Crash Time 3
Crash Time 3
Game
Game2021
Eastward
Developer Pixpil
Eastward is a 2021 action-adventure role-playing video game developed by Pixpil and published by Chucklefish. It was first released for the Nintendo Switch, macOS, and Windows, followed by the Xbox One in 2022. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
358 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
81
LovedLoved
162 positive · 39 negative
95% range 75–85%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 162 | 39 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 63 | 1 | 67 |
| Mastodon * | 9 | 0 | 13 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,644 of 4,256 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
81% recommend · 166 yes, 38 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 204 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (13,955 of 16,640 positive).
Many players praise the game's stunning pixel art and music. [1][2][3] Several reviewers criticize the story as confusing or poorly executed. [4][5][6] Some players find the pacing slow due to excessive dialogue. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
4/10. This game looks amazing but is actually pretty bad. It makes you feel like all of the art came first and a game was haphazardly built around it by people with no understanding of game design. It's a damn shame, with better writers and some tweaks it could have been very good. As it is, I think I will just quickly forget it ever existed. Graphics 8/10: No major complaints here. Story 2/10: I kid you not, …
- [1]
I finished this game today as a recommendation from my late sister in law before she passed away. I beat it in her honor. I absolutely loved this game. I couldn't believe the attention to detail. All the little details in rooms, shops, and the town were incredible. Incredible music too. Great combat. Unique and interesting characters. I couldn't have loved this game more.
- [2]
I couldn’t be happier that I finally convinced myself to buy and play Eastward after it sat in my wishlist for months. With its charming pixel art, beautiful soundtrack, and a cast of charismatic characters, the game delivered a fun and immersive experience that kept me invested from start to finish. The story, while occasionally leaving a few things unexplained, ultimately provides just enough context to piece …
- [3]
I would 100% reccomend this game to anyone interested in art, character design and environmental design. While the story falls short a few times (more in execution than the overall plot really) And the combat is basic and a little boring, it's unique aesthetic and visual charm have never failed to impress me. You might want to wait for it to go on sale, but I found the experience to be worth the 30 bucks.
- [4]
If you want a challenge or a great story, this game is not worth it. If you like beautiful pixel art and to explore a very detailed weird world, this is for you. Other comments already reflected that there seems to be a bigger story behind the game but it is not told very clearly. There is tons of fluff dialogue, like tons and tons. Thank goodness for the button that speeds up dialogues and cutscenes. A lot of weird …
Summarised from 34 of the 334 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Eastward sits at 81% positive across 201 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Eastward received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic. Video game media outlets commented positively on John and Sam's characterization, as well as Eastward's story, visuals, and attention to detail. The game's music and sound design was also positively received. Adversely, reviewers remarked that the game's slow pacing was to its detriment at times. Malindy Hetfeld of Eurogamer wrote that "Eastward is an incredibly rewarding slice-of-life story," and added that the game contains beautiful visuals and is the "type of kind, warm game not many developers make anymore." Rock Paper Shotgun's Katharine Castle commented that Eastward is "an affecting,…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 358 · most liked firstSam from Eastward. Super underated game with an incredible soundtrack. It’s also one of those games that sticks in my mind, even after beating it years ago! #art #fanart #indiegame #eastward
positive · AI labelView post →What’s one game you love to death but would not ask people to play it? For me it’s Eastward 🥲
positive · AI labelView post →The Eastward Stove is probably the only fanart I ever finished, loved that game.
positive · AI labelView post →I finished this game today as a recommendation from my late sister in law before she passed away. I beat it in her honor. I absolutely loved this game. I couldn't believe the attention to detail. All the little details in rooms, shops, and the town were incredible. Incredible music too. Great combat. Unique and interesting characters. I couldn't have loved this game more.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of my favorites fanarts 😭 Eastward is still some of the most beautiful pixel art I've ever seen in a game #pixelart #gameart #art
positive · AI labelView post →Eastward marked the achievement of a lifelong dream not just to compose for games, but to create a rich musical world for a specific kind of game. My involvement in its development spanned 5 years and paralleled many life changes for me, which you can hear in the music. 💛 youtu.be/QABd2IX6DVY?...
positive · AI labelView post →This is one of the nicest game related art books I’ve ever bought! Really well designed! I still need to finish Eastward, probably time to get back to it! #gaming #pixelart
positive · AI labelView post →4/10. This game looks amazing but is actually pretty bad. It makes you feel like all of the art came first and a game was haphazardly built around it by people with no understanding of game design. It's a damn shame, with better writers and some tweaks it could have been very good. As it is, I think I will just quickly forget it ever existed. Graphics 8/10: No major complaints here. Story 2/10: I kid you not, NOTHING ever makes much sense, even the ending tells you nothing other than "cool,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's honestly hard to say if I'd recommend playing this game to others. However, in the end I asked myself, would I recommend playing this game to MYSELF. In an ideal world, Steam would allow us to give a neutral review, but here we are. Below are my ratings for the game, and below that will be my longer review: Story: 1/5 Gameplay: 4/5 Art: 5/5 Music: 4/5 Overall, I would rate this game a 3 out of 5 stars. Right in the middle. There are so many things it does really well. Gameplay mechanics…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the game is pretty good...when it actually lets you play it. The visuals are gorgeous. Sound design/OST is great (joel corelitz is among the best). But my god the pacing sucks. WAY too much dialogue and filler between actual gameplay. It's not uncommon to go ~40 minutes being locked into cutscenes and dialogues. And it's not even necessarily that the writing is bad, it's good, but damn man, I just want to PLAY a game, not read it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just can't find myself pushing myself past New Dam City. The gameplay is servicable, but repetitive. The narrative has potential, but I find myself exhausted with the writing and dialogue. I don't regret my purchase, nor do I think the game is inherently flawed. It certainly requires a certain breed of individual to really love this game. I don't happen to be the type of person who can love this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What I've learned is more people need to play Eastward! That's the game.
positive · AI labelView post →For new followers that don’t know me, hello! I’m Charlotte (nickname Ken), PR Director at Honest PR. I’ve been in the video game industry for eight FRIGHTFUL years and have helped launch a bunch of games in my time, including Lords of the Fallen, Planet Zoo, Eastward, Paper Trail, Oxenfree II etc 👋
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm 2 chapters in and the game has no idea what it wants to be. There's lengthy sections of nothing but dialogue for 30+ mins, which makes you think they're going for a linear story game. But then there's hidden upgrades which are MISSABLE, and there's no chest tracking. If you go left instead of right you're locked on that path and can't go back to explore. You can replay chapters after beating the story but there isn't a chest tracker so you're basically forced to replay the entire game if…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What’s your favorite story game or top 5? ⭐️ Mine is: •Broken Age •Windwaker •Eastward •Night in the Woods •Final Fantasy XIII (Many more)
positive · AI labelView post →After a long wait, I finally received Lost In Cult's limited edition run of The Art of Eastward. And I'm so excited! It's such a criminally underrated game, and an absolutely gorgeous package. Well worth the wait! 🥰
positive · AI labelView post →+++ Beautiful world and premise that begs for exploration. +++ Adorable and well-animated character design. +++ Cute, catchy, memorable music. --- Egregious pace-breaking excess of cutscenes and dialogue. --- No backtracking, leading to permanently missable upgrade resources. --- Frustrating combat hitboxes. This is a heartbreaking conclusion to reach. On the surface, all the ingredients are present to make for a fantastic adventure in a world that awaits discovery. All this comes…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I said 3 months or less to play it safe, but Eastward managed to finagle its way to a nomination 2 full years prior to release with a ~10 hour indev build that became less finished as you go, realistically as long as ppl can see what's great about the game anything can be better than a demo imo lol
positive · AI labelView post →Before Christmas I started Eastward. The game is simply wonderful, it has a really crazy aesthetic and style and yet I just can't finish it. My initial enthusiasm slowly waned until I began to feel an "obligation" to continue, not because of the plot but because it is an aesthetically beautiful game
neutral · AI labelView post →Re-post fanart of my favorite game from 2021, Eastward! Wish this game would have gotten waaay more attention that it deserved~ #Eastward #Fanart
positive · AI labelView post →It’s been 3 years, and yet this game sticks in my head. #Eastward #gaming #fanart #indiegame
positive · AI labelView post →If you want a challenge or a great story, this game is not worth it. If you like beautiful pixel art and to explore a very detailed weird world, this is for you. Other comments already reflected that there seems to be a bigger story behind the game but it is not told very clearly. There is tons of fluff dialogue, like tons and tons. Thank goodness for the button that speeds up dialogues and cutscenes. A lot of weird design choices have been made. The whole game is a story on rails but there…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This feels like one of those game projects where they clearly had a talented artist to do the spritework, but decided to write the script by hiring some online fanfiction writer from QQ or something. It's not that its necessarily bad, but it does read like a series of cliches that have been haphazardly stitched together by someone who thinks they can fake it and the great art will smooth everything over. Maybe I'm being too harsh....probably not though. 6/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The challenge is to choose 20 videogames that greatly influenced you! One game per day, for 20 days. No explanations, no reviews, no particular order. 🎮 Day 1 Eastward
positive · AI labelView post →When I was first reading reviews and deciding whether or not to buy this game, many people said the story was bad but the art/graphics were amazing. Here's an honest review from someone who's played the game in full: The game is told in 8 chapters, and the first 2 are setup/exposition. The exposition taking place underground feels like already treaded territory and seems like it doesn't add anything new to the apocalypse/sci-fi genre. During those chapters I was really temped to stop playing.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's probably gonna be a long review but I wanna share my thoughts after finished playing the game just recently. When I first stumbled upon Eastward, it was from it's DLC. I thought, "oh this looks like a really nice chill farm sim game and the pixel art is really exactly my type", then found out that I needed to have the base game and likely playing it first before jumping into the dlc, so I hesitated getting the game because I didn't want all the fighting and stuffs. I just wanted a cute…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game runs great on steam deck, looks great, cute graphics and characters, sounds good, etc. Humor is pretty good as well. Basic story premise is fine. But... the game is just boring. I am over 4 hours in and I kind of just sat here wondering... why? What exactly is the reason that I should have put that much time into it? Or better question, why on earth should I put even more time into it? There just isn't anything to do here but run around, have some really extremely light combat…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Someone of my favorite indie game girls. Took me too long to realize these markers work best on smooth paper. I have more or less been using them as paints up to this point. #celeste #eastward #indiegame #art #traditional
neutral · AI labelView post →It's very tough to give a simple yes/no review for this game, but ultimately I have to say I can't recommend it, even though it's very obvious that the devs put in a lot of effort and skill. Good points: - Art style + direction. The artistry is world-class; the cover art was enough to make me get the game in the first place. Every sprite for every character/item/etc. is appealing and lovingly-made, and the animations, too. The level backgrounds are very well-dressed; there's not a single area…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you could only play 10 games for the rest of your life, which 10? Hollow Knight Silksong Mother 3 Cognitive Dissonance (Mother Fan Game) Megaman Legends (1 or 2) Wario Land 3 Pizza Tower Eastward LOZ Ocarina of Time Deltarune (All current and eventual chapters) I play games very sparingly.
positive · AI labelView post →Hi Bluesky! I'm a self taught indie game developer working on a game about sabotaging your friends... 👀 I'm also a bit of a musician and a generally creative person. Some of my favourite games are Stardew Valley, The Last of Us, Eastward, and Honkai: Star Rail.
neutral · AI labelView post →Started Eastward over the weekend, and this game has been an emotional roller coaster 😭😭😭
positive · AI labelView post →Here is some artwork. hmnn should we add a portrait to the game?? My ref is Eastward which doesn't have any portrait. but seeing Stardew valley most of the fans make a fan made portrait version seems funs. #flavouredge #stardewvalley #pixelart #pixel #indiegamedev #artblog
neutral · AI labelView post →Visually I really liked the game. It also looked like something I might like from the trailers. But I don't like it.. The story is too rushed and doesn't make sense, the characters seem stupid because of it within a few hours of playing and it was unbearable.. The game mechanics are fine but repetitive. The pixel art is amazing but that's about it..
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sam Sketches, from #Eastward #Indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →as a late 90s teen I was legitimately worried that 2d pixel art games were dead, being replaced by at the time muddy and very rarely impressive 3d playing Eastward rn, and, glad the worry was unfounded, this game is emblematic of having functionally no memory limit in a pixel art game
positive · AI labelView post →Finally going to migrate my list. Sorry for the spam since I think RSing will make sure the thread shows up individually and easier to find? Maybe I'll space it out Games beaten in 2023: - Powerwash Simulator (Jan) - Eastward (Jan) - Skul: The Hero Slayer (Jan) - Dragon Quest Treasures (Jan)
neutral · AI labelView post →Been playing Eastward off and on all day. What an experience. Makes my game dev brain tingle
positive · AI labelView post →All on Bandcamp because that's where I get my official music : [Ridiculous Fishing](https://phlogiston.bandcamp.com/album/ridiculous-fishing): a weird fishing game that was available on iPhone for some time, then disappeared due to compatibility issues. [Guacamelee! 2](https://drinkbox.bandcamp.com/album/guacamelee-2-original-soundtrack): Kind of famous, but I like the soundtrack. [Eastward](https://joelcorelitz.bandcamp.com/album/eastward-original-soundtrack): a weird action…
neutral · AI labelView post →Just a reminder, if you already haven't! If you like Action-adventure rpgs, PLEASE play Eastward! 🙏 Fantastic game, and as treat for the eyes, visually. The soundtrack is fun and vibrant. The story is engaging, the characters are fantastically written, and you get a farming sim DLC.
positive · AI labelView post →Spell your username with video game titles! Zenless Zone Zero Eternal Sonata Trials of Mana Harvestella RAINCODE Eastward Bravely Default Unicorn Overlord
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm so grateful for a fast forward button. Visually the game is beautiful and has a great aesthetic, but the story leaves me with more questions than answers. I wish there was a neutral option to review. Play it if you like cute pixel games with hopeful end of the world stories, I guess, but don't expect to get heavily invested. Most of the characters are naive to the point of actual stupidity, and deliberately vague about things to the point of frustration. It doesn't feel like there's much…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Qtp with a game recommendation: The father daughter RPG that predates Pragmata Eastward
neutral · AI labelView post →Eastwards my favorite game of all time. I started playing on the switch in 2022 then recently bought it again on steam. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes games with a rich story and amazing graphics speaking of that the art in this game is stunning probably is what inspired me to keep going with drawing and progressing so I owe eastward a huge part of my life, the game really helped me through hard times I found it at my lowest and it helped me savor life and enjoy the little…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is Sam from Eastward Game on Steam. I made this because i love this game <3 #pixelart #eastward #pixelartist #animation #fanart
positive · AI labelView post →Play Eastward, and I guarantee if you are not in love with it by the time you finish it, You have my permission to hunt me Dangerous Game style! #eastward #fanart #art #traditional
positive · AI labelView post →Since the localisation of Mother 3 is off the table, I want the geniuses behind Eastward to make a turn based RPG. That was such an epic game! #eastward #nintendoswitch #pixelart #actionrpg #feelgoodgames
positive · AI labelView post →It’s become common gaming lore that Undertale is the game that feels most like and has most similar vibes to Earthbound. Everyone’s wrong! People need to play Eastward.
positive · AI labelView post →EASTWARD is a fantastic game that you should not sleep on if you like action RPGs, next level pixel art, or stories about found family #Eastward #characterdesign #mondonuts
positive · AI labelView post →⚠️🫧 S A M 🫧⚠️ Eastward has become one of my absolute favorite indie games!!… and not just because I share a name with one of the main characters (but bonus points ☺️)! #Eastward #indiegames #art
positive · AI labelView post →QTP and spell your name or handle with games you played 🎮 Donut County Overcooked Undertale Grow Home Visions of Mana Evoland Neo TWEWY Tales of arise Untitled Goose Game Ratchet and Clank Eastward Sea of Stars
neutral · AI labelView post →Eastward by Pixpil is one of the 50 stunning indie titles in my book Indie Game Works. Check it out for exclusive artwork and developer interviews amzn.eu/d/0cvh9Pkx #eastward #indiegames #gaming #indiedev #indiegaming
neutral · AI labelView post →I couldn’t be happier that I finally convinced myself to buy and play Eastward after it sat in my wishlist for months. With its charming pixel art, beautiful soundtrack, and a cast of charismatic characters, the game delivered a fun and immersive experience that kept me invested from start to finish. The story, while occasionally leaving a few things unexplained, ultimately provides just enough context to piece things together along the way. Combat while fairly simple throughout the game,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I had a comforting / amusing thought this morning. Something you wouldn't notice about the PokePATH tower defense game is that each row of three maps are neatly linked. No matter how areas are shaped, you keep traveling horizontally. Maybe I like the game because we're always headed... Eastward. ❤️🚂
neutral · AI labelView post →After 6 hours of playing I'm disappointed by the narrative of the game, there was so far no rpg elements to it besides upgrading weapons. The characters choices are questionable and ignoring events, which you would like to prevent as an player. The graphics are amazing, but i was looking for a story rich and exciting world. This was not the game for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →4 years after its release, its soundtrack feels like an underscore, not just for the game, but for my life during that time period. Eastward changed my life & career, and is probably the indie game I'm best known for. Proud to share part 1 of Lost in Cult's documentary about Eastward.
positive · AI labelView post →Here's my #NintendoSwitch #indiegame highlight for today! 🎮👍🏼 Game - Eastward Developer - Pixpil Publisher - @chucklefishltd.bsky.social Release date - September 16, 2021
neutral · AI labelView post →🔴 GOING LIVE PLAYING: EASTWARD 🔴 I've had this game in my library forever and was going to play it off stream but I changed my mind, so here we are!! ──✦ www.twitch.tv/atlaseris ──✦ #vtuber #eastward #indiegames
neutral · AI labelView post →Eastward is an indie game I actually first learned about here on lemmy, just a couple weeks after its release. I went back and replayed it just a month ago and it's so good. I can acknowledge that it's not for everyone, it almost feels like the target audience is me specifically. The dialogue is really wonderful and you fall in love with the characters. When I play games I generally am talking to every npc, Eastward made that feel rewarding for me. There's not much for tangible benefits,…
positive · AI labelView post →Indie Game Works includes the likes of Rain World from @videocultmedia.bsky.social, Dredge, GRIS from @nomada.studio, Hyper Light Drifter from @heartmachine.bsky.social, Eastward and 1000xRESIST from @sunsetvisitor.studio #indiegames #gameart #digitalart
neutral · AI labelView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.
