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. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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!
  4. 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!!
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. rohan_sora
    Dec 12, 2021
    10
    Amazing game. Such a love letter to Earthbound and Zelda. Would recommmend every switch owner to pick this.
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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!
  12. 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.
  13. 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!
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. 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
  18. 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.
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. 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.
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. 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!
  30. 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
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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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