Eastward Reviews
Worth playing for the atmosphere even though its pace and plot are uneven.
Whether you do or don’t recognize these callbacks, though, Eastward feels like a game charting its own course. Rather than the bucolic paradises of Studio Ghibli movies or the sword-swinging fantasy fare of Dragon Quest, the dominant aesthetic of the game is a sort of cutesy calamity. The apocalypse it depicts through gorgeous pixel-art graphics is vibrant, warm, and almost hospitable.
Eastward is a gorgeous looking adventure game that features a great mechanic of synergy-building between characters during fights and puzzle-solving, and a welcoming combat system. Its level design is mostly simple, but the settings look so beautiful it's worth just to marvel at the art style. While there are some performance issues on a television screen when there's a lot of characters on display at the same time and there's a lot of backtracking involved, Eastward is a very interesting and captivating experience for anyone looking for a good adventure game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An old-school mix of adventure and RPG in the immortal pixel-art 2D style. Only that compared to similar titles, Eastward can pull in completely providing great fun for more than a few evenings.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The fully realized world has its charm, but it hardly breaks the mold anywhere else. While it doesn't do anything necessarily offensive, it does demand more when the rest of the game is so well done. It's clear Pixpil have got the writing chops down, now let's tighten up some of the stuff around it.
Eastward has been in the works for a while. Finally, it's time to head eastbound across the train tracks to an action adventure game filled with stunning visuals and an endearingly quirky cast.
Eastward: Octopia may not bring many new ideas to a crowded genre, but this is an impressively well-executed expansion that nicely ticks all the boxes for a satisfying and relaxing farm sim. Although it has some rougher edges, the decent gameplay variety, interesting story, gorgeous visuals, and surprising amount of content all come together to make this one an easy recommendation to any fans of the original Eastward. Even for those of you who fell off your playthrough of the original for one reason or another, we'd encourage you to consider coming back for Octopia-this is a much better-paced game and, some performance issues aside, it's lost none of the charm that made the original so popular.
Eastward proves itself to be a memorable and enjoyable mashup of many beloved classic titles, combining each of their elements together to forge something that feels distinct and engaging. Creative gameplay sequences, a heartwarming and emotional story, and a killer art style all combine to make this one easy to recommend. That being said, we'd also offer a word of caution that this is a slow burn kind of game; if you're not a patient player, Eastward's sometimes lethargic pace may take a lot of enjoyment out of the experience. Wherever you may fall, Eastward is indisputably a game worth checking out, and we'd encourage you to give it a shot.
Before I knew it, my initial skepticism and complaints had begun to evaporate. Even as a silent protagonist, John manages to exude so much personality from his non-committal shrugs and sighs, and he and Sam play off each other so well it’s hard not to feel endeared to them. Everything about Eastward just feels immediately magical and nostalgic, and while my gripes with the combat and stretched out dungeon designs never really went away entirely, Sam’s journey is still one I’m glad I went on in the end.
Eastward is an amazing indie title that spans around 30 hours of gameplay, told through a captivating story. The wonderful art direction and spectacular animation are warranted enough for Eastward to grab your attention.
Eastward is an enjoyable and arresting adventure, with memorable characters, likeable humour and a central mystery that keeps you engaged throughout.
For as gorgeous as Eastward‘s graphics are, and as endearing as some of its characters become, and as much as I need its soundtrack on vinyl as soon as possible, it also falls short in some ways that leave its conclusion feeling a bit off. It’s one of the more promising debuts I’ve seen, and Pixpil has ensured I’ll be incredibly interested in whatever they do next. Eastward is something a fan of pixel art and good music, with a weakness for video game nostalgia, deserves to check out. It’s just also a journey that left me wanting a little more.
Eastward might fumble the ending, but that doesn't stop it from delivering a fantastic journey.
Eastward is a post-apocalyptic picaresque as charming as it is pretty, with simple action combat and puzzles that are accessible to everyone.
An atmospheric adventure with a beautiful world and great characters who carry the game over some long-winded passages.
Review in German | Read full review
It's a good game that takes inspiration from places you might not expect. For its specific blend of genres and its low price point, you can't do much better.
Eastward is a game about a journey and the characters you meet along the way. Although the combat and puzzles are quite typical, the setting, sound and art style are remarkable, making this an essential trek through an incredible world.
Eastward will be on many shortlists for indie GOTY, and possibly on some main lists as well. If you like what you see, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
Eastward is an incredibly charming indie gem that’s well worth sinking hours into exploring its detailed post-apocalyptic world and unfolding its intriguing and heartwarming plot.