Transistor Cinematic Playthrough

Channel:

FefnirIRL

Subscribers:

358

Published on April 5, 2024 5:00:05 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jr2aRl7dGg

Game:

Transistor (2014)

Duration: 2:22:24

37 views

1

Hey, Red. Just you and me, now. Getting awfully loud around the city. Maybe we can take a step back and retire to the countryside? Just you and me.

00:00 - Intro
02:45 - Promenade
04:54 - Side Street
08:52 - Expressway
12:41 - Goldwalk Channel
14:32 - Goldwalk Plaza
17:01 - Amphitheatre Parkway
24:01 - Reisz, S.
29:59 - PWC
31:38 - Backdoor
38:57 - Canals District
50:06 - Highrise District
1:03:01 - Bracket Towers Gondola
1:08:52 - The Spine
1:12:52 - Bracket Towers Concourse
1:15:05 - Maintenance Wing
1:24:56 - Archive Gallery
1:35:40 - Security Firewall
1:38:40 - Process Swarm
1:45:49 - Goldwalk Thoroughfare
1:50:42 - Bike
1:51:35 - Courtyard
1:58:27 - Fairview
2:11:28 - The Cradle
2:21:05 - Credits

REVIEW: 4/5

Transistor is Supergiant's second big game after Bastion and they continue to impress me with what they're able to create. After playing Bastion, I'd originally bought and played this upon its release and couldn't have been happier. Indie games are very hit or miss on whether or not they're worth the bang for their buck, but I can rest easy knowing that if Supergiant is the developer, the answer will always be a resounding yes. They've produced several incredible games, and are one of the first examples I think of when discussing video games as an art form.

Firstly, I'll just say that, as per usual, they fucking nailed their music. Their background tracks alone feature really unique sound and atmospheric build-up, always building tension where needed and mellowing out when it's not. My favorite example of this is when you use Red's ability, Turn(). Whatever track is playing pauses and is replaced by a soothing humming sung by Red herself, and gives you a moment to collect yourself and carefully plan out your next move. On top of the terrific sound design, of course you know Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett showed up for the vocals of some of the more impactful songs. Those two have incredible voices and I'm always looking forward to seeing what they've got in store.

The visual design is also beautiful; Transistor is full of very vibrant and neon color palettes, really selling the illusion that you're traversing a digital city. It does an incredible job of weaving in the sort of classic high tech designs to their world, integrating circuit paths and robotics flawlessly into their design. All of the enemy designs employ a neat, simplistic design scheme reminiscent of sleek, white modern tech which is really cool in contrast to the more classic art-deco type look that the city utilizes. Honestly, I'd be hard-pressed to find a design decision I didn't agree with in Transistor; I consistently found myself impressed with what I was seeing.

The combat mechanics are super in-depth- you're given a certain amount of functions that can be slotted as an attack move, as an augment to an attack move, or as a passive buff, and each of them acts differently based on where it's slotted. It's crazy how many different functions, builds, and attacks can be made with this system, and I absolutely love it. I didn't care quite as much for the mixture of real-time and strategy-based, (Turn()), combat, feeling a little useless when Turn () was on cooldown, but that also very well could've been rectified by playing with my build more. At the very least, I was able to clear mooks in real-time with my build, which was really all I was asking for anyways.

I really enjoyed Transistor's narrator being a member of your party. When you take control of Red, it's noted that she has no voice, because it was stolen by the Camerata. However, the man who saved you was trapped in the Transistor, (Red's titular weapon), and serves to provide commentary and musings as you make your way through the city. I loved hearing what he had to say and was constantly stopping by the optional set-pieces to learn more about his and Red's relationship. Without Red saying a single word, I was able to learn all about him, her, their relationship, and what life was like before the Process. I think having him speak directly to Red was a great idea; the relationship they had made it feel almost like an intimate conversation that I was eavesdropping on. Amidst the chaos the Process was wreaking, it was nice to have these moments to ourselves.

I love how consistently Supergiant is able to make these beautiful experiences, and Transistor is just another notch in their belt. Their games are always quality, they're always sticking around in my mind long after I've played them, the art and music is always incredible; I just don't think they can lose. If you've liked any Supergiant game, I think you'd like them all, and what better place to start than Transistor?

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