Rouge
United States
 
 
No information given.
Favorite Game
16
Hours played
300 XP
Review Showcase
16 Hours played
Transistor is an RPG by the creators of Bastion. Similarly to their previous game, the art, story, and sound design are all fantastic. The combat is a weird hybrid between real-time and turn-based that will probably be hit-or-miss with most people. The robust skill system was incredible and is probably one of Transistor's best features.

The combat is different than most other games. You can move and attack in real time, but you'll find it difficult to survive without using the Turn() feature. Turn() pauses the game and allows you to plan out your next few movements and attacks. The planned actions will then be executed very quickly, without the enemies being able to attack or move. Turn() then goes on cooldown for a few seconds and most of your skill won't be usable. This creates a turn-like tempo in the the fights where you attack with Turn() and then play defensively when it's on cooldown. The combat takes a little getting used to and won't be for everyone, but it really works well with the skill system.

The skill system is one of the games best features. I didn't unlock all of the skill on the first playthough, but there are at least 16 of them. Each skill can be used in 3 ways.
1. Active Skill: The skills you use in combat. You get 4 active skill slots.
2. Augementation: Each active slot has two augmentation slots which alter the effect of the active skill.
3. Passive Skill: Each skill has a different passive effect when placed in one of the 4 passive slots.

Although this seems to be overly complex, you only start with a couple skills, the 4 active slots, and an augmentation slot for each of them. You gain additional skills and slots when you level up so the game does a good job of easing you into the skill system. Furthermore, the game does an excellent job of pushing you to experiement and try new skill combinations. I had a lot of fun experimenting with the skills and trying to find effective combinations.

In conclusion, Transistor is a great game. If you liked Bastion, or are a fan of turn based RPGs, you should get this game. If you're unsure that you'll like the combat, you should look at a couple gameplay videos, but try not to spoil the story for yourself.