The Dragon Slayer Awards are upon us! Our sister site, Guild Launch, has cultivated an excellent list of fan nominated awards, and I’m here to help you make the right choice for the Best New Indie Game of 2014. The competition for Best New Indie Game is stiff, so let me take a moment to share why Transistor deserves your consideration.
Transistor, the second game from Supergiant Games (the studio behind Bastion) is a sci-fi action RPG integrating strategic combat, fast-paced action, and an amazing soundtrack. Plus, it’s gorgeous just to look at.
You play as “Red”, the voiceless woman who wields a mysterious talking sword (the Transistor) during the course of an adventure in which players discover the Transistor’s mysteries as they hunt the weapon’s creators.
Gameplay
While the world-building of Transistor may not have been up to the standards set by Bastion (you can listen to my colleagues and I try to fill the plot holes here) the game mechanics soared above and beyond the standard indie fare.
Over the course of the game players earn “upgrades” to the Transistor, enabling different types of attacks. Pairing different upgrades with different powers enables a uniquely customizable combat experience.
Additionally, mini-games encourage players to learn new fighting combinations and invent unique strategies to conquer foes. The foes themselves (types, locations, numbers) change with each play through, allowing nearly unlimited re-play possibilities.
Presentation
With such solid gameplay, the visual, narrative, and auditory presentation of the game is the delicious icing on the cake. Transistor features stunning graphics and gorgeous melodies that will make you appreciate the calm between combat.
The brief narration we get from glimpsed artifacts and commentary from the Transistor offer an elegant, if sparse, understanding of the city and the previous inhabitants.
A brief moment of Red (now voiceless) looking at her own headlining poster offers one of these intensely sad and beautiful moments the game seems to master so well. Their world is a tragedy, and while neither Red nor her sword can remedy that, they can offer us poignant reflections on what was.
Industry Innovation
There’s no doubt that Supergiant Games have continued to set the standards of great indie games with Transistor. While it doesn’t forget new paths in terms of genre, it helps define what an indie game should strive for: cohesive integration between mechanics and presentation that melds into a beautiful whole.
If that sounds like the kind of game you can put your vote behind – do it! You can vote for Transistor as the Best New Indie Game of 2014 right here.
Published: Aug 3, 2014 07:28 am