Gorgeous. Just gorgeous.
That's honestly the first thing that immediately came to mind when thinking back over my hands-on experience with Supergiant Games' upcoming title Transistor. And let's be real for a moment: After seeing the screenshots below, can you really blame me? This small, yet talented, development team has managed to create one of the most gorgeous and enchanting worlds I have ever explored in gaming. If you've played Bastion, the studio's prior title, this should hardly come as a surprise.
In many ways Transistor is a sort of spiritual successor to Bastion thanks to a similar look and feel. Both games feature a deep and soothing narrator who serves a prominent role is fleshing out the story. Both worlds are stunning, foreign, and intriguing all at the same time. Both combat systems are elegantly simple with each attack option mapped to a corresponding face button. See the similarities?
Now don't misunderstand me. This is an entirely new and fresh experience wholly distinct and separate from Bastion, due in part to the game's premise and protagonist. You play as Red, who—believe it or not—has red hair and wields a massive sword called the Transistor. During my time with the demo, that was the only weapon she could use, and this could very well the the case throughout the course of the entire game.
Now before you start fretting over the game's potential for redundancy, let me explain the combat. Red can perform several different types of attacks depending on the situation. I particularly enjoyed using her devastating area-of-effect attack. There's also a dash option, allowing you to dart around enemies with ease. All of these abilities must be used strategically in order to pummel the robotic monsters that stand in your way, but you can't just go around mashing buttons haphazardly, as careful management of Red's attack points is crucial to success.
In the midst of combat, pulling the right trigger will freeze time, giving you a chance to queue up moves and freely move Red about the battlefield; however, this comes at the cost of your aforementioned pool of points. After using your allotted number of attacks, you'll need to wait to recharge, as you avoid the oncoming assault from your remaining foes.
I found the combat deeply satisfying despite the fact that it is incredibly simple. Because it is so easy to pick up and have fun with right away, there's no doubt in my mind that Transistor will be easily accessible to (and beloved by) a rather wide audience of gamers. If the jaw-dropping art style hasn't already sucked you in, I assure you that the fluid and intuitive gameplay will latch on and never let go.
The world of Transistor is an absolute delight to behold. While the game's story was lost on me during my few minutes with the demo, its aesthetic made me forget my worrires. If you're looking for an artistic showpiece that's also a complete blast to play, make a mental note to look out for Supergiant's next big thing early next year. If you forget, don't worry. We here at GameRevolution will be sure to remind you.
As of right now, we still don't know what platforms the title will release on, and early 2014 is all the developer could provide as far as a release window. For more on Transistor and all things PAX East, be sure to keep it locked to GameRevolution.
