I was gifted Transistor the other week on Steam, where it was on sale. This, by the way, is a game that I've been waiting on with bated breath. The spiritual successor of Bastion, one of my Hall of Famers, I had high hopes for this one. It needed music, it needed style, it needed heart. And did it deliver? Or have Supergiant Games simply rested on their laurels? Well, let's investigate, shall we?
First off the bat, let's discuss the storyline. They have kept to their formula for this, in that there is minimal character interaction as you progress through the game. You piece together the world,and the backstory, with snippits that you can optionally discover, or simply ignore. But who would ignore it? It's another well-crafted storyline that is a touch more sophisticated than its older sibling. You are Red, a now voiceless singer, whose friend/love interest has given his live to save you being impaled by the Transistor. This blade has captured his soul (or trace as they call it), and now you must try to return him to his body, get your voice back, and destroy a robotic evil known as the Process. Why is all of this happening? Well, finding out is half the fun.
Both the art and gaming styles are gorgeous. As was to be expected, every part of the game looks hand drawn.Sharp, clear, crisp and, most importantly for my poor excuse of a computer, can run on a toaster. The gaming style is still an isometric hack'n'slash, if you choose it to be. Allow me to explain that last part. You can fight in real-time, it's true. But with one button, you can slow down time and it's suddenly a turn-based strategy game. It's an improvement, in my opinion, although I've seen many an internet wizard cackle about its inferiority.
Attacks themselves come from collected traces (lost souls) or simply levelling up. The level system allows you to upgrade the Transistor as you see fit. More memory for stronger attacks, more slots, the choice is yours. You have four main weapon slots, each of which has a single upgrade slot. You can combine various attacks using these slots, each of which gives your attack a different buff. They can also go in a passive slot, which will give you a new ability. The play styles are near-limitless. You also have access to limiters, mainly meant for New Game Plus, which make the game harder in return for more experience points. It's all in your hands.
It's all about expression and functionality.
And the music....wow. Another winner. They hit all the right notes, set the mood so well that you're not even aware there is a soundtrack. It just melds into the story's fabric seamlessly. I know gamers who prefer games without the volume up. I think that would detract from any game, but most of all from Transistor.
To wrap it up, get this game. And Bastion, too. They're both modern works of art, experiences that you need to engage with, and every second you don't indulge in them is an opportunity missed.
