Review code kindly provided by Supergiant Games
I’ve finished Transistor! It took a while. I restarted the game after the first 6 hours of play due to not understanding it, while my second playthrough lasted about 8 hours. The fact that I couldn’t play anything else until I concluded Red’s story highlights how much I enjoyed this game. I will probably attempt another playthrough when my backlog reduces somewhat. There are still lots of elements to experiment with such as functions and limiters. There are even a few backdoor tests I would like to master.
Storyline update
Transistor has a great storyline even if at times it feels somewhat cryptic. It does take a while for the plot to become known due to the manner in which information is shared. For long stretches, Red obtains regular snippets of info that eventually enlightens the player to events in Cloudbank. Why does the Transistor speak? Why does it appear to have close connections with Red? Why doesn’t Red have a voice? Where have all the residents gone? Just who and what are the Camerata? Why are there machines everywhere? My main concern is that some may lose patience with Transistor due to its slow pace. I urge players to give it time because I’ve found the experience to be very rewarding.
OVC Terminals
It took me a while to realise just how vital OVC terminals are in Transistor. At first, I thought they were scattered around as a subtle way to share information about Cloudbank. It turns out they can be used for polls, sharing news, ordering food etc. They even give citizens the chance to change the colour of the sky or even the weather. I actually made it snow! How is that even possible?
However, the more I’ve played, I’ve come to notice that they play an essential part in divulging the game’s storyline. As the game progresses, Red retrieves vital plot information. Due to OVC terminals being mainly text-based, this requires a fair amount of reading.
They also serve as the only means by which the voiceless Red and the Transistor can communicate with each other. It’s a nice touch to hear the Transistor respond to entries that Red makes via the OVC terminals.
Extra note: It’s useful to read the character profiles attached to each transistor function. They’re probably not essential to conclude the game but offer valuable insight into the story’s main characters.
Limiters
If you want to play Transistor with increased difficulty, then the player can activate limiters which are unlocked during play. These enable players to boost enemy attacks, strengthen their defences, allow them to respawn quicker etc. In typical fashion, the process gets stronger as the game continues, but if you want to boost the difficulty, then limiters are a great inclusion. The more limiters in use, Red’s levelling up receives a percentage boost.
I’ve hardly scratched the surface where limiters are concerned. I’ve activated 2 of the simpler ones, but I haven’t played extensively using other harder options. I played a while using the shielded cell limiter which made me rethink my tactics a little. Other limiters can restrict Transistor memory cells which limit the number of functions the player can install, or respawn corrupted cells etc. There are ten limiters in total.
Final Wrap Up
So this is it! I’ve spent more than 15 hours playing Transistor, I’ve written three play logs, and so it’s time to summarise my thoughts about the game overall.
After my initial struggle, I’ve grown to like Transistor a lot. The game looks and plays great and transports the player into an environment and story that hooked me from beginning to end.
Is it as good as Bastion? I can’t answer that question because Bastion and Transistor are both unique titles. Supergiant Games have taken small elements of Bastion and incorporated them into Transistor, but both games are unique and offer completely different experiences.
(I think it’s important to conclude by warning some that if you have problems with depression and thoughts about self-harm, then I would seek further advice before purchasing Transistor.)