Not only are these instances of meta-commentary downright charming, but such good natured ribbing offers CrossCode the means to gradually transcend the trappings of its RPG influences.įor one thing, combat is a lot more frenetic than the usual turn-based system I’ve come to expect from these games. I have no choice but to silence you.Īnother player, via their avatar, is gushing over an NPC with a supposedly rich backstory as expounded in the comics, even though she’s just a tutorial character animated to attack a punching bag repeatedly.īetter still are your party members, who will sometimes ask to slow down if you’re getting a tad overzealous in combat because the players behind their avatars are becoming worn out. There’s a funny sequence where the characters realized how poorly scripted the quest givers in CrossWorlds are, just like in most MMOs they would simply respond to Lea's very limited vocabulary as if she’s speaking in comprehensive sentences. On some level, the in-game MMORPG universe, CrossWorlds, is a caricature of its genre and its community. This recursive nature may give it the appearance of being the Xzibit meme of RPGs (“I heard you like RPGs, so I put an RPG in your RPG so you can RPG as you RPG”), but even that is a gross simplification of what CrossCode offers. At the beginning, her speech is only limited to saying “hi”. Meanwhile, Lea, who’s aware of her avatar status within this so-called physical videogame, has not only lost the memories of her previous playthrough, but also her ability to speak. The inevitable eventually occurs, of course, in which both worlds collide through some coincidence.īut before that happens, you’ll spend long hours going through levels, performing the perfunctory motions of being in an MMORPG without actually being in one. But instead of a virtual world, the adventuring takes place elsewhere in a separate, physical planet, which means that both CrossCode’s videogame universe and the real world co-exist in the same realm. You play as Lea, an avatar within an in-universe MMORPG called CrossWorlds. What’s CrossCode then? At its core, it’s a game that’s reminiscent of and heavily influenced by JRPGs of old. This is done by framing its story as a “game-within-a-game”, lightly knocking on the fourth wall rather than blustering through it, showing familiarity with the genre, while subverting it at the same time. Learning all the facets of its world - from the combat system to trading with merchants - does take a substantial amount of time, but it also makes every minute of this long stretch of time matter. Like most RPGs, CrossCode is an immense and time-intensive experience. In a hard-hitting investigative report, one player was commended for finally “getting to the good shit” at the 117-hour mark of a fictional game, while his roommate scoffed at him for only making it mid-way through the game. These delicacies will grant health bonuses, power boosts and secret boons.Satirical website Hard Drive once ran a story which poked fun at the long, drawn-out nature of most RPGs. Get to know a quirky cast of characters with oodles of personality! Immerse yourself in a heartwarming story-driven adventure, packed with fun and wacky humour.Ĭreate deliciously authentic Eastwardian cuisine using (mostly) fresh, organic ingredients from toxic forests, potcrab farms and abandoned malls. Separate the duo to unlock hidden paths or stick together as you traverse a perilous landscape. Switch between John and Sam to solve environmental puzzles and fight your way through formidable dungeons. Feeling merciful? Try temporarily stunning them with Sam’s kinetic blast. Climb aboard the cross-country railway which spans this decaying continent, stopping off to explore its bustling towns, curious campsites and shady forests.įend off peculiar monsters and ferocious bosses with John’s weapon of choice - be it a flamethrower, cog-shooter or your trusty ol’ frying pan. But for a hardworking miner and a mysterious young girl, the hope of a thriving outside world beckons…Įscape the tyrannical clutches of Potcrock Isle's subterranean society and join Eastward’s unlikely duo on an exciting adventure to the land above! Discover beautiful yet bizarre settlements and make new friends as you travel across the world by rail.Ĭontains adult humour and some mature themes.ĭiscover the wonderfully weird world of Eastward. Those who could escape the miasma flocked to underground villages to start a new life. A deadly toxic presence has spread across the land, destroying and devouring everything in its path. In the near-future, society is starting to collapse, and the human population is at an all-time low. Eastward is a beautifully detailed and charming adventure game, from Shanghai-based indie developers, Pixpil.
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