An action-adventure in the spirit of Zelda and Mother, following quiet miner John and the energetic girl Sam on a journey across a world threatened by a deadly Miasma.
L1What it is
John, a silent miner, finds a girl named Sam with strange powers. They leave their underground town and travel east across a world where a mysterious darkness, the Miasma, consumes everything.
L2How it plays
You swap between John (frying pan, guns, bombs) and Sam (energy powers) to solve puzzles and fight in Zelda-like dungeons. There is cooking, and a whole in-game retro RPG called Earth Born that you can play.
L3Pixels & sound
Some of the most detailed pixel art ever: busy towns, food stalls, sunsets. The soundtrack is warm and nostalgic.
L4Coming back
A linear story with some side activities. Paid Octopia DLC adds a farming life-sim mode.
L5Value & tech
Playable on Steam Deck with minor text-size issues. Runs well on most PCs.
Power-ups
- Breathtaking pixel art
- Charming characters
- Lots of variety
- Warm soundtrack
Game overs
- Slow pacing, especially early
- Combat is simple
- Story gets confusing
Score sheet
- Gameplay 30%
- 7.4
- Feel & controls 20%
- 7.6
- Pixels & sound 20%
- 9.6
- Replay 15%
- 6.6
- Value 15%
- 7.8
Weighted: 7.4 × 30% + 7.6 × 20% + 9.6 × 20% + 6.6 × 15% + 7.8 × 15% = 7.82, shown as 7.8.
The verdict
Verdict
Eastward is visually stunning and full of charm, but its slow pacing and simple combat hold it back. A great pick for patient players who love art and atmosphere.
By the Game Pick Review editorial desk · Updated 3 Oct 2026 · How we score · Spotted an error?
