly press A and B to get through this forrest or sentences to finally be able toThis game is done nicely: visuals, music, heroes, occasional gameplay. What ruins it is unskippable minutes and minutes of dialogs. You are being punished for playing Eastward by reading lines and lines of chatting between heroes and npcs. There is no way of skipping, no speed up. You have to constantly press A and B to get through this forrest or sentences to finally be able to occasionally play the game.
    Playing Eastward felt like playing one of those f2p mobile games: 30 seconds of gameplay followed by 1-2 ads.
    I would not recommend buying this game until developers implement either speed up or skipping cutscenes.    … Expand
  20. NFTLINS
    Sep 30, 2021
    0
    The story has a lot of problems and It was very frustrating... I just left the game.
  21. jameson95
    Oct 20, 2021
    6
    I don't know how any reviewer gave this game a better score than a 6 or 7. This game has weak dialogue, boring combat, repetitive missions and bland plot.

    I would pass on this one. If you like Earthbound and think this game is fun, this game doesn't resemble it.
  22. kitto
    Sep 20, 2021
    10
    eastward is similar to everything you ever played in the 90s (like earthbound, a link to the past, beyond oasis, alundra - to name just a few), and at the same time completely unique, doing its own thing. I'm basically in love with this wonderful game, totally did not expect it to be so good. truly amazing work, pixpil! gameplay, story, visuals, music - 10/10 on all fronts.
  23. gq_foine
    Jun 18, 2022
    10
    Disregard all the low bS scores. This game is absolutely charming, fantastic music, amazing story, characters and gameplay! If people don’t like to read basic story text and details they haven’t read any real books. The world and the mini games are soooo fun. I absolutely love it and so impressed with it that I came on here to write a review!! Back to the amazing game and story!
  24. 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!!
  25. brodus13
    Oct 2, 2021
    5
    The music, the visuals, the characters, the combat, the story... All AAA+

    If you like top down Zelda, Earthbound, Hotline Miami, Hyper Light Drifter... You'll definitely fall in love with this game like I did.
  26. tom974
    Aug 6, 2022
    7
    A true indie gem here, which would've deserved a little more polish. It would've been a 8 score without the recurrent crashes issue, I couldn't play a single session without it to happen and that quite breaks the flow. Besides, the pixel art is a true master class eventhough I'm not a great fan of the chara design. The story is rather cryptic but naive and dark at the same time. TheA true indie gem here, which would've deserved a little more polish. It would've been a 8 score without the recurrent crashes issue, I couldn't play a single session without it to happen and that quite breaks the flow. Besides, the pixel art is a true master class eventhough I'm not a great fan of the chara design. The story is rather cryptic but naive and dark at the same time. The gameplay picks elements from other 16 bit monuments and manages to create its own feeling. Not often enough are we given the opportunity to play something different, it was well worth the time.… Expand
  27. FabioTG
    Sep 19, 2021
    10
    This game is ABSOLUTELY amazing. I can't stop playing it. The graphics are phenomenal, the soundtrack is perfect and the gameplay is something else. The main characters are incredible well done and their journey kept me from the beginning to end. This is for sure one of the best game I played in my entire lifem
  28. 1cosmos
    Mar 17, 2022
    6
    For a gorgeous game with so much dialogue, the script is poorly written. I love the quirky characters but the conversations don't live up to standards needed to stick this game. I love the art design of this game. The gameplay is somewhat tedious and combat is somewhat clumsy.
  29. Kur0
    Aug 8, 2023
    8
    Uno de esos juegos con alma que te atrapa y te encariñas de cada uno de sus personajes.

    una aventura sencilla con una duración justa y un estilo artístico envidiable.

    a destacar un fallo que tiene al menos la versión de switch es que al rato de estar jugando el juego se cierra solo, no es un fallo catastrófico debido al autoguardado pero es molesto.

    todo lo demás ok.
  30. Rpg89
    Sep 18, 2021
    10
    One of the best indies in a long time.

    If you want to take a roller-coaster ride deep down memory lane of the 90s play this game. It's a well thought-out game with a huge labor of love from chucklefish studio by details popping out of each pixel art drawn. You will take the role of John & sam in their quest to discover the land above by rail, will take you deep down the world of Eastward    One of the best indies in a long time.

    If you want to take a roller-coaster ride deep down memory lane of the 90s play this game. It's a well thought-out game with a huge labor of love from chucklefish studio by details popping out of each pixel art drawn. You will take the role of John & sam in their quest to discover the land above by rail, will take you deep down the world of Eastward where you will find new friends and memorable characters. Highly story driven game. No spoilers.    … Expand
  31. Jrodmd1
    Sep 20, 2021
    10
    Beautiful game, I haven’t seen a game made with such care and artistic talent in a while. The controls are tight and the story is interesting. I really love the unique world building in this game along with the atmosphere, there’s a lot more to it than you might expect at first.
  32. Sunshadow87
    Nov 2, 2022
    6
    Este juego ha sido comparado con Zelda y Mother, juegos de los que bebe directamente (y dragon quest para el minijuego que es otro juego en sí mismo). Sin embargo, tras acabarlo, hay otro juego con el que guarda mucho más parecido, aunque este sea accidental y no a propósito: Ilusion of Time, el 2º juego de la trilogía "Heaven and Earth" que salió para la SNES. Sin embargo, lo que IlusionEste juego ha sido comparado con Zelda y Mother, juegos de los que bebe directamente (y dragon quest para el minijuego que es otro juego en sí mismo). Sin embargo, tras acabarlo, hay otro juego con el que guarda mucho más parecido, aunque este sea accidental y no a propósito: Ilusion of Time, el 2º juego de la trilogía "Heaven and Earth" que salió para la SNES. Sin embargo, lo que Ilusion of Time hizo bien, Eastward lo hace MAL. Elaboro a continuación.

    Eastward destaca especialmente por su historia y sus gráficos, y en menor medida por su banda sonora. Es un action RPG muy centrado en la historia donde alternamos el control entre los dos personajes protagonistas y tenemos fases de exploración en ciudades, y mazmorras, con ocasionales minijuegos intercalados. No hay mapa del mundo, y debido a la historia, el avance es lineal, no pudiendo volver a lugares previamente explorados (con lo que si te dejaste algo, te lo dejaste para el resto del juego). Esta misma descripción se aplica a Ilusion of Time.

    El resto de elementos que no he mencionado de Eastward (narrativa, jugabilidad en las fases de exploración, jugabilidad en las fases de mazmorra, diseño de mazmorras, etc) son, como poco, correctas individualmente, pero el problema radica en que, al unirlas todas en el producto final... no funciona. El juego se hace aburrido. Y creo que el problema principal es que los autores de Eastward no han sabido generar un RITMO de juego en el que todos los elementos casen:

    Eastward es un juego lento y pausado, y lo es en todas sus facetas, lo que acabara quemando a la mayoría de jugadores siendo un juego de 30 horas. Esto es lo que podría haber aprendido de Ilusion of Time, que alterna mucho mejor cambios de ritmo: mazmorras que pueden resultar frenéticas, mezclando puzzles que muchas veces no son sencillos de resolver, con fases de exploración que son dinámicas, y narrativa que muchas veces frena el ritmo volviéndose extremadamente lenta... pero precisamente todos esos cambios te mantienen pegado al mando en Ilusion of Time, haciendo el juego además muy rejugable para conseguir esos missables que hayas perdido en una primera partida. Y esto es lo que Eastward no ha sabido hacer.

    La historia de Eastward es buena, y es prácticamente el único motivo por el que jugarla, aunque no es una historia que sorprenda en el sentido de hacia donde va, si que es una historia bien llevada y emocional con respecto a la relación de los dos protagonistas. Eso sí, sobraría mucho dialogo superfluo de mucho personaje secundario y olvidable que resta más que sumar.    … Expand
  33. SSCheetah
    Nov 17, 2021
    5
    Not terrible, but massively overrated.

    Absolutely wonderful pixel art / overall art direction and style, and the music is great too. (The music's not particularly memorable, but does the job fine.) The combat is simplistic but fun, and there are a few heartwarming story moments. That's where the positives end though. On the Switch, there are performance issues (slowdown, and the game    Not terrible, but massively overrated.

    Absolutely wonderful pixel art / overall art direction and style, and the music is great too. (The music's not particularly memorable, but does the job fine.) The combat is simplistic but fun, and there are a few heartwarming story moments.

    That's where the positives end though. On the Switch, there are performance issues (slowdown, and the game crashes when loading a new area after playing for over an hour or so, forcing you to reload). The plot has more holes than Swiss cheese, and leaves you full of questions at the end. There are so many things that feel like they should've been explained that haven't. The irony is, the game is chock-full of cutscenes and dialogue, but the focus of 99% of these is random side characters and info that is irrelevant to the main story. The game therefore comes across as being very narrative-focused but really has very little overarching narrative at all. Gameplay-wise, there are some good puzzles, and combat scenarios, but they do end up getting a bit samey. It would've been nice to see a bit more variety there too.

    Overall, the game isn't bad, but it isn't anything stellar either. I'd recommend it if, like me, you were attracted by the wonderful art style, but you aren't picky about a quality story. Otherwise, maybe find something else.    … Expand
  34. rohan_sora
    Dec 12, 2021
    10
    Amazing game. Such a love letter to Earthbound and Zelda. Would recommmend every switch owner to pick this.
  35. Strohbi
    Nov 3, 2021
    10
    Amazing Game! Never played anything like it.
    Put Zelda (even Majoras Mask dare I say), Earthbound and an jrpg together to tell a deep and meaningful story that boggles your mind and you got Eastward I guess. It oozes of charm, actually made me laugh out loud and is super trippy. The controls are so smart and they push them at times almost like a Mario would. There were moments were some    Amazing Game! Never played anything like it.
    Put Zelda (even Majoras Mask dare I say), Earthbound and an jrpg together to tell a deep and meaningful story that boggles your mind and you got Eastward I guess. It oozes of charm, actually made me laugh out loud and is super trippy. The controls are so smart and they push them at times almost like a Mario would. There were moments were some missions felt a bit like busy work but they were none the less charming and in hindsight it actually makes sense for the story telling. But the closer of this one is a true firework. Just a shame that cooking ingredients where so rare in the last parts but maybe I just didn’t find them. A true Gem! Man, if this are Chinese games now I’m here for it!    … Expand
  36. Nintendopost24
    Sep 20, 2021
    9
    Surprising, beautiful, enthralling, and offering a story accessible to all, with endearing characters and endowed with a very appreciable lifespan for a game sold for twenty euros, Eastward is a real success. For their first game, the Chinese at Pixpil are doing very well. While the game can often be very talkative and thus have a somewhat frustrating pace, and the gameplay is quiteSurprising, beautiful, enthralling, and offering a story accessible to all, with endearing characters and endowed with a very appreciable lifespan for a game sold for twenty euros, Eastward is a real success. For their first game, the Chinese at Pixpil are doing very well. While the game can often be very talkative and thus have a somewhat frustrating pace, and the gameplay is quite classic in the action RPG genre, Eastward has what it takes to impress players. One of the best games of the year, and a strong contender for the 2021 Indie Goty title! Note that the game has a full French translation.

    Full review, in french, on my blog Nintendo Legacy. You can follow me on Twitter @NintendoLegacy1    … Expand
  37. spencerplewe
    Jul 29, 2022
    6
    Narratively dense and tedious, but with gameplay that works well enough, Eastward is an impressively detailed modern 16-bit-adventure, but one that has a nasty habit of leaving too many plot threads dangling.
  38. CJdaDJ
    Sep 21, 2021
    7
    I really wanted to love this game but I only like it. The good: The story, the characters (don't get attached) and the MUSIC!!!

    The bad: Do all leads have to be quiet like Link? That's annoying. Combat is really easy, as are the puzzles. The ugly: You will die...a LOT! It gets so frustrating!!! You and your partner walk together but neither can get touched by enemies or stupid prickly    I really wanted to love this game but I only like it. The good: The story, the characters (don't get attached) and the MUSIC!!!

    The bad: Do all leads have to be quiet like Link? That's annoying. Combat is really easy, as are the puzzles.

    The ugly: You will die...a LOT! It gets so frustrating!!! You and your partner walk together but neither can get touched by enemies or stupid prickly bushes. It's so annoying! Also the enemies will gang on you and you will have a hard time escaping. The miasma chases always suck.

    I will power thru or rage quit. lol    … Expand
  39. Rex_miles
    Apr 16, 2023
    6
    No está mal, pero la niña se me hacía muy cansina por su "inocencia" y se me cerraba cada x tiempo (hasta después del jefe final del juego, teniéndolo que repetir). La historia es curiosa y muy variada, pero no me ha llegado a emocionar.
  40. fmartins
    Sep 20, 2021
    9
    I really liked it, although I haven't finished it yet. It is a relly cool game - just a few quirks i didn't like. I just wish I could skip some scenes (I die quite frequently so I kinda waste time rewatching content before getting to a boss) and maybe some dialogs. But otherwise it is a very fun game.
  41. shinneh1091
    Nov 7, 2021
    10
    Excellent game! Top quality story and game play. Loved the soundtrack and the aesthetic. Will certainly be watching this producer as I haven't enjoyed a game this thoroughly in a long time. A must play!
  42. derfolo
    Nov 1, 2021
    9
    This game has an incredible number of twists and turns in its plot, yet it is both challenging and heartwarming. Some of the narrative jumps will catch you by surprise, but I completely enjoyed my many hours playing this fantastic game. Make more of these, please!
  43. Bosoxz0617
    Sep 21, 2021
    8
    Great game music and artwork is unmatched great characters story and drudge on a bit at parts but live it overall
  44. LookingOutside
    Sep 21, 2021
    9
    Everything about Eastward screams "passion project". The game is pretty, detailed and full of heart. Now, there's nothing particularly new here. The collection of characters consists of rpg clichés such as unfunny jesters, gangsters with a soft heart, scientists etc. The dungeon sections are a throwback to old-school Zelda in their simplicity. Eastward does a great job at putting theEverything about Eastward screams "passion project". The game is pretty, detailed and full of heart. Now, there's nothing particularly new here. The collection of characters consists of rpg clichés such as unfunny jesters, gangsters with a soft heart, scientists etc. The dungeon sections are a throwback to old-school Zelda in their simplicity. Eastward does a great job at putting the cutest parts of retro rpg's together.

    First, Eastward is very much a narrative game. To the point where I was often reminded of Night In The Woods. Players will spend as much, if not more, time talking with different characters as beating monsters in the dungeon sections. This I believe will be the factor that makes or breaks the game in the eyes of many. If you're expecting a Zelda, look elsewhere. If you like walking around town talking with cute characters and performing little tasks while smacking monsters here and there, then you will love Eastward. Personally I love chill and simple games and ended up loving this one aswell.

    There's a few little drawbacks that I encountered. In my playthrough the game crashed on me about 7 times. A more irritating notion is the fact that the game doesn't list side quests in any way which forces players to talk to all characters all the time to randomly encounter a side quest. If it's a long one, you simply have to remember to finish it once you've met the criterias because there won't be any mention about it on the map or the mission log. Also, once you leave a certain city, you won't be given the option to return and finish the side quests - they are gone forever. I'm a completionist and knowing I missed some is a bummer. As for the map, it only shows the area you are in and you are given no option to go through all of your unlocked maps. This was particularly aggravating when a side quest character named a place where I had to go to. But because I didn't know the names of the places by heart, I had to run around for a good while to find it. All in all, fixing issues like these would have made the game tighter.    … Expand
  45. nnja
    Sep 4, 2023
    10
    Voilà un jeu d'action aventure qui en vaut vraiment le détour. Jamais un jeu de cette catégorie n'a réussi à me faire vouloir savoir ce que chaque NPC a à dire au tournant de chaque quête et de chaque chapitre, tout en me transportant aussi aisément par son histoire narrative, son ambiance musicale et ses paysages pixelisés. Malgré une multitude de NPC, chacun de ceux-ci semble avoir uneVoilà un jeu d'action aventure qui en vaut vraiment le détour. Jamais un jeu de cette catégorie n'a réussi à me faire vouloir savoir ce que chaque NPC a à dire au tournant de chaque quête et de chaque chapitre, tout en me transportant aussi aisément par son histoire narrative, son ambiance musicale et ses paysages pixelisés. Malgré une multitude de NPC, chacun de ceux-ci semble avoir une âme à elle et une place bien précise grâce à une histoire ficelée de manière exceptionnelle. Le jeu est d'ailleurs merveilleusement bien traduit en français grâce à la team Riotloc, ce qui est un vrai régal! Même si le héro est peu loquace, chaque texte vaut la peine d’être lu, même les micro-proses que proposent les réfrigérateurs-sauvegarde sont divertissantes tout en faisant référence à l’ambiance dans laquelle baigne le joueur à cet instant de l’histoire.

    Globalement, le jeu propose une aventure du style Zelda, mais bien plus encore, avec des armes et artéfacts que vous débloquerez au fil des “donjons” et des quêtes. Votre quête sera aussi parsemée de puzzle bien calibrés, autant au niveau de la difficulté qu’au niveau de la répétitivité. Des phases “libres”, dans lesquelles vous aurez le plaisir de visiter villes et villages, rencontrer leurs citoyens, découvrir de multiples secrets ou encore vous asseoir devant un terminal Pixpil pour jouer une partie de EarthBorn, serviront de tampon entre les zones d’actions, les portions narratives et les “cinématiques”. Les amateurs de cuisine seront aussi comblés par le “Cooking system” qui est définitivement une référence à Zelda Botw. Il m’a fallu une trentaine d’heure pour terminer le jeu et j’ai apprécié chacune d'elles.

    Graphiquement, le jeu rappelle l’ère snes (stéroidé à fond) et s’inspire franchement de Chrono Trigger lors des portions “overworld”. Toutefois, les effets de lumières et les effets graphiques viennent rehausser la qualité de l’expérience vidéoludique de manière tout à fait merveilleuse. J’ai rarement vu de l’eau aussi réelle dans un jeu en 2D de style PixelArt. Les effets de filtres de lumières et de lumière dynamique sont non seulement réussi mais maîtrisé! Les paysages et le map design sont conçus de main de maître. Le pixelart est d’une qualité exceptionnelle. On a vraiment l’impression de se promener dans des tableaux d’art de Pixelart et c’est encore une fois un vrai régal!

    Musicalement, le jeu réussit à nous transporter dans l'histoire et à nous faire ressentir les émotions voulut tout en offrant une musique de fond parfois légèrement répétitive mais tout à fait juste. La variété des instruments, des rythmes et des styles montre encore une fois que l’équipe d’Eastward à su faire appel à un réel talent créatif au niveau musical! Bravo! Si vous écoutez la bande OST après avoir fini le jeu, elle saura certainement faire vaciller vos émotions dès les premières notes de chaque morceaux, voir aussi quelques larmes ou quelques sourires!

    Je vous conseille fortement de suivre Sam et John dans l’aventure mémorable d’Eastward!    … Expand
  46. ABYSSWALK3R
    Sep 26, 2021
    10
    Game lived up to the hype atleast for me. Combat and puzzles are pretty fun. Soundtrack is definitely great and the only way the soundtrack could be better is if there were more tracks. One of the best looking pixel art games with a solid story.
  47. JaegerX
    Sep 26, 2021
    10
    The game has an amazingly beautiful pixelart, really fluid and well done. The story got me on my couch for hours. About the gameplay is simple and has it own charming. The mini game Earth Born got some hours of my life and I loved it
  48. ikumix
    Sep 27, 2021
    8
    雰囲気良し。ビジュアル良し。見せ方よし。ダンジョンのギミックよし。音楽よし。ストーリーよし。
    けどちょいちょい惜しい。惜しい点を上げていく。
    ・バトル 緊急回避がないので、バトルスタイルとしてはヒットアンドアウェイでちまちま削っていくか、ダメージ覚悟で回復アイテム使いながらゴリ押しで行くか、になりがち。 プレイしてない側（連れてる方）にも当たり判定あって、ダメージ判定あるので、運が悪いと被弾×2→ダメージ×2になる。 割と敵の動きが早いので、キャラ交代するタイミングもシビアで結局ヒットアンドアウェイする。後半とか囲まれるシチュエーションになると割とオワタ感がある。 武器ももうちょい個性欲しかった。爆弾はいい感じ。 銃の発砲音気持ちいい。「Blam!!」って感じ。 ・ストーリー ストーリー良しとは書いたが、ちょっと足らない感じ。    雰囲気良し。ビジュアル良し。見せ方よし。ダンジョンのギミックよし。音楽よし。ストーリーよし。
    けどちょいちょい惜しい。惜しい点を上げていく。

    ・バトル
    緊急回避がないので、バトルスタイルとしてはヒットアンドアウェイでちまちま削っていくか、ダメージ覚悟で回復アイテム使いながらゴリ押しで行くか、になりがち。
    プレイしてない側（連れてる方）にも当たり判定あって、ダメージ判定あるので、運が悪いと被弾×2→ダメージ×2になる。
    割と敵の動きが早いので、キャラ交代するタイミングもシビアで結局ヒットアンドアウェイする。後半とか囲まれるシチュエーションになると割とオワタ感がある。
    武器ももうちょい個性欲しかった。爆弾はいい感じ。
    銃の発砲音気持ちいい。「Blam!!」って感じ。

    ・ストーリー
    ストーリー良しとは書いたが、ちょっと足らない感じ。
    やろうとしてることはわかるが、説明が足らない感じ。いまいち伝わらない。これに尽きる。
    自分の頭の中で解釈、憶測するしかない。道中の会話は楽しいんだけどなー。

    ・やりこみ
    少ないし、しにくい。周回プレイができないので。
    ストーリーの都合か後戻りできないので取りこぼしとかがあると最初からやる羽目になる。
    その割にはスキップ機能に乏しい。個人的にはあまり必要ではなかったけど。

    ・寄り道
    ほぼなし。あるのは「大地の子」というRPG調のミニゲーム。
    これが地味に難しくて面白い。
    結局ピクスボールはコンプできず。

    という感じ。
    基本物語が線路を左から右に行く感じがロードムービーのようで良かった。和訳がほぼ完璧で違和感なく、キャラが喋っているときの効果音もMOTHER2などを想起させてくれて楽しかった。回復アイテムは調理するというのも楽しかった。
    と、色々書いたけど満足でした！！

    クリアまでのプレイ時間：28時間    … Expand
  49. Fradian
    Sep 27, 2021
    5
    It's a beautiful looking game that makes post apocalyptic life seem intriguing and colorful. The detail level makes it impossible to not spend some time just admiring the artwork.
  50. homobadger
    Sep 28, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I truly adore Eastward and am playing it through a second time already. I personally enjoyed the text/cutscene-to-gameplay ratio. The characters and story were really engaging to me, and it almost goes without saying that the game is absolutely gorgeous and features a fantastic soundtrack. The retro feel is wonderful, but there are some retro ideas that should've been left in the past: the very straight "adult humor" could've been left out and the game would be better for it. The boob animation was just eye-rolling and the "glory hole" kiosk was out of place and just uncomfortable. The only black child npc is named "Jackson".. really? Any fat characters are animated eating or have food-related plots. A homeless character is presented drooling which implies intellectual disability; there's just not great disability rep in general & this particular thing feels like it's supposed to be a "joke". Aside from that brand of issue, the Monkollywood chapter is just a chore, didn't do much for the story, and I would have rather had flushed-out character arcs in New Dam than this. Would've loved a New Game+ but regardless, playing through again feels rewarding. With the way the story ended, I truly hope there is a sequel in the future; I just hope the next game Pixpil makes is a little more up-to-speed on social issues. Consulting the minorities in question would go a long way for the writing on the next game. Overall this is now one of my favorite games of all time, only second to Chrono Trigger, and I'll be anxiously awaiting news of a sequel!… Expand
  51. Foxylary
    Jul 31, 2022
    7
    Eastward me marquera plus que la plupart des jeux auxquels j'ai joué ces dernières années. Visuellement impressionnant, soigné et foisonnant détails, un univers riche et captivant, une OST géniale MAIS le jeu n'a pas envie de répondre au multiples questions du joueur concernant des éléments essentiels et cela laisse un arrière goût très frustrant au final.
  52. hotcops
    Oct 9, 2021
    5
    Really wanted to like this game because of its beautiful aesthetic (and, to be sure, it IS beautiful) but it's just kind of boring. Read some reviews to this effect before playing but I dismissed them. Now I have to admit they're right. A lot of running back and forth on pointless quests. Too many boring characters who contribute nothing. Waaaaaaay too much dialogue. Very little actualReally wanted to like this game because of its beautiful aesthetic (and, to be sure, it IS beautiful) but it's just kind of boring. Read some reviews to this effect before playing but I dismissed them. Now I have to admit they're right. A lot of running back and forth on pointless quests. Too many boring characters who contribute nothing. Waaaaaaay too much dialogue. Very little actual puzzle solving or action. Just like a long, boring movie.… Expand
  53. Zero693
    Nov 1, 2021
    10
    Solid 10/10 game 8.5/10 story 11/10 music 11/10 graphics 10/10 characters About the story is good , i just think some stuff should be explained better in few parts .
    The music got one of the best soundtracks i heard in quiet some time .
    Amazing graphics i just love it since i saw it.
    Characters very memorable .
    Recommendation: buy it asap
  54. futuregrace
    Dec 21, 2021
    10
    This was my absolute most favorite game of 2021! The game play is fun and the characters you meet along the way are incredibly quirky. I got the end and wished there were more chapters which is a sign of a great game.
  55. blackjag27
    Jan 13, 2022
    9
    Living this game so far. It's plays kinda like A Link to the Past with it's own unique art style. Highly recommend for the switch if you like the old Zelda games or retro RPGs.
  56. Costin_T
    May 25, 2022
    8
    Beautiful art, music, cool combat. A bit too much dialog and diluted story but overall I enjoyed the 30 hours I have spent with the game.
  57. Vis_
    Feb 7, 2023
    6
    Eastward presents a very striking dystopian universe that, unfortunately, is constantly interrupted by dozens of secondary characters that don't contribute with anything to the story. Not only that, but most of the tasks or missions related to them are very boring assignments...

    Personally, I usually like to see video games with characters and side quests that provide an extra, but in    Eastward presents a very striking dystopian universe that, unfortunately, is constantly interrupted by dozens of secondary characters that don't contribute with anything to the story. Not only that, but most of the tasks or missions related to them are very boring assignments...

    Personally, I usually like to see video games with characters and side quests that provide an extra, but in the case of Eastward we find that the characters are not well built, they go completely unnoticed and you will never empathize with them even if the game tries at some points.

    The story is undoubtedly interesting, but.... I just finished the game and I still don't understand anything, what did I miss? I was hoping to find an answer to at least some of the questions that the story poses throughout the game, but no... You end up with more questions than answers. I get the feeling that there was a lot of polish missing in this section. There are too many things that don't make sense that try to be justified by something similar to transcendental philosophical metaphors that only the developers understand.

    As for the gameplay during the dungeon crawling and puzzle parts, I have to confess that I liked it a lot. The difficulty curve feels fair and well implemented, both in combat and in puzzles. This, along with its unique visuals, has been one of the main reasons why I got hooked on the game. What I do have to mention is that it lacks mechanics such as dodging or defending yourself to fight enemies. The mobility options are very limited.

    In short, it hasn't been bad because it has kept me entertained for 30 hours, but it has disappointed me in many aspects...    … Expand
  58. stephanrewind
    Oct 10, 2022
    5
    The praise that this game gets shows a disturbing trend among players and reviewers alike: the elevation of “story” and art above gameplay. I won’t argue that both the art and the music are some of the best I’ve experienced in the retro, 16-bit inspired genre. However these are the only redeeming qualities of Eastward. Gameplay is bland and uninspired. You can tell the influence of Zelda,The praise that this game gets shows a disturbing trend among players and reviewers alike: the elevation of “story” and art above gameplay. I won’t argue that both the art and the music are some of the best I’ve experienced in the retro, 16-bit inspired genre. However these are the only redeeming qualities of Eastward. Gameplay is bland and uninspired. You can tell the influence of Zelda, but mechanics and puzzles fail to capture any of the excitement and sense of discovery of its reference.

    But the worst offender is the story, if you can call it that. Frankly I’m shocked to hear people praising what amounts to walls of filler dialogue, marred with juvenile humour and clunky attempts at characterization. It all feels like it’s been put together by some kid with no understanding of storytelling.

    Pacing is horrible too, the game constantly killing any momentum with more useless exposition cut scenes. I can’t understand that so many people seem to put story and art over gameplay, especially when story is non existent. What comes out of Eastward is a sense of waste. You want to love the game for its production values, but the chore of playing it makes the feeling more acute as you progress.

    Let’s put it simply: Eastward is a chore. Don’t waste your time and money.    … Expand
  59. Flipsurana
    Jul 1, 2022
    8
    The overall art design is a masterpiece, probably one of the best pixel art designs I have ever seen. The game-play resembles the old top down 2D Zelda games which they've executed quite well. But the biggest drawback of the game and probably the main reason for most of the negative reviews this game has been receiving are the long dragging dialogues. There came a point in the game whereThe overall art design is a masterpiece, probably one of the best pixel art designs I have ever seen. The game-play resembles the old top down 2D Zelda games which they've executed quite well. But the biggest drawback of the game and probably the main reason for most of the negative reviews this game has been receiving are the long dragging dialogues. There came a point in the game where it felt like I was spending hours of excruciating pun filled dialogues and became too eager for some action. The game tends to redeem itself when the story picks up in the second half as the tension rises. If you are an aspiring 2D Artist like I am and want to get into pixel art, this game would serve as an excellent reference. Good enough for an 8, but falls short of becoming an overall masterpiece. If you ask me, I can see this game becoming a cult classic in the future.… Expand
  60. MechGundam13
    Jul 18, 2022
    10
    Great Story, charming Characters, nice pixel visuals also a very good soundtrack.
    To this day my favorite Switch Game.
    If you like old school Zelda (SNES) you should really check this game out.
  61. laxalmusic
    Oct 11, 2022
    5
    I don't know why all the gaming scene recommend this title like a master piece, but imo is a 5 with an incredible idea with a really bad execution. I'm in love with the art and the story was great, but the game had three big problems:

    1. The "funny/random" dialogues (A really intense moment in the game), 5 minutes later: Joooon! You're a really good actor! Are you serious? All the    I don't know why all the gaming scene recommend this title like a master piece, but imo is a 5 with an incredible idea with a really bad execution. I'm in love with the art and the story was great, but the game had three big problems:

    1. The "funny/random" dialogues

    (A really intense moment in the game), 5 minutes later: Joooon! You're a really good actor!
    Are you serious? All the story main is perfect for a serious game approach.

    2. Filler quests

    Why in the mid and end game you tell me to do unnecessary quests? The game stops abruptly without senses and all the time appears new characters random with stupids infinite "funny" texts again.

    3. Jon

    The problem here is that you're the protagonist (?). Sam is an AMAZING character, but with the most nefarious companion in a game that I ever played. Jon don't do NOTHING! Only fight, like a Frankenstein or something like that.

    I'm really disappointing with this cause the idea and the story are perfect to a game but. It is what it is, a 5    … Expand
  62. Larxi
    Feb 13, 2023
    10
    Eastward es uno de los juegos cuyo estilo Pixel-Art es de los más bonitos y trabajados que he jugado en la vida.
    Es un Road Trip ejemplar que no para de darnos sorpresas y momentos divertidos, emotivos y épicos, con un manejo de la tensión y los tiempos magistral. La dupla que hacen John y Sam es una maravilla, de las mejores duplas que he conocido en el mundo de los videojuegos sin caer    Eastward es uno de los juegos cuyo estilo Pixel-Art es de los más bonitos y trabajados que he jugado en la vida.
    Es un Road Trip ejemplar que no para de darnos sorpresas y momentos divertidos, emotivos y épicos, con un manejo de la tensión y los tiempos magistral. La dupla que hacen John y Sam es una maravilla, de las mejores duplas que he conocido en el mundo de los videojuegos sin caer en las cosas típicas paternofiliales que caen las súper producciones ahora. La BSO es una maravilla, su ambientación es espectacular, sus personajes están muy bien escritos y muy bien diferenciados haciendo que guardes en el recuerdo a cada uno de los que encuentras y te preocupes por ellos (William, Daniel, Lee, Solomon...)
    La jugabilidad recuerda a los Zelda en 2D y el continuo homenaje a Earthbound hacen ver que sus creadores querían dar una carta de amor al mundo de los videojuegos y vaya que si lo han hecho. Su historia es súper interesante y siempre tiene un gancho en todo momento que hace que vayas adelante para saber que es lo qué pasa y qué es lo que ocurre.
    Necesitamos más cosas como Eastward que se salgan de lo normal y que a la vez que hacen un homenaje a la historia de esta pasión que nos une logran ser productos imprescindibles en el género.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best Switch Game of 2021
20
#20 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Hobby Consolas
    Aug 5, 2022
    86
    Eastward pays tribute to the 90s adventures, mixing ideas from different titles, but keeping its own style. A little gem in the visual department that can entertain you for 25 hours or more, that now, thanks to the latest patch with the Spanish and German translation and all the improvements made, makes the adventure more accessible than ever.
    Read full review
  2. XGN
    Jun 16, 2022
    70
    Eastward is a charming RPG with a colourful cast of characters, but unfortunately leaves a lot of questions left unanswered. However that doesn't mean you should skip this one, as up until the ending it is enjoyable.
    Read full review
  3. IGN Adria
    Jun 2, 2022
    70
    Eastward is a great time capsule that very authentically follows the mechanics and style that were present in the games from the 90's. Maybe even too much because some mechanics have remained in the past for a reason.
    Read full review
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