Affectionate Nickname: Alva usually calls Isabel "Izzy".It's likely that, being the Mother, Sam saved John from boarding Charon in its true form and being lost to it in the same way. And, when entered as the Very Definitely Final Dungeon, zombies can be found patrolling its labyrinthian depths, implying these are people who previously stepped aboard the hellish train. And, when she and John board Charon, it turns out to be an ordinary train. Achievements in Ignorance: In the first chapter of the game, when banished by Mayor Hoffman to board Charon, the sensor called "Charon's Throat" shines blue and then shuts down when Sam passes through it.Absent-Minded Professor: Alva always means well with her inventions, but she hardly ever properly assesses the dangers each one can pose during just the testing phase.This is extremely dangerous in the boss fight where Sam has to fight without John. However doing it without enough energy will lock her out of her powers temporarily. Ability Depletion Penalty: Sam can use a charged attack that consumes much more energy than her normal energy sphere.Eastward was never going to reach the same heights as its inspirations, but it makes a commendable effort. I've enjoyed basking in sun-dappled forests and cowering in abandoned subway stations, but I was also willing certain bits to just get on with it. It also struggles to keep up the momentum and characters sometimes feel overwritten. However, while the central mystery is captivating, it doesn’t quite nail bringing all of the different threads together, leaving a few plot holes open at the end. However, there isn't nearly enough space in your backpack to store your cooked items or enough stoves to cook at, making it hard to heal up in dungeons.Īs a tribute to RPGs of the '90s, Eastward is wonderful, with an atmosphere to be savoured. Cooking and finding new recipes to create healing items is another fun distraction and features a lovely bouncy animation that's as joyous as the one in Breath of the Wild. It's surprisingly deep, and hearing various characters enthuse about it on your journey makes the world Sam and John are exploring feel even more real. John's stoic steadfastness stands out because he's the only one who never speaks.Īlongside the main story are terminals that let you play an old-school 8-bit RPG called 'Earthborn' that features classic turn-based combat like in early Dragon Quest games. It’s a shame as individually the cast are all brilliant, but they have to compete with each other for your attention. They're unnecessary and overbearing-without this whole bit out the story would flow a little better. Relatively early on John attracts an admirer called Uva, and the romance element is sudden and simplistic, with a group of grannies who meddle in it, each one needing to have their own 'bit' as part of the comedy. Plus, getting to really know certain characters only for them to never be mentioned again means it becomes hard to feel attached to anyone. It feels like being hit with a constant wall of chatter where it's hard to tell what's important, because everything is given equal weight. The downside is that when everyone in the room is weird and kooky, no one really stands out. Eastward is brimming with unique characters, and even NPCs who are just going about their days get to shine.