Indie Developer Pixpil and Stardew ValleyPublisher Chucklefish releasedEastwardon September 16th. The game takes place in a dystopian future where toxic clouds forced most of humanity to flee underground.The pixel-art RPG adventurefollows expert miner John and a mysterious young girl named Sam as they explore the dangerous but verdant world on the surface.
So far, the game’s seen an overall positive reception from critics and fans alike, enjoying an 85% on Metacritic and a Very Positive user rating on Steam. However, not everyone has time to dive into a long game, no matter how good it is. As such, many are wondering how longEastwardtakes to beat.
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How Long Is Eastward?
The answer to that question is naturally going to vary significantly depending on the player. Fortunately for those with tight schedules,Eastwardisn’t a hundred-hour epic that requires months of commitment. However, neither is it a game that players will hammer out in an afternoon. Instead, it shouldtake most players around 30 to 40 hours to complete a playthrough ofEastward. Many would agree this is a reasonable length for a story-driven game, putting it in the same general ballpark as the classic JRPGEarthBound.
How Many Chapters is Eastward?
Eastwardhas a total of eight chaptersfor players to get through.
At least some of the concerns about the game’s runtime seem to come fromEastwardsharing a publisher withStardew Valley. ConsideringStardew Valleycan take up to 200 hours for 100 percent completion, that seems like a reasonable concern. However, both games aim to offer a very different experience.Stardew Valleydrew its inspiration from the earlyHarvest Moonfarming sims.Eastwardmeanwhile, draws from classic RPGs like the before-mentionedEarthBoundand the 2DLegend of Zeldagames.
That’s not to say Pixpil didn’t bring its own touches to the pixel-art RPG. Sure, the game absolutely wears its influences on its sleeves, containing references to the classic JRPGsthat it spiritually succeeds. Still, the game has its own unique personality, which comes across inEastward’squirky characters and art that captures its uniquely cheery take on a post-apocalyptic dystopia. Additionally,Eastwardis a bit more adult-oriented than something likeThe Legend of Zelda, with the game’s Steam page showing a content warning for adult humor and themes.
Eastward’s30 to 40 hours of gameplay are also relatively densely packed. The game has a lot of dialogue, and many reviews talk about its tense boss fightsand many challenging puzzles. So, while it might not be a spectacularly long game,Eastwardcertainly seems to use its time well.
Eastwardis out now for Nintendo Switch and PC.
