Transistor Reviews
It may seem less of a fairy tale, but it's still one accomplished story. And with gameplay that is both approachable and engaging without sacrificing depth, the team at Supergiant have shown that they're just getting started.
It isn't a bad story, with plenty of intrigue from its setting and characters. The issue comes in when it tries to take a leap into the realm of allegory, where it never ties itself together thematically in a satisfying way. In that way, Transistor is like a virtual croissant. It is layered and delicious, but there is a lingering airy emptiness to it that makes it hard to fill up on just one.
As in Bastion, you'll gain the option of increasing the difficulty in exchange for more experience, and the soundtrack and narration is surprisingly on par with the previously high bar set by Supergiant Games.
With the emergence of Transistor and Child of Light from earlier this year, it's getting harder and harder to argue that video games are merely there for entertainment and have no artistic value at all. Transistor strikes a fine balance between being an enjoyable video game and a cyberpunk piece of art.
An appealing skill system highlights this gorgeous game
While there doesn't seem to be anything new to draw players in, Transistor has always had a goal of replayability to begin with. Owning it on a Switch lets you play it both at home and on the go, rather than needing two versions of the game to do so. Performance was great on both, and I spent a large amount of time playing through without even realizing it. The game also does not have a Switch markup as many others do, so this is definitely worth a pick up if you haven't already got yourself sick of the game on another console.
Overall Transistor certainly shows how far Supergiant Games have come from Bastion - which was a great effort. Unfortunately, it's missing some essential elements in an RPG (such as the aforementioned grinding) making a few bosses harder than they should be. Yet, as bad as those flaws may sound, I had a great time playing it thanks to the battle system, and the sheer charm of the characters.
Transistor gives players a dazzling world to explore, a customisable combat system that anyone could find pleasure in, and a story that can pull on even the toughest person's heartstrings if engaged with. Transistor is a worthy follow up to Bastion and it shows that Supergiant Games aren't finished with bringing truly jaw-dropping worlds to the videogame industry. The linearity and confusing opening hour do hinder the game somewhat, but as you come to understand Transistor, you'll be swept away by its charm and beauty.
Beautiful, stylised and interesting. In a world of stale games Transistor takes all that was good from the loved Bastion but makes enough changes that it stand out on its own.
Just as I see Supergiant's uneasiness exercised in the mechanics and themes of Bastion, I cannot help but find Transistor's obsession with performativity a bit telling of its creators' desire to break the sophomore slump.
Transistor is a worthy follow up to one of the most revered indie games of the last generation. Supergiant have taken a formula that works really well and applied a truly gorgeous art direction to it, with an incredibly deep combat system to boot. It's a game that is well worth your time, and with the big AAA game drought heading our way over summer, it's a perfect title to sink your teeth into for a few hours and just let it wash over you.
Transistor is a beautiful game with a fun, addictive progression and combat systems.
Like Blade Runner, Transistor may need a Director's Cut to achieve its full potential
Transistor is beautiful and engaging with a brilliant combat systems that encourages careful planning before and during battle. It's just a shame the story holds it back from being a true classic. It's a more flawed experience than Bastion was, but it's also a more interesting one. It takes risks. It ditches Bastion's charm and lighter moments for a darker, more somber story. Not all of the risks, however, pay off.
With Transistor, Supergiant Games created a beautiful, unique and enjoyable world. Unfortunately, the game is so focused that you're not offered the opportunity to really explore or experience this world.
Not all of the game's bold ideas are entirely successful but in terms of the visuals, music, and storytelling ambition this is one of the most absorbing indie adventures of the year.
Sometimes frustrating in terms of both gameplay and narrative, Transistor manages to be a redolent title with a ton of imagination. While not quite as clever as its presentation suggests, it's a pretty little title that ends on a beautifully bittersweet note.
Transistor is ripe with potential, but in the end, it just doesn't rise to the occasion, and thus prevents itself from becoming greater than the sum of its parts.
Just like the technical artifice in which it's set, though, it never quite feels like home.
Of Supergiant's two games, 'Transistor' is second-best. I'll always commend a studio for opting to be different, and in some ways it pays off for Supergiant, while in others it doesn't. The combat system is compelling at first, but generally not balanced enough to compel me to keep going in a second playthrough. The story is at first mysterious but eventually underwhelming, despite a strong emotional core in its two lead characters, and the city of Cloudbank shines brightly in just one way, and so feels dull after about an hour.