While watching the newest trailer for Eastward, I was getting real Stardew Valley vibes, at least from an animation standpoint. Although both games had different developers, there is some connective tissue other than sporting similar pixel-art aesthetics; both are published by Chucklefish Games.
But the similarities seemingly end there, as Eastward a is very much not a farming sim. Instead, the game tasks the player with embarking on a cross-country train expedition through a crumbling world. Along the way, you’ll “Stop off to explore bustling cities, make strange new friends and take on ferocious monsters, as you fight your way through a deadly miasma devouring the lands,” to quote the Eastward website.
And from the looks of the trailer, there will be plenty of peril along this journey as you discover decaying cityscapes, crawl through treacherous dungeons, solve puzzles, and interact with a cast colorful characters. You play as both John and Sam in the single-player RPG campaign on what is supposedly going to be an emotional adventure.
Eastward looks great, and the story has me intrigued. As a bit of a roamer myself, there aren’t a ton of train-based games outside of sims, and lord knows I love crumbling digital societies. This is more than enough to get me excited to purchase Eastward when it launches on for PC and Nintendo Switch on September 16.
You can check out the launch date trailer below to get ready for Eastward in the meantime. All aboard the hype train!
