Transistor
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Supergiant Games Developer: Supergiant Games Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: RPG
Graphics & Sound: Supergiant Games is back with a sophomore effort that is just as stunning and just as fun as its debut title Bastion. Transistor is one of those rare games that fires on all cylinders. It's a stunningly well-produced role playing game that delights the senses and tests the mind. It's smart, well-written, unique, deep, and chock full of rewarding, strategic gameplay. Transistor utilizes the same isometric perspective used in Bastion, as well as the ethereal, dreamlike art style. But while Bastion was set in the sky, Transistor is set in an actual city. Cloudbank is a stunning futuristic cityscape; from the buildings and vistas in the background to the floor the main character walks on, this game is eye candy throughout. The Transistor itself looks like what people would fight with in the future -- that is, if they went back to fighting with swords. There are a few neat touches, too; as the sword is literally dragged behind main character Red, tiny vectors of light seem to emit from it and shuttle along barely visible circuits in the ground. Additionally, the voice of the entity trapped inside the sword is accompanied by a well-timed strobe effect in the DualShock 4's light bar that flashes on every syllable. Finally, the character design is superb; in many ways, Red is a protagonist unlike any you've ever seen. The Process are a unique, visually appealing enemy presence; they appear to be organic to the world of Cloudbank, but they still have a vaguely sterile, alien look to them. Transistor also follows Bastion in its pitch perfect sound design. On top of its incredibly wistful, melancholic voice acting, Transistor sees the return of composer/singer duo Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett for another amazing, layered soundtrack. I particularly like how the music figures into the gameplay; when Red is running around in real time, the music plays in full force. However, when she stops time using the Turn mechanic, the music is muffled, allowing Barrett's beautiful singing voice to take center stage.
Gameplay: Transistor begins with a mystery: you are Red, an auburn-haired lounge singer who not only finds herself deprived of her voice, but also next to a dead man with a sword buried in his chest. At a voice's behest, she removes the sword and begins trekking across Cloudbank, which appears to have been struck by a Rapture-esque calamity. There appears to be no sign of human life anywhere, and at every turn, a hostile mechanical force known as the Process attacks her. Transistor's narrative remains a mystery for a good percentage of the game. You will be deeply confused through a good chunk of the game, and each development will have you scrambling to put the pieces together. But like in all good stories of this sort, there comes a eureka moment. An epiphany that sheds light on everything that came before it. But even if Transistor story didn't deliver, the gameplay would make the experience more than worth your while. At first, you might confuse Transistor for an action role-playing game in the same style of its older brother Bastion. You explore Cloudbank using the same perspective, destroying Process and growing stronger as you go. However, the combined strength of the Process is far too much for Red (or anyone, for that matter) to stand up to them. Lucky for Red, she finds herself in possession of a time-stopping power that allows her to rise to the challenge.
Difficulty: Transistor is a great deal more difficult than Bastion, thanks to the ferocity of its enemies. The primary mechanic you'll use to offset this advantage, however, is quite easy to use and very well-explained in the game's interface. Like in Bastion, Transistor has something of a challenge room. In here, you can partake in a number of trials that test Red's combat efficiency, from speed to endurance. It's here that you'll find the toughest challenges, especially if you grind your way through the low-level challenges and get to the harder ones. As you progress through the story, you will inevitably unlock a number of Limiters. These increase the amount of experience you earn in combat, but give your enemies even more of an advantage. Personally, I found that these were only worth using if they were equipped en masse, but the game got too hard for me to enjoy by then.
Game Mechanics: The Process may be an overwhelming foe to most people, but Red isn't most people. The Transistor is capable of a great many things, and all of them are expressly designed to help her fight her way through. The most important tool at Red's disposal is called Turn. This is the mechanic that shifts the gameplay from real-time to turn-based. This is where Red's combat efficiency receives a major boost. When you use Turn, time freezes and you can plan out a series of attacks and moves. A bar at the top of the screen dictates how far Red can move and how much she can do. Each step and each ability consumes a portion of the bar, and once you use it up completely, you must either execute the sequence or back it up so you can rethink it. Executing it results in Red rushing about the battlefield in the sequence you've prescribed with blinding speed. And once your attack is complete, you're stuck in real-time for a bit as you attempt to stay out of harm's way. As Red explores Cloudbank, she comes across a number of dead individuals, all of whom are recognized by the voice inside the Transistor. These individuals are converted into Red's abilities, which are called Functions. Functions can be mapped to face buttons and imbued with special effects. These range from chaining attacks to temporarily recruiting enemies to fight for you. In the end, Transistor is a resounding success, and Supergiant Games is quickly rising in the ranks of great indie developers. Transistor should be played by anyone who can enjoy a thoughtful gaming experience and a deliberate, mature story.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of Transistor Official Website of Supergiant Games
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