Transistor

 Switch
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 91
  3. Negative: 2 out of 91
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  1. AllySky
    Nov 1, 2018
    10
    As I have explained in my Bastion review, Supergiant Games is a legendary company, releasing Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. The games story is amazing, one that I will never forget for being so impactful, and its narrative is even better then Bastion's, it brought the game to life, from beginning to end it felt like I was a part of the journey. The soundtrack was so fitting to the world'sAs I have explained in my Bastion review, Supergiant Games is a legendary company, releasing Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. The games story is amazing, one that I will never forget for being so impactful, and its narrative is even better then Bastion's, it brought the game to life, from beginning to end it felt like I was a part of the journey. The soundtrack was so fitting to the world's theme, and was of the highest quality, not to mention the game play was unique to any other, it was both enjoyable and customizable, made to let you play how you want to play.

    This does nothing but prove how absolutely talented the developers are, releasing another masterpiece without a doubt, that does nothing but improve on their previous installment, Bastion. Transistor is outstanding, it is worth every penny, and it is an experience... one not so easily forgettable.    … Expand
  2. Greeensky
    Jan 29, 2019
    10
    Tactically Musical Story Teller.

    That is the genre that I believe would be most befitting to this title. Game itself is pleasurable to play, if a bit difficult in later battles. Tactically similar to xcom or jagged alliance, however musically similar to ... nothing, really. The game has the best soundtrack I have ever experienced in any game ever and I have over 1500 finished    Tactically Musical Story Teller.

    That is the genre that I believe would be most befitting to this title.

    Game itself is pleasurable to play, if a bit difficult in later battles. Tactically similar to xcom or jagged alliance, however musically similar to ... nothing, really.

    The game has the best soundtrack I have ever experienced in any game ever and I have over 1500 finished titles on my account. Every time I hear "Paper Boats", I burst into a bubble engulfed with emotions and tears falling from my eyes.

    Nothing has ever moved my soul as this game's soundtrack. I fully recommend listening to it on yt.

    So, if you're in for the musical feast, then please enter and enjoy this experience to the fullest, because I am afraid that for a long time we shan't have an equal to the Transistor.    … Expand
  3. PeregrineOmega
    Dec 27, 2018
    10
    Perhaps one of the most beautiful games ever made. Stunning artwork, incredible soundtrack, stellar gameplay, and a pure example of game design as an art form.
  4. b00lpr0p
    Apr 8, 2019
    6
    The irritating voice of Transistor talking all the time makes this game annoying as hell, lol. The combat is boring after a few hours of gameplay. It could be way better than it is, as it has nice graphics and visual in general.
  5. Sunshadow87
    Jun 5, 2020
    8
    Básicamente mi review para este juego es muy similar a la de Bastion, así que voy a hacer un corta y pega, pero eso sí, hay algunas cosas que lo hacen mejor que este. No tenemos el desarrollo del poblado, pero tenemos un sistema de leveleo de nuestros personajes y "espíritus", que es algo similar a fin de cuentas, pero con mayor trasfondo de historia.
    Considero superior "Transistor"    Básicamente mi review para este juego es muy similar a la de Bastion, así que voy a hacer un corta y pega, pero eso sí, hay algunas cosas que lo hacen mejor que este. No tenemos el desarrollo del poblado, pero tenemos un sistema de leveleo de nuestros personajes y "espíritus", que es algo similar a fin de cuentas, pero con mayor trasfondo de historia.
    Considero superior "Transistor" porque su historia y construcción de mundo me resultan más interesantes y mejor llevados.
    Por lo demás, copia y pega:
    "Un juego centrado en una historia bellamente contada gracias al narrador, con un estilo artístico muy particular y bello. Es muy buen juego, con gran cantidad de mecánicas conforme vas consiguiendo más armas, múltiples retos, etc.
    Aún así, los niveles resultan algo repetitivos jugablemente mas allá de la historia (no demasiado porque el juego tiene la duración justa para no hacerse pesado). La perspectiva puede generar algún problema también con el control, especialmente en algunas áreas muy concretas."    … Expand
  6. Denis94
    Feb 19, 2020
    6
    Un indie con todo el toque a "Cyberpunk" que emplea distintos tipos de combates tanto en tiempo real como por turnos sumando las distintas habilidades que varían cuando te hacen daño, ese es el curioso "castigo" si recibes muchos golpes de los adversarios, La historia sin ser nada del otro mundo consigue mantener nuestra curiosidad nuestra protagonista es Red y estará acompañada deUn indie con todo el toque a "Cyberpunk" que emplea distintos tipos de combates tanto en tiempo real como por turnos sumando las distintas habilidades que varían cuando te hacen daño, ese es el curioso "castigo" si recibes muchos golpes de los adversarios, La historia sin ser nada del otro mundo consigue mantener nuestra curiosidad nuestra protagonista es Red y estará acompañada de Transistor que es una espada y juntos intentarán acabar con una organización llamada Camerata, un clásico en este tipo de juegos pero se hace amena, en el tema gráfico es muy bonito de ver el "dibujo" es muy suave y quizás esté sea su punto más fuerte junto a la banda sonora, como punto en contra es bastante monótono y repetitivo a pesar de su corta duración unas 6 horas, y poco más que decir me esperaba más por parte de Transistor y se a quedado en un "Meh".… Expand
  7. chosen0ne
    Sep 22, 2021
    1
    I liked the visuals and the level design. That's it. The story-telling was incomprehensible to me and I hated the narration. This felt like a terrible take on Bastion. The combat was a weird combination of turn-based strategy and action RPG and I couldn't stand how blocky and unwieldy it felt. I expected a lot more from the team that made Bastion, one of my favorite games. OverallI liked the visuals and the level design. That's it. The story-telling was incomprehensible to me and I hated the narration. This felt like a terrible take on Bastion. The combat was a weird combination of turn-based strategy and action RPG and I couldn't stand how blocky and unwieldy it felt. I expected a lot more from the team that made Bastion, one of my favorite games. Overall I'm really disappointed in this game and I can't understand how someone might enjoy it.… Expand
  8. TheFlannelFox
    Dec 31, 2018
    7
    Originally released in 2014 from Bastion and Pyre creators Supergiant, is the sci-fi action rpg, Transistor, which has now Crashed it’s way onto the Nintendo Switch.

    You play as Red,a singer, whom in the beginning is on the ground kneeling next to a man impaled by a huge blade, known as the Transistor. While the man is dead, his soul and voice have been absorbed by the blade allowing    Originally released in 2014 from Bastion and Pyre creators Supergiant, is the sci-fi action rpg, Transistor, which has now Crashed it’s way onto the Nintendo Switch.

    You play as Red,a singer, whom in the beginning is on the ground kneeling next to a man impaled by a huge blade, known as the Transistor. While the man is dead, his soul and voice have been absorbed by the blade allowing him to speak to Red throughout the game, narrating it. It also has absorbed Red’s voice, leaving her mute.

    Red is burdened by this enormous sword, so large that when she is walking around it drags behind her on the ground. Yet, she needs it to survive. For the city she lives in, Cloudbank, has been overrun by a robotic army, known as The Process.

    Head in the Clouds
    The world of Cloudbank is a beautiful one. Viewed from an isometric perspective is a stunning art deco world, elevated with a sci-fi touch of being in the sky and overgrown with foliage as it has been deserted. The lighting and atmosphere in Cloudbank, gives a rich nostalgic feeling, that when walking miles above with ground with futuristic buildings in the distance you still feel like this happened long ago in a place you’ve been to before. Making the your journey into the unknown a little bit less frightening.

    If at first you don’t succeed, die die again
    The combat system in Transistor is incredibly unique. As you play through you gain new powers or “functions” that can be mapped to one of the four face buttons. Crashing your huge sword, shooting energy beams across the screen, or lobbing grenades at your foes to survive that much longer in this harsh environment. While in typical action-rpg fashion you can run around in real-time trying to even the battlefield, but quickly you will find yourself pushing up daisies.

    Fortunately, Red has the ability to stop time, map out her actions carefully, then execute them. Bringing you the forethought of turn-based combat in an action setting. After you use this tool, you scramble around the level trying to dodging incoming attacks until your time-stop ability recharges. This is the most dangerous time for Red, as she moves quite slow and her dash ability isn’t all that great. Eventually I began ending my time-stopping attacks with an invisibility function that kept me hidden long enough for my time-stop to recharge.

    After hours in the game I found myself heavily relying on the time-stop ability, but playing real-time has its benefits. For example your attacks don’t have to recharge, so if you have a powerful attack you can spam it destroying the robotic enemy hordes, if you can keep out of the line of fire.

    Each function or power that you pick up along the way can be unequipped and swapped for another. Or you can use one function to upgrade another. For example, breach an attack that shoots an energy beam, can be used to upgrade my sword crash, increasing it’s range and speed. Given the fact that you can swap these functions in absolutely any order gives you a huge amount of combat customization. Helping you find the perfect loadout for your playstyle.

    Unfortunately for me the combat began feeling incredibly repetitive after the first couple of hours. Seeing a lot of the same enemies, in the exact same situations, a battle in the beginning is very similar to battles later on; heightened by the fact that the real-time combat feels so good, I wish that there were functions to help you better adapt to that playstyle.

    This game runs great on the Nintendo Switch, handheld or docked I didn’t have any hiccups and it certainly looks fantastic in handheld mode. If playing on a commute headphones are a must as the narrator and background music contribute so much to the story that you won’t want to miss it.

    Transistor is a beautiful game with an incredibly interesting story, that will reward you if you stick it out. Unfortunately the combat system was a low point for me, even with the amazing amount of customization allowed. typically I want to play a game for the moment to moment gameplay not the story. Well with Transistor this was reversed, watching Red’s story come to a conclusion was the real drive for me, not slaying gaggles of repetitive robotic foes. Which in my opinion keeps this good game, from being a great game.    … Expand
  9. Hypes11
    Jan 6, 2020
    6
    Only played the first 2 hours before it deleted my save file for no apparent reason. The gameplay seemed interesting. Reminded me of the shadow mode from Shadow Tactics combined with an isometric RPG making for a fun mix of real time and turn based combat. Seemed like there were lots of new abilities and mods to strategize different combos and playstyles. Unfortunately I wasn't a fan ofOnly played the first 2 hours before it deleted my save file for no apparent reason. The gameplay seemed interesting. Reminded me of the shadow mode from Shadow Tactics combined with an isometric RPG making for a fun mix of real time and turn based combat. Seemed like there were lots of new abilities and mods to strategize different combos and playstyles. Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of what little I experienced of the story and the awesome soundtrack everyone boasted of must not kick in for a while.… Expand
  10. weasleye
    Jan 31, 2021
    10
    This would be what I consider the perfect game.
    Story: uniquely delivered in a way that oozes charisma through artistry, writing, and delivery.
    Gameplay: Challenging but not overwhelming. Skills absolutely matter and can be adjusted and tailored to fit your game play style or desired use case. You unlock new skills at a pretty good clip so if anything feels stale you can quickly pivot to    This would be what I consider the perfect game.
    Story: uniquely delivered in a way that oozes charisma through artistry, writing, and delivery.
    Gameplay: Challenging but not overwhelming. Skills absolutely matter and can be adjusted and tailored to fit your game play style or desired use case. You unlock new skills at a pretty good clip so if anything feels stale you can quickly pivot to something fresh.
    Music: God this is my favorite part. Korb is the greatest composer in gaming right now. Everything fits the bill and is executed in a way that allows the players atmosphere to be constructed sonically around them.
    Technically sound: I did not encounter a single, not one single bug through out my play-through.    … Expand
  11. kamhagh
    Feb 28, 2019
    9
    Fantastic music, nice visuals great overall.

    I still listen to the sound track years after it's release!
  12. MindWanderer
    Feb 27, 2020
    9
    Mechanical synergy. I slept on this game for a long time despite being impressed by the gameplay I saw at a convention, and these are the two words I needed to hear that would have made me play it earlier.

    Your character gets an array of combat abilities called "functions" with pseudo-programming names, like Crash() and Breach(). Initially you can only use these abilities actively,    Mechanical synergy. I slept on this game for a long time despite being impressed by the gameplay I saw at a convention, and these are the two words I needed to hear that would have made me play it earlier.

    Your character gets an array of combat abilities called "functions" with pseudo-programming names, like Crash() and Breach(). Initially you can only use these abilities actively, but later in the game you learn to use them as upgrades to other functions or to yourself. So, for instance, Spark() shoots a ball that fragments on impact, but if you put it on another function it will cause that function to emit damaging sparks in addition to its normal effect, or you can use it as a passive function to make it so that when you're damaged, it creates an illusory copy of you to draw attacks.

    As you can imagine, with four equippable functions with two upgrade slots each and four passive slots, the opportunities to come up with synergistic effects is tremendous. It turns the game from a fairly straightforward tactical experience to a complex optimization challenge.

    On top of that, you can also earn options to gain bonus experience by upgrading your enemies instead! If you choose not to do this, you don't have to be a strategic genius to beat the game; it's not terrifically challenging at base. If you do, though, you'll need to come up with ways to counter the abilities you've given your enemies.

    Other reviewers have raved about the game's art and story, so I won't go into that. Those won't sell me on a game. But the mechanics did.    … Expand
  13. ramayan
    Jan 20, 2021
    6
    Like the overall theme, music, but not a big fan of the story or the gamplay
  14. nusco
    Oct 19, 2019
    8
    Transistor is a gorgeous mix of cyberpunk with art nouveau, and real-time with turn-based strategy. It also includes Supergiant Games' trademark chatty narrator, that in this case is also your sidekick throughout the game.

    Transistor is like a brave experiment that mostly pays off. It has enough new mechanical ideas for three games, although they don't all work smoothly–but it should    Transistor is a gorgeous mix of cyberpunk with art nouveau, and real-time with turn-based strategy. It also includes Supergiant Games' trademark chatty narrator, that in this case is also your sidekick throughout the game.

    Transistor is like a brave experiment that mostly pays off. It has enough new mechanical ideas for three games, although they don't all work smoothly–but it should be praised for attempting them. The narrative goes a few non-obvious places, and its twists and turns don't always keep you engaged–but the brilliant voice acting and the luscious music help in keeping it all together.

    All in all, Transistor isn't a perfect game by any means, but it's certainly one worth exploring.    … Expand
  15. Mintendo
    Jan 29, 2020
    9
    Wow - this game was more engrossing than I thought it would be. I wasn’t sure about the mechanics at first, but it didn’t take long to get addicted to the fun action/strategy combo! The story is intriguing enough to create the right atmosphere, but doesn’t get in the way of the gameplay. And the artwork is just so... cool! A must-play!
  16. RyFi
    Nov 6, 2019
    10
    Transistor is a fabulous game with visually stunning graphics. It mixes story-driven beat-em-up elements with turn based action, making for very fun and never boring gameplay. As I mentioned before, it really is done in a visually stunning art style that never failed to deliver. I would highly recommend Transistor as one of my favorite games, and would suggest that you pick it up, itTransistor is a fabulous game with visually stunning graphics. It mixes story-driven beat-em-up elements with turn based action, making for very fun and never boring gameplay. As I mentioned before, it really is done in a visually stunning art style that never failed to deliver. I would highly recommend Transistor as one of my favorite games, and would suggest that you pick it up, it really feels at home here on the Switch.… Expand
  17. Asclkose
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Kinda slow in the beginning, but by the end, becomes one of the most gripping narratives in a game I have ever played. The visuals are consistently stunning throughout the game, and while the combat is a very new and odd system, you get used to it and it becomes very enjoyable. There are so many powers and abilities to play with, which, overall, makes the game really fun to play.
  18. jcren
    Mar 10, 2020
    10
    Initially I gave this game a bad review. For many reasons Ive decided to update my review. I have replayed the game several times now and during every iteration I noticed something new, something charming, something profound, something -- something i missed before; and every single intricacy made me like the game more and more. Maybe I wasnt looking for these intricacies when I firstInitially I gave this game a bad review. For many reasons Ive decided to update my review. I have replayed the game several times now and during every iteration I noticed something new, something charming, something profound, something -- something i missed before; and every single intricacy made me like the game more and more. Maybe I wasnt looking for these intricacies when I first played the game because I didnt go into it with an open mind, and I pre-emptively judged Transistor based on what I thought it should be, not what it was, and by doing so missed the beauty that was all around me in the game. If anything, I hope that the developers release a book based on the game so I can actually get to know some of the characters who have been integrated a little better. Thank you to the team over at Super Giant for making yet another great game. I cant wait for your next one.… Expand
  19. Gerdo
    Jun 30, 2020
    7
    Wished it was like Bastion. We got an enjoyable game, however nothing compared to Bastion. It became a little boring, repetitive and confusing. Still loved the story telling part of it.
  20. Denvers
    Jul 14, 2021
    6
    Supergiant Games is known for its consistency in the gaming landscape. All of their releases have been met with overwhelming amounts of praise and love by fans of the studio and newcomers alike. Transistor failed to impress me like the company's other games have. I'm not a fan of the way that Transistor and Bastion tell their stories as I have trouble focusing on the game and a constantSupergiant Games is known for its consistency in the gaming landscape. All of their releases have been met with overwhelming amounts of praise and love by fans of the studio and newcomers alike. Transistor failed to impress me like the company's other games have. I'm not a fan of the way that Transistor and Bastion tell their stories as I have trouble focusing on the game and a constant narrative at the same time. I was able to look past this with Bastion because it excelled in other ways that Transistor did not. While this game has many interesting and unique mechanics that I have never seen in any other game ever, the boring and slow fights combined with the lack of world identity ruin the experience for me. Each combat feels exactly the same, partly because my strategy always works perfectly, and partly because every area looks identical.

    Transistor is a disappointing game because it is every close to being good. The game's unique mechanics make it appear super interesting at first, but after realizing how little the game has to offer content-wise, Transistor disappoints on many levels.

    Final verdict: 6/10 (fine)    … Expand
  21. rookfire
    Aug 19, 2021
    7
    I liked this game. Unique combat system, really great voice-acting and graphics, and set in a really interesting world. I did lose steam halfway through because the combat gets a little repetitive.
  22. MADuser23
    May 27, 2020
    7
    People should consider Transistor if only to experience an ingenious way to tell a story. Set in a visually appealing steampunk world with a delicious soundtrack, coupled with an engaging combat system makes Transistor an indie action RPG worth playing today, roughly 6 years after its initial release. An interesting blend of music, traditional story-telling, and even combat mechanics playPeople should consider Transistor if only to experience an ingenious way to tell a story. Set in a visually appealing steampunk world with a delicious soundtrack, coupled with an engaging combat system makes Transistor an indie action RPG worth playing today, roughly 6 years after its initial release. An interesting blend of music, traditional story-telling, and even combat mechanics play a part in unraveling the lore and destruction in the world of Cloudbank. Add in a leveling system, and a way to customize your protagonist, Redd, to fit your style of combat-engagement and you have a game that'll stand up well past a single play-through.

    This game is an easy recommendation for people who enjoy unconventional story-telling, a dynamic combat system.    … Expand
  23. adearriba07
    Aug 21, 2020
    9
    Great game! Super innovative! I loved the battle system, first time I play something like this to be true. Very enjoyable and full of details.
  24. TempoTheMan
    Aug 12, 2021
    8
    Its supergiant games.
    tbh the ability combinations are kinda wierd in the later parts of the game and the combat is a little clunky, but who cares when its a supergiant games story
  25. JAG7
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    Great game. Weird story, wonderful world designed. Interesting combat. Controls are great. Superb soundtrack. Visuals are beautiful as well. Don’t compare it to Bastion or Hades, ‘cause it’s not the same at all, it’s different and that is a good thing. This game is unique. So play it and enjoy it as I did.
  26. poggomobile
    Apr 25, 2022
    7
    Look, it's OK. but after playing bastion, it's not in that league. I bought this on an eshop sale with a handful of other games, and maybe that's the problem - but I found the whole weapon slots thing unnecessarily fussy and honestly I'm not sure if I'm ever going to put the time in to figure it out because by the time they started becoming necessary to really get into, I wasn't reallyLook, it's OK. but after playing bastion, it's not in that league. I bought this on an eshop sale with a handful of other games, and maybe that's the problem - but I found the whole weapon slots thing unnecessarily fussy and honestly I'm not sure if I'm ever going to put the time in to figure it out because by the time they started becoming necessary to really get into, I wasn't really being drawn into the story of the game or really prepared to dig in to keep at it....

    Maybe if I'd bought less games at the same time then I wouldn't have had other options to play and would have stuck with it? I don't know... but I didn't have this issue with the other games I bought at the same time.    … Expand
  27. Heracross93
    Oct 11, 2022
    8
    It's hard not to fault it. Isometric games have never looked so good. Aesthetically and conceptually outstanding at a really affordable pricepoint (on digital). It will take a few playthroughs to fully appreciate the story and master the combat system on its hardest difficulty.
  28. Screenhero
    Nov 11, 2022
    10
    A beautiful game with a very nice combination of genres. The use of attack-planning offers a thoughtful approach and the combination of abilities can offer options for any situation.

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Switch Game of 2018
61
#61 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. God is a Geek
    Sep 3, 2019
    90
    This is a great way to experience on of the best games ever. I really wish they had added the touchscreen functionality from the iOS version as an option to make this the definitive version of the game. If you don’t care about touchscreen controls, the Switch version is amazing and absolutely worth getting if you’ve never played this game before.
    Read full review
  2. Switch Player
    Nov 15, 2018
    90
    Beautiful, graceful and full of charm. Transistor is a gem that should be in everyone's collection.
    Read full review
  3. FNintendo
    Nov 12, 2018
    90
    Transistor is a marvelous piece of gaming worthy of all praises. Whether for fans of action games or turn-based combat games, this is definitely a game to invest in and where players will find themselves experimenting in many ways thanks to the game's long lifespan, with an absolutely exquisite soundtrack in the background.
    Read full review
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