Above all else, I wanted to see the story through – one that took me around 30 hours to finish.ĭespite the positivity surrounding the writing, I do still have gripes – one being John himself. The characters are fantastic and kept me going – I’d even smirk at their antics. It’s, assuredly, divisive, but I never felt it harmed Eastward in any way, if at all. Furthermore, I stumbled on tiny side-quests by simply chatting up the locals, meaning that talking is encouraged. The differential between actual gameplay and dialogue is 50/50 and, at times, can extend to be more in favour of words. It’s incredible, but it’s also quite text-heavy, meaning that if you dislike cutscenes, be wary. Not only is everyone random with their thoughts, but they insert the unmistakable identity of an outrageous universe – a staple of the SNES classic. NPC conversations, in general, are where the similarities to Earthbound and Undertale truly prosper. Nice to see my sleeping habits extend to gaming. Not all of them, mind you, but I gave a damn about a few. What I took exception to is this title’s ability to engross me in its characters. It helps nail down the father and daughter dynamic between her and the other protagonist: John. Sam is, specifically, well done, and sports a clear child-like innocence. There’s straight-up robots, monkey humanoids, and muscle-bound dunces that all radiate charisma. The cast is varied, adding a lived-in and robust feel to the world. The banter too, though, wholesomeness and telling an enthralling tale took precedent above all else. One aspect I was enamoured with was character interactions, as well as their whimsy quirks. If that’s not an indication that Eastward wears its inspiration on its sleeve, then I don’t know what is. There’s even a mini-game that can be played called Earthborn. The overarching narrative is enjoyable and strongly reminiscent of Earthbound. A special shoutout goes to Sam and how she’d bounce to portray her giddiness – it’s so friggin adorable. That was aided further by the excellent animations – they’re so damn smooth. For instance, stutters depict nervousness, while methodical wording showcases excitement, disarray, or other such traits. I was also always able to determine proper emotions behind anything that was being said, thanks to the literary techniques used.
Maybe it has to do with the graphical style, but being able to voice everyone myself felt right. Eastward, however, is far better for being text-only, and, quite frankly, it even flourishes as a result. It helps the player to feel immersed and, in some cases, empathize. It does so by injecting cadence into the dialogue, thus pronouncing the tone. I’ve often regurgitated the perception that voice acting can breathe life into an otherwise uninspired script.
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