Release Date: 20/05/2014
Played On: Win
Available On: iOS / Lin / Mac / PS4 / Win
Time Played: 5h 30m
Progress: Completed
Developer: Supergiant Games
Publisher: Supergiant Games
There once was this game called Bastion, which I played to death and loved every aspect of. The story was unique and original, the graphics were gorgeous and colourful, even the gameplay was simple and compelling. I often listen to the soundtrack, just because it's a good album of music, and surely everyone saw the hype around the clever narration guiding you through the game's story.
Bastion was one of those games that made me take indie titles a bit more seriously. Along with others of its ilk, it made me want to seek out the little gems that were out there to be sampled and experienced. It's because of games like this, that I even bother trying out small games that could potentially be a waste of time. Games like Bastion did a lot of work in convincing me that games could be dense with creativity and artistic merit.
Thus, I don't envy the developers who make this amazing title and then have to follow it up with another. No matter what you make after a huge success; chances are that it won't be as much of a success, which some would call failure. This is what kept me from playing Transistor for a long time after it came out: I didn't want to tarnish the novel genius of its predecessor.
All the media I saw around Transistor was a little discouraging. It looked like it was recycling a lot of what made Bastion great, which is a risky proposition. The disembodied narrator was back again, commenting and reacting to the action on screen. Also, the art looked similarly stylised, the isometric view was the same, and the soundtrack sounded close to Bastion's.
Rather than making me excited about more of the same, this only served to put me off. It's one thing to find a decent formula that works and stick to it, but what I loved about Bastion was how un-formulaic it was. Everything felt original and unique, so churning out the same thing would only be a pale imitation.
I'm here to tell you that I shouldn't have been worried for a second. Not only does Transistor carve its own identity, it also serves to build a stylistic narrative for the developer, which is rare and super attractive to someone like me.
In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that Transistor represents the ideal balance between recognisable style and new iterations. The similarities are undoubtedly present, but rather than being imitations of the original, they are an evolution on that idea. For example, the narrator is a main character again, but he spends less time telling the story and keeps his comments to useful observations or expected reactions.
The art is very similar, which is to say that it's impeccable. When you have an art team who can produce the unique landscapes and beautiful designs that these artists create, don't go changing a thing. Every frame is balanced and detailed in such a way that it's visually functional and aesthetically delightful to observe. Of course Bastion was a visual explosion as well, but I can't blame anyone for maintaining an exceptional level of art and visual design throughout titles.
What's more, the soundtrack is similar in its quality and production thanks to the return of Darren Korb, who also scored Bastion. As much as I love video game soundtracks, there aren't many that I listen to for pure enjoyment in the same way that I listen to other bands and musicians. However, Darren Korb's work on Bastion and Transistor not only shapes the game sonically, but serves as great music for independent listening.
The similarities aren't all aesthetic though, as some of the game's RPG systems have carried over as well. I'll get to the context later, but there's a progression system that involves finding new powers and equipment, then swapping them out to create custom loadouts and conditions. One thing I never got into with either game, was the option to equip items that produced greater rewards, but increased the risk (through tougher enemies, less health, etc). It's a nice system that worked well in Bastion, and again works well to provide a good sense of progression and growth over the course of the game.
In Transistor you play as a singer who has lost her voice, in a city that is deserted and decaying. The actual lore is a bit ambiguous as there is a happy lack of exposition attempting to explain it all away. Instead you find terminals with news broadcasts, and discover stories along the way about places and people.
All the while you're carrying around a massive sword, which functions more as an interface device with the world around you. In a way it's like a big USB drive, which serves as the housing for upgrades and loadout modifiers. It's where the narrator exists, and other souls or essences of defeated people can be stored. There's some interesting lore related questions that arise based on the fact that each "persona" you download into your sword (or "Transistor" as it where), give you different powers. Sometimes it feels like you're harvesting the data these beings left behind to gain their buffs and qualities.
Throughout your journey across the deserted city, you encounter many enemies who will stand in your way. It's presented almost as a technological virus, as many are robotic in nature and the battle system functions very mechanically.
The enemies are quite similar to those in Bastion, as they appeared out of nowhere and are now stuck hanging around in various locations. Even the enemy types are a little similar, which is a genuine disappointment, as the battle system and combat mechanics are where Transistor really sets itself apart.
Tying in with the technological aspects of your sword and the enemies you fight, combat is a blend of turn-based and real-time battles. When in a fight, you have a certain amount of power or action points to spend on moves, which then take a predetermined amount of time to regenerate. Combat quickly becomes a stop-and-start affair of initiating your turn, which pauses the action as you select moved to execute and spend your action points. Then the moves play out and you are left in real-time to avoid enemies until everything recharges and you can queue up another set of moves.
However, while you're running around and waiting for points to recharge, you can still fire off moves and attack without pausing the action. Sometimes this is even a better tactic, as enemies have different movement patterns and abilities. Faster types might dodge out of the way before you execute an attack, so firing it off in real time is preferable to ensure you know it will connect. Others are sneaky and require better positioning to get the drop on them, so using a teleport skill in real-time can give you the upper hand before unleashing a string of commands.
Thanks to this balance between turn-based and real-time combat, each encounter has an interesting mix of problem solving and fighting. In fact there are even bonus stages that task you with defeating enemies with limited conditions, forcing you to learn how to efficiently use your skills to solve problems. Compared with Bastion's reliance on weapon variety and real-time battles, Transistor really stands in its own light with this interesting and somewhat unique combat system.
Most importantly though, is how much these systems feel seated within the world of Transistor. Everything from the combat to the narrator's commentary feels like it belongs in the world and provides depth to each environment. This is something Supergiant Games seem to have a tight handle on, as they are proving themselves as fantastic world builders.
I can't really break down the story of Transistor in to a couple of sentences, or even identify specific elements that stand out from the rest. Much like its predecessor, this is a game that becomes greater than the sum of its parts, even though those parts are individually excellent on their own.
Games like Transistor manage to embody the elusive aspect of creating something that is whole. The attention to detail and the work that has gone into every aspect of this game, is an excellent example of why I love games as a medium. It's the combination of systems, mechanics, and aesthetics, that make these kind of games a pleasure to play.