17 people found this review helpful
2
9
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 13.7 hrs on record
Posted: 3 Jul, 2017 @ 3:55pm
Updated: 3 Jul, 2017 @ 4:36pm

Transistor is the BEST indie game which I have ever played so far.
Everything is so perfect with everything I mean Story, Gameplay, Game mechanics, Game Design, Soundtrack and I still can't belive it's indie game.
Developers did great job that they connected everything so nicely in one game.

Story 10/10
Story is very nice created and story has nice connect with gameplay, that transistor is your sword that talk and guide you through the game is so interesting and he is feeling like he is human being (He was human being, but you need to finish the game to figure it out) and ending is really sad. You are controlling Red, a singer in the city of Cloudbank, who uses Transistor to the Process, and to bring the Camerata (Group of 4 members and they are reposnible for the disappearances of high profile people in Cloudbank) to justice.
The Game action is happening in future and everything is robotic around you (specially enemies).

Gameplay/Game mechanics 10/10
In gameplay you are controlling character "Red" and you are eliminating enemies with your Transistor (Big Sword) that has a lot of Functions (abilities) and you are getting new Functions from leveling up and for finding them from dead bodies of some important Characters (Bosses etc.).
Also every Function (ability) has 3 forms that can be used for and it's:
  • Standard Function use (usable Function) - Hot-keys 1,2,3,4 or A,B,X,Y if your are playing with Xbox controller, every Function is diffrent and unique and there game make you creative with some unique combos and every combo can be good also some abilities are pure damage and some are utility or just defensive.
  • Upgradable - Every usable ability can be upgraded with 1 or 2 other abilities (at the start u can upgrade only with 1 ability after when you level up you are unlocking 2nd slot for 2nd ability that can upgraded for that usable ability)
  • Passive - There is in total of 4 Passive slots. Every ability has passive that are mostly for your general stats like Life point, Damage, Damage reduction, etc.
There is in total of 16 Functions and every Function has diffrent cost that can be used from 1 to 4 MEM (MEM short of Memory is an in-game resource that determines how many Functions can be equipped.)
Leveling up you are not just choosing what new ability will you pick up, you also choose what will you unlcok (More MEM or new Upgrade slot or new Passive slot) and what Limiter will you pick (Limiters are like passive functions).
There is excelent created game mechanic and it's that you create a Turn() in which you freeze the time of enemies and you can cast Functions and move in the battlefield. You have limited usable space to walk/run and to cast Functions, and good thing about this game mechanic you can undo previous walk path or function; you also can see what area will Function hit and how much damage will it done.
After you make a Turn() there is cooldown for other Turn().
Game mechanic about your life is that you have regular Life points (100%) and when it get to fatality (near 0%) you automaticlly create a Turn() and you don't die, but if Turn() is on cooldown and u get fatality damage you dont lose life like in other games, you lose one of your usable Functions and that Function is like broken and can't be usable for upgrade or passive until you get level up and refersh it; After you lose all 4 Usable Functions it's game over and u start from last save.
In-game you are saving on special locations (like checkpoints) in which you also customize your Functions.
When you kill the enemy they leave some kind of capsule that you have time to pick it up, if you dont pick it up (in 10sec) new enemy would have been created.
In-game there is "Backdoor" that is beach room for practicing and for completing Tests (challenges).
In New Game Plus (NG+) you get same functions but that make customization even bigger so you can have same Passive and Usable Function, but you can't upgrade one usable Function with 2 same Functions.
My favorite Function is "Void", that Function has 4 MEM usage and it can be casted max 3 times on the enemy (it's stacking), basiclly what Function do is that it make enemy weaker so you can one shot any enemy with some good finisher Function (actually any damage Function). Passive part is that increase your base damage.

Game Design 10/10
Background city is well done designed, also robotic enemies, all human characters and Transistor. Transistor is story for himself, it's designed so nicely with that green sword and that red circle that symbolize like an eye.
Function effect design, also Turn() design is perfectlly designed that you can clearly see where is it going and how is pathing going.
Cutscenes are minimalist designed with only pictures or sometimes some animations when you are traveling, but overall that make game even better.

Soundtrack 9/10
Soundtrack is connected with the story and it's basiclly some electro/robotic music, but the protagonist (Red) is also singing in some part of the game and at the end of the game some classic/jazz song.
And Backdoor beach room has some beachy music.
Soundtrack is changing throught the game and it's so beautiful. With sound you will know when it's time to fight and when is time too chill to listen story and to watch some background graphics.
Also with completing Tests you are unlocking new songs that can be playable through the Sandbox on the Record Player so you can change music in backdoor room. i think it's pretty cool.

Final words
I recommended Transistor (RPG indie game) for really every gamer who like sci-fi RPG, but also who doesn't like sci-fi or RPG in-general. At least give it try and I can guarantee you will not regret it.
P.S. It cost only 2,84€ on Summer sale, so it's must buy.
10/10
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