We played at Eastward, the probable neo bomb

A dirty and inhospitable world that does not end up falling into ruins. An old guy bearded a little bougon. A little girl seems very special. Would not fail only humans with mushroom heads between the fingers of feet and we would be happy to believe in The Last of Us. But John the minor and the young Sam, heroes gathered by the truth of destiny and fleeing a totalitarian society, are Far from spectacular AAA. And far from wanting to portray in all its forms the violence of a post-apocalyptic universe, their wanderings float a perfume of anime and video games of the 90s. Cousin of Zelda, Eastward seems quite in Action to write his own story without seeking to reproduce his influences.

Funny acclimatization

For the purposes of our preview, we were sent about ten hours after the start of this RPG action, while the duo has just reached Barrageville (yes, in French, there is a translation). For a reason that does not seem to us yet clear, it is a question of going to the Great Station to then go to the Vallée des Joussles, a gigantic discharge populated with malicious creatures. Before we go on the spot, because the quest log as the map and the absence of signaling in the streets do not allow us to find the way immediately, small visit. Merchants (meats, vegetables, fruits and spices), a mechanic to improve its equipment, several NPCs with astonishing tronches, like this gentleman planted in the sewers that seems to have a pair of gonads instead of the chin, And even the terminal of an 8-bit RPG, Earth Born, which will be furiously thinking of Dragon Quest. No doubts, we are in the presence of a hub that is used to prepare for some little muscular classes. There is a lot to bet that several quests will be given to us and that the fridge used to safeguard and the stove on which to prepare good little dishes that will make energy or provide bonuses will serve.

all in stove

And we did not deceive itself. If the atmosphere is at first glance that suggests the sublime achievement in pixel art, very detailed and ultra colorful, and the joyful melodies of Joel Corelitz, the progression, it, requires a lot of seriousness. The trip in what has been presented to us as a dungeon asked for a small adaptation time. Solo game, Eastward makes you move two characters but in handling one, in Switcher - the other can follow or be left behind. For the Castagne, we choose John. It has a frying pan for close combat, a rifle for more serious threats, but also a flame launcher and bombs. Sam has, at this moment of the frame, that a magic attack that freezes the enemies and can make some plants disappear. The opponents, whose surprising variety is already highlighted about half an hour, are not cold in the eyes. And believe that one can go down head down leading to the disappointment: they are lively and often numerous. CAUTION, therefore. A bit of practice is needed before having the reflex to play completely with the pair to clean up the crows and other rats planted under cups. But it's already well effective.

DUO on hole couch

This is all the more so when you understand that puzzles are part of those environments made of disgusted devices. And they are well thought out for the capabilities of John and Sam that go quickly, after a few tests together, to find themselves separated. Very stimulating, this road sometimes made of floating platforms to release, sees one open the way to each other, and vice versa. A shot here, a magic explosion by that, a crate to shoot or push, a bush to be crumped, we end up with a bomb that must beat towards friable rocks: everything is a business of complementarity. And it works very well. By taking care for the fighting, we finally progressed without a snack until a newly different sequence, a breath a long hair asking to handle a boat taken by the current from left to right, but which leads to a cut-scene fun. Fun. And after ? Motus and mouth sewn, but we can already say, without context and damagedly to a third of the scenario, that there is a definite potential for the small game of Pixpil.