It’s certainly punishing in later areas too, though boss designs bring welcome challenge. The two characters do share health which can feel unfair during combat, as John switches between his trusty frying pan and a variety of bombs and weapons, Sam following along behind.
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Eventually you’ll control both John and Sam, their complementary skills allowing for some intricate puzzle design that smartly ramps up in difficulty over the course of the game. Yet there’s joy to be found in the small moments of everyday survival and adventure, in helping support each community you meet. Except it doesn’t, leading to Eastward ’s very own Breath of the Wild moment as you emerge into the sunlight. Going above ground to a land ravaged by the miasma means certain death. We begin in an underground realm of mining equipment, disused railways, retro neon tech, and poverty. It’s a post-apocalyptic steampunk world of mechanical gods and monsters. We witness the world through the eyes of a child: Sam. There’s innuendo in the script too, adding some light-hearted moments to what is an overtly melancholic game. That extends to the memorable side characters that provide plenty of comedy. The colour palette of soft, hazy pastels adds a warm nostalgic glow, like a game that’s emerged directly from your memory, while the sprites are wonderfully animated with tonnes of personality: the way gruff hero John runs with his hands in his pockets, for example, or heroine Sam leaps with joy. Collect four hearts to increase your health. The gruff protagonist is (amusingly) silent dungeon-like areas are crammed with puzzles collecting items and solving puzzles issues a satisfying chime and bombing cracks in walls is integral to exploration. It’s the latter that Eastward most resembles: specifically it’s The Last of Us if made by Studio Ghibli, by way of Zelda.