Eastward was first shown off in 2018, but it has taken a while for this indie game to come out on platforms like the Switch, but the wait seems to be worth it. Reviews for Eastward are pretty high, and may even allow it to sneak into some top nominations toward the end of the year.
It may look like a simple retro indie throwback, but there’s a lot to unpack here. This game may not play as one might expect it to, which us why these essential tips will help clarify matters as to what this game is. There are also a few good tips here, that should help out new players and save some time.
7 What Is It?
Eastward can best be described as a combination of early top-down games in The Legend of Zelda series and EarthBound. Eastward's gameplay features dungeons, along with heart pieces for health and bombs that blow up walls, complete with the Zelda series’ secret chime.
It’s an action game, but not an action RPG. The EarthBound influences come into play with the wonderfully realized world filled with zany characters. Fans of either franchise should give this title a shot.
6 Upgrade The Backpack Pronto
Upgrades for characters can come from shops, or in the field. Four heart containers give players another heart. Shops have equipment that will help out the campaign, such as the Treasure Tracker, which should be purchased right away.
Another set of purchases to keep an eye on are the backpack upgrades. This allows the party to store more healing items. Don’t waste money on food, ingredients, or other disposable items; instead, invest in items that will help the party in the long run.
5 Stun Then Kill
The first couple of hours focus on John as the lead character. Eventually, his adopted daughter, Sam, becomes playable as well. She can’t kill anything, but she can stun enemies. Once the two get back together, this allows players to create a killer combo.
Switching back and forth between them is a cinch. Simply have Sam stun an enemy, then swap back to John to go in for the killing blow. This will keep that health bar safe. It would be nice if Eastwardallowed co-op gameplay to really kick this combo into high gear.
4 Earn Money Fast
Once the party leaves the underground, they will soon find themselves in a vast forest in chapter two. This eventually leads to John and Sam getting a cabin in the woods, followed by John helping out with some flying pig-like creatures at a nearby ranch. If players go from the cabin directly south instead of turning right toward the farm, they will come to a dead end.
There is a beetle perched on a tree here. If John tries to kill it it will run away; however, if Sam stuns the beetle ot will drop money (or rather Salt, Eastward's currency) every time it is hit. Go back and forth between screens to really farm that sucker.
3 Double Check The Map
When players dive into a new area, the map will be covered in a purple fog. The more they explore, the clearer the map will become. When coming to a fork in the road always make sure to consult the map. It may show players a dead end. Head to these first.
So-called dead ends may contain items or even secret rooms. Watch out for cracked walls to bomb too, just like in the Zelda series. The map also has a decent radar system for guiding players to the main objective.
2 Farm Snakes In The Grass
After a couple of dungeons, players will eventually encounter a monster that looks like three snakes darting out of a clump of tall grass. A “snake in the grass” is a common colloquialism, so this design may be a pun based on that.
Puns aside, these creatures drop cooking ingredients at an alarming rate. Farming these creatures early on is a good way to stock up on food. Three eggs make the perfect meal, which recharges health and adds temporary hearts. The game offers plenty of recipes just like this to boost health. There is no wrong way to cooking so experiment, and have fun with it.
1 Saving And Glitch Fixes
Eastward is almost free of bugs. There is nothing game-breaking discovered so far that will force players to restart from the beginning. However, a few issues have popped up in regard to the game's physics. For example, some dungeons contain bookshelves that remain still even though they should move. There is also a raft puzzle that stops players dead in their tracks before they can reach the shore.
Both of these glitches act like there are invisible walls in place. The good news is that Eastward saves each time players cross into a new screen. If players quit the game completely, to the Switch home screen for example, and then restart, the glitch should be fixed. Autosaves should never be completely relied on though, so be sure to save at fridges as well. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to saving progress in a game.