Knowing when, and against what enemies, to use your skills is the key to progressing. So I guess it's more like the chocolate sauce on Eastward's ice cream sundae.Īs rounds of combat go by, characters accrue action points that they can use to fuel their most powerful skills. It's the icing on top of Eastward's cake, even though it's entirely optional. Earth Born consoles pop up in most of the major settlements alongside token-operated dispensers that spit out Pixballs – toys-to-life doodads that give you reusable boosts while playing – which you use to get further and unlock new party members inside Earth Born. It's a retro throwback to the Final Fantasy 1 or Dragon Quest era of 2D RPGs with a randomized roguelike twist, and it succeeds in invoking that era while still being a modern game. Earth Born Review-in-a-ReviewĮarth Born is Sam's favorite game, and she loves the tie-in cartoon, too. I’ve passed him a dozen times now what is he doing up there? I don't know. A lot of the best Eastward has to offer is just smiling at the guy meditating on a roof as you pass by his part of town. Little fetch quests make you run back and forth across the world, but that's not so bad when that world is pretty. (My favorite robot runs a construction company and has a bad hip.) That's not to mention the circus performers, train conductors, conmen, and funky robots. The style and personality of the people you meet differs wildly, varying from gruff ranch hands to a trio of lively aunties, a sleepy small-town mayor, or a cigar-puffing casino owner. They're a cast of well-designed weirdos who all have something unique going for them, which is an animated style that's become all too rare.

The characters of Eastward have great sprites and animation that packs in a ton of personality.

It's not just the backgrounds that pop, though.

Steam eastward