Considering that independent developer Supergiant Games brought Bastion, its first console/PC game, to the iPad, it's no surprise that Transistor, the studio's sophomore effort, has made the leap to mobile as well. While the game doesn't control quite as well on an iPad as it did on the PlayStation 4, Transistor ($9.99) is still a gorgeous, intelligent, and mechanically sophisticated sci-fi adventure. I considered the console version a game-of-the-year contender last year, so this new mobile port is an easy Editors' Choice.
Bright Lights, Bit City
Even with just two games under its belt, Supergiant Games has already developed something of a signature style. Both Transistor and Bastion place a tremendous emphasis on mood and presentation with art design that can't be beat. Fortunately, Transistor on the iPad builds on many of the things Bastion did right, while ironing out most of its predecessor's issues.
Transistor invites you to explore Cloudbank, a society that resembles Tron's digital world, filtered through 1920s New York jazz sensibilities. It's a haunting, beautiful place. Cyberpunk vistas feature lovingly animated characters, lush painted backgrounds, and a harsh technological edge.
The music is equally enchanting. You play as lounge singer Red, who has mysteriously lost her voice. Based on the snippets of her discography you hear throughout the game, you'll want to reclaim that sultry voice as quickly as possible. The vocals and instrumentation in songs like "Paper Boats" and "The Spine" have the power and majesty of a future James Bond movie theme. The subtler instrumental tracks that make up most of the soundtrack are also audio delights. I've listened to Transistor's music on my daily commute dozens of times.
Underneath these layers of style is a cryptic story about Cloudbank's ongoing destruction. A mindless mechanical menace called the Process is stripping the soul out of the city, leaving its citizens aimless, floating, literal clouds of data. The story is a little too obtuse, but the experience overall is a lot more coherent than Bastion's vague steampunk yarn. Plus, the Transistor itself, your talking sword with a rugged, masculine voice, is a better character than Bastion's gimmicky dynamic narrator.
Original Programming
Instead of relying on its incredible style to make up for middling gameplay, as Bastion did, Transistor features a deep, strategic, and surprisingly creative combat system. You frequently encounter rooms of enemies as you travel across Cloudbank, and there are many ways to take them out.
Transistor's combat revolves around Functions, the digital remnants of the city dwellers Red takes along for the ride. Four Function slots give you access to four attacks at a time. You'll want to balance your abilities to have tools suited for every problem. Breach is a powerful, slow laser, while Jaunt is a quick dash that gets you out of trouble. Each Function's cool-down meter determines how often it can be used. However, to battle as efficiently as possible, you'll want to avoid real-time combat all together.
During battle you can freeze time to plan out attacks and movement routes. A bar appears overhead that slowly fills as you add more commands to the sequence. To continue the game's computer motif, think of this as coding. Once the bar is filled, unfreeze time and Red automatically performs the code. You then have to wait a few moments before you can freeze time again. Planning attacks is crucial for success and satisfying when pulled off correctly, but it's not a guaranteed victory. Sometimes your attacks may push enemies in unexpected directions, protecting them from your later, stronger attacks. Sometimes off-screen nuisances project shields onto enemies making your upcoming attacks worthless. There's a lot to take in with this system, but mastering its mix of methodical turn-based tactics and tense real-time action is as rewarding as it is demanding.
Attack customization adds to this already-immense amount of strategy. While you only have four attacks, any attack can be augmented with up to two more Functions. Say you have a Function that sprays bullets in a wide area. You can fuse that with a Function that turns friends into foes to create a love bomb weapon. You'll have to play through the game multiple times to try out every possibly Function combination, and the game encourages you to get creative with your arsenal to match your play style. Death causes your most-used Function to break until after the subsequent battle, forcing you to test new moves.
Transistor on the iPad
Transistor on the iPad is essentially identical to the PS4 and PC version from last year. The big exception is that the game is now controlled entirely via the touch screen. You can either control Red with a virtual joystick, a bad control scheme most iOS games have thankfully abandoned, or use the much smoother and straightforward method of tapping directly where you want Red to go. Also, since much of Transistor's combat revolves around freezing time, you don't need to make many precise, split-second decisions that touch-screens typically fail to recognize. Meanwhile, the game's modest length and segmented structure make it well suited to mobile play. It's easy to sneak in a quick battle or two even when your time is limited.
That said, I prefer playing Transistor on a console. When enemies start to pile up analog sticks are more reliable than my fat fingers. But that's just my preference. If this is your first time playing the game you probably won't even notice the controls.
Digital Love
Transistor is a phenomenal Editors' Choice award-winning iPad game that pleases your eyes and ears while stimulating your brain. If your only experience with mobile gaming involves crushed candy or angered birds, this game might just blow your mind. Don't let the premium price scare you away, and if you missed it the last time around, don't make the same mistake again.
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
Transistor (for iPad)
