I’ve been in something of a gaming slump for the past few years. I was tired of doing housework in Animal Crossing: New Horizons or getting mad at players I assumed were teenagers in a Fall Guys lobby. I wanted something with a story that would absorb me and give me that feeling of wonder that I used to get when playing games as a kid. After To the east I entered the chat and it took me completely by surprise. The Nintendo Switch game follows John and Sam, a silent miner and his mysterious and excitable companion, as they battle a destructive “miasma” that has forced many to live underground and travel east to find a better future.
The game (which is also available on steam) is impressive in terms of aesthetics, story, and combat mechanics. To the east It’s influenced by ’90s Japanese animation and RPGs, evident in its charming character designs and gorgeous backgrounds, and blends a retro 16-bit pixel style with more modern-looking dynamic lighting. The fighting mechanics are perfect and the puzzles are quite clever – it reminds me of the best parts of a classic. The legend of Zelda title.
To the east it’s also quite large-scale for an indie game, taking about 30 hours to complete. That’s even more impressive when you learn that it was created by Pixpil, a very small team that started development with just three people, according to their development log.
To the east It’s a hard game to describe without spoiling it, but it’s worth it for its lush visuals, charming character relationships, and deeply relevant, moving story. Also, there is a cooking element in the game: you can make different recipes to gain health, which is a lot of fun. —Cody Corrall, Audience Engagement Editor
You can buy To the east from Amazon for around $25.
