This game is great for having discussions. A lot is left up to interpretation, and there are all sorts of themes running through it, from isolation, to revenge, to the concept of "majority rules." I felt like Transistor's story was a bit less emotional than Bastion's, but a bit more deep and absorbing. It's just kind of a shame how all the characters sort of go to waste. You never get to interact with any of the people you learn about in the "methods", even though they all seem interesting. The Camerata are all very talented and intelligent people, and could've made for very intimidating antagonists, but only two of them actually DO anything in the plot. Not that this hurts the story, as this was a bit of a necessity of Red losing her voice, but it's still a bit disappointing. I'd love to see some sort of expansion material centered around these people.
That's true, guy above. When I fought Sybil, I assumed that I'd get to fight increasingly creepier processed camerata members. And what the game did with the Kendralls was a clever subversion, and the Royce fight was extremely epic, but... still, haha.
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Supergiant is now 2 for 2
Platform reviewed: PC
After taking Xbox Live Arcade and Steam by storm with their debut Bastion, Supergiant Games left players wondering what else they have up their sleeves. In the spring of 2014, they released their science-fiction RPG. So does this game live up to their fabulous debut? In a word, yes.
While the game features isometric graphics, Cloudbank and its surrounding are nothing but gorgeous to look at. It is crystal clear that the studio gave their art department time to fulfill the potential of the futuristic setting and I couldn't help but spend a few minutes pausing just to take it all in. As great as the visuals are, however, its soundtrack (once again by Darren Korb) steals the show. I could spend the rest of the review describing how brilliant the music fits the game, but in short you will be tempted to purchase the soundtrack separately once you spend a minute getting lost in the game.
Transistor's gameplay mechanics do not disappoint either. The combination of turn-based and real-time combat might seem strange at first, but I really appreciate the game encouraging the player to be versatile and try new skills. I highly recommend activating the Limiters once you get used to the combat, as they bring a nice dash of challenge into fights you might otherwise become complacent in.
Without spoilers, I felt the plot and characters were even better than Bastion. There weren't too many twists, but I felt Mr. Nobody brought a fantastic perspective to the game's events and I was moved by the relationship he has with Red throughout the game. Moreover, Transistor ends with one of the best Final Boss fights I played in years.
No game is perfect and Transistor is no different. If you stick with real-time combat, it is very similar to the combat in Bastion. It works well, but those looking to truly experiment with the game should try utilizing the Turn() mechanic instead. I also hoped that I could get a few more hours of gameplay from this title. There is New Game+, but I wish I could have learned more about the characters that live within Cloudbank.
That said and done, if you can deal with these small issues then you are in for a treat. 2014's Game of the Year for me.