Transistor represents everything there is to love about the growing indie game scene. The visuals are stunning, the soundtrack is phenomenal, the gameplay is thrilling, and the story is fascinating. Whats even more impressive is that this game doesn't rely on the tried-and-true concepts, it instead carves its own path. This makes for a one-of-kind experience, one that is hard to put down. The incredible adventure won't soon be forgotten.
The first thing you'll notice playing Transistor is the hyper-stylized art style and soundtrack. It has a darker tone with a lot of deep glossy colors to contrast the gray-scale of the processes which are taking over the city. Clearly the developers had a very specific style they wanted and made sure everything in the game was designed with it in mind. The music is a soothing combination of slow jazz with bits of subtle electronics thrown in. Its safe to assume much of the singing and music is supposed to reflect what Red's style was like before the Camerata put an end to her career. This event marks the starting point for Red's adventure.
At some points the story was hard to follow but I believe I got most of it. The game takes place in Cloudbank, a high-tech city where citizens can make decisions through surveys that will effectively change the city to their liking. These changes are made possible via the "processes", a creation of Camerata. Camerata is comprised of a small group of individuals who believe they know what is best for the "their" city and will go to any means to eliminate anyone they think poses a threat to the status quo. As a increasing popular singer in Cloudbank, one who was a bit too controversial, Red became Camerata's next target. You survive the attack and take from Camerata's their one tool for controlling the processes, the Transistor.
The transistor not only talks to you as your one companion through out the game but it also doubles as an incredibly powerful weapon. It has the ability to absorb the souls of the recently deceased which you can use to aid you in combat. Although Transistor feels like an action game it really is more of a strategy game. You have the ability to pause time and plan out a series of attacks. Be careful however because after an attack you'll be exposed for a couple seconds until you recharge your plan phase. The different personalities you absorb all have very different functions that can be used as attacks, enhancements, or passive traits. This gives Transistor an incredible sense of variety in the options you have for approaching different combat situations.
This game is a masterpiece. The visuals and music will draw you in while the combat will get you hooked. The difficulty curve is near perfect as you'll usually feel challenged but never entirely overwhelmed. If you feel the game is a little on the easy side limiters you unlock throughout the game add some serious extra challenge to the encounters. By using the limiters you'll get an experience bonus adding a nice risk vs reward element to the gameplay. Whether you're looking for a interesting story or a strategic combat system that you can really sink your teeth into, you have to check out Transistor.