Eastwardis one of the latest indie titles to take the game industry by storm. Although Shanghai-based developer Pixpil is only one out of a great many new indie studios trying to break into the game industry right now, it seems to have found its big break right away thanks toEastward.This action-adventure title tells the story of a quiet miner named John who finds a child named Sam who has mysterious psychic powers. After teaming up, they go on a journey through the land of Eastward, a near-future land in a state of decay that blends sci-fi and fantasy elements.
In a lot of ways,Eastwardshows its roots as a game inspired byThe Legend of Zelda.John and Sam’s relationship might remind players of Link’s relationship with companions like Midna or Navi; since John is largely silent, Sam frequently speaks for him.Eastwardis also particularlyreminiscent of earlyZeldagamesin a few ways, from its isometric perspective to its hack and slash combat to its puzzles. In spite of all these similarities, though, there are quite a few central ways thatEastwarddiffers from theZeldaseries. In fact,Eastwardshines in large part because of how theZeldaelements intersect with the original parts.
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Eastward’s Major Differences from Zelda
Combat is a major factor that setsEastwardapart fromThe Legend of Zelda.John’s main weapon is his frying pan, which serves as an excellent sword substitute, but it’s far from his only weapon. Players can pick up all kinds of weapons for John to use, from a cog-shooter to a flamethrower, giving him a much wider range of options in dealing with monsters than Link. Sam can make major contributions to combat too. By switching to Sam, players can use her kinetic powers to stun and stymy enemies,giving John and Sam the upper handin battle or a chance to slip away.
Switching between John and Sam is a central mechanic that further differentiatesEastwardfromZelda.Fans ofThe Wind WakerorTwilight Princessmight remember briefly taking control of Link’s allies or certain statues to solve puzzles, but Link always remained the central player character. In contrast,Eastwardplayers constantly switch off between John and Sam. Splitting the duo up and using each of their skills at the right time is crucial to solvingEastward’s environmental puzzles. While Link is often presented as the sole hero, John and Sam are undeniably a team, and players are encouraged to play them as such.
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Eastward’s Design Could Be a Blueprint
Beyond these central elements, there are lots of smaller ways thatEastwarddiffers fromZelda,like its RPG elements. Cooking is a big part ofEastward, for instance, whereasThe Legend of Zeldadidn’t put an emphasis on cooking untilBreath of the Wildintroduced Link’s cooking skills.Eastwardis also very dialogue-heavy; whileZeldagames have plenty of dialogue too,Eastwardputs a major emphasis on verbal storytelling and character building. Beyond these RPG elements,Eastward’s world is pretty modern, unlike the high fantasy worlds in whichZeldagames take place, setting the indie game apart aesthetically.
In spite of all these differences fromZelda,it’s interesting thatEastward’sZeldaroots shine through so clearly. A lot of games get compared toThe Legend of Zeldalately, butEastwardstands out by ultimately being pretty far away fromThe Legend of Zelda.It could become a goalpost for a new spectrum ofZelda-like action-adventure games, representing the lighter end ofZeldainspiration whilehardcoreZeldalove letters such asTunicstand at the other end of the spectrum. Regardless of howEastwardshapes indie games that come after it, the game stands tall in its own right. After all the accolades thatEastwardhas received, Pixpil has surely earned some loyal fans who are eager to see what the studio does next.
Eastwardis available now for PC and Nintendo Switch.
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