Eastward is a new pixel RPG that has been on everyone's wishlist on Steam for a while now. The game is reminiscent of old-school adventure games like Zelda and the stylized graphics are what keep people interested. Since the game has been out, people are wondering if it's worth getting and what to expect when they boot up the game.
Listed below are some basic tips and information on how the game works and what to prepare for. Though Eastward has its similarities to other old-school video games, it keeps itself very defined and unique with things like talking refrigerators and test subjects for daughters.
How Combat Works In Eastward
You can expect a fluid and familiar hit, hit, dodge situation when it comes to fighting as John. John uses melee to attack enemies, but later in the game, you can equip some guns. As Sam, you'll be able to use a more complex type of combat. Sam has special abilities that you can relate to that of a mage.
Using her powers means thinking critically about where you need to go and which enemies need to be dealt with first. As you progress through the story, Sam's abilities will evolve. John's combat is a straightforward attack and dodge whereas Sam's combat involves controlling the battlefield and timing things right.
Currency In Eastward
It's important to understand that Salt is your currency in Eastward. At the beginning of the game, you'll have plenty of Salt on the top right corner of the screen. As you kill monsters and break barrels, you'll find more Salt. Salt can be used inside stores and at vendors to purchase important items. Items you can buy include...
- Bomb refill
- Ammo refill
- Treasure Radar
- Upgrades
Ammo packs will only be important later in the game, since you won't have a gun at the beginning but instead only a melee weapon. Bomb refills allow you to not rely on finding barrels to break while in dungeons. Instead, you can use the Bomb Pack in your inventory for a quick refill.
Collect Loot So You Can Cook
As you kill bugs and monsters underground and above ground, you may accidentally pick up random things. They drop raw ingredients like mushrooms, eggs, and more. The drop won't look like a food item but instead something like a cardboard box. Picking up these ingredients is vital for sustaining health and stamina in dungeons.
Raw ingredients can be combined at a stove to create a meal like vegetable soup. These meals can refill hearts, stamina, or refill your health and give you extra fortification. Throughout dungeons, there will be stoves next to your save point known as a fridge. This way you can save your progress and stock up on meals at the same time. You can also cook meals in your trailer in Potrock.
Find Heart Orbs
Heart Orbs upgrade your overall health just like heart crystals in Terraria. Once five Heart Orbs are collected, you get an extra heart. It's important to make sure you know how to spot the chests that contain these Heart Orbs.
Like in the photo above, these special chests are bright orange or yellow and look futuristic. Sometimes they are hiding in hidden pathways in dungeons. Make sure to look out for these chests when exploring as they contain Heart Orbs.
Save Stations Are Refrigerators That Talk
One of the unique things about Eastward is its refrigerators. To save your game, you need to interact with a fridge. The fridge will then proceed to discuss the idea of self and who you really are. Each fridge location has one phrase that will be repeated until you find a new fridge. The fridge will ask you to "Save your memory" or "Refrigerate your memories". This means saving your game file.
Dungeon Puzzles Aren't That Hard
As you explore through dungeons and tribulations, you'll have to deal with multiple puzzles, though they are not head-scratchingly difficult. If you're looking for a challenging, Souls-like experience, you won't find it here. The puzzles aren't easy either, though. They are a moderate challenge to add complexity and purpose to the dungeons. You'll be able to enjoy the gameplay without feeling like you're brain has nothing to do, but also not getting frustrated either.
Play Minigames To Pass Time
Eastward has multiple mini-games within the game. This alone shows how much love and care went into the world created here. You can play a digital RPG in the game itself known as Earth Born. Any time you want, you're able to go up to an Earth Born machine and start up a game. There's even a machine next to it for you to purchase companions and buffs to help you in battle the next time you log on to Earth Born.
Aside from the familiar RPG inside an RPG, John can be asked to play a game with potcrabs, where you hit said potcrabs so that they produce sandrupes and then hit the sandrupes into a hole. You can never find yourself bored as you play through Eastward.