Transistor- Art de Indépendants

If you're looking to fill some hours of boredom in between your main games. I'd have to say look no further than Transistor. This game is absolutely beautiful. It's not as good as Bastion maybe but it certainly does strike me as one of the better Indie games available to consumers. Like with all my other reviews I'm going to be dividing this game up in to four sections.

Story: Is told through beautiful scenery, interactive terminals, and a strange digital sword. I can't exactly tell what the settings is but it feels like some fusion of a neo-paris or maybe digital Paris feel. The literary direction is fabulous, it draws you in and makes you want to stay for the full ride, albeit I would rather have heard Red narrate the story than the sword. Personal preferences can only go so far when a beautifully crafted story is present. In an age where stories are beginning to become lost in the wave of technical advances Transistor, takes a step back and forward in telling its story. It returns to the roots of a good storytelling while updating it with appropriate interactions as well as well timed cut-scenes.  9/10 for story

Gameplay: Fluid and well mastered, the transitions and intermingling between active and turn-based combat were flawless. Due to the fact that it is an indie title, combat is still limited in its sense of expandedness. However, the simple system isn't just a pretty face as the longer you play the game the more depth is unlocked. A few combinations tend to work better than others and they're fairly easy to figure out, but, it's fun nonetheless and an easy way to pass time while queuing up for matches in League or DoTA. The combat has a fairly steep learning curve, or it could be that I just suck at these types of games. I found myself mechanically struggling with level 1. However, I'd chalk that up to my not understanding button placements. 8/10 for gameplay as it does struggle with its limited space.

Graphics: Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of this game. It's strangely minimalistic while exceptionally detailed. Character models aren't super detailed but they're given the feeling of a complex figure with super stylization that remind me of stencil art. The environments while limited are all extremely well designed and both skill FX and UI match the theme of the game. Which sometimes developers choose to ignore. Framerates are high as to be expected with a 2.5D game and the game is well optimized so it can be played on lower tier systems without much trouble. 10/10 for transporting me to the stunning land that was in transistor.

Sound: This soundtrack made my heart melt. It's so well woven into the combat and story that it actually is part of the experience. Without it the game would feel empty. Sound FX are equally as on par in quality. There was a limitation and I did find myself wondering at times if that would have been the most appropriate sound FX for the scenario, but I decided that it was part of the vision Supergiant studios had. When playing this game please wear a set of high quality headphones if available and turn the volume to medium. Hearing all of the instrumentals is spine chilling. For making me orgasm slightly while enjoying the game I have to give sound a 10/10 despite its minor faults.

FULL Transistor OST Soundtrack- Uploaded by Supergiant Studios

Overall this game absolutely deserves at least one play through. It's beautiful, art, story and sound move mountains of feelings and evoke a powerful feeling and transient message. If you haven't already picked it up you can get it on steam.