Eastward Is An Adorable Zelda And The Last Of Us Crossover
These days, it's rare that something can release without being compared to something else. When it comes to Chucklefish's Eastward, that might be a good thing. The timed Nintendo exclusive is already generating a lot of buzz ahead of release - being dubbed a bold mix between The Legend of Zelda and The Last of Us.
While the sometimes dark world of the Zelda games has been cemented in entries like Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, who could forget more light-hearted interludes like The Wind Waker? On the other end of the spectrum, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us games are anything but family-friendly adventures you'd want your kiddies to play. Now, Eastward could combine the best of both worlds.
What's the story in Eastward?
If you've made it this far, we guess you're interested in what Eastward has to say for itself. As noted by GamesRadar, the Zelda x The Last of Us connotations come thick and fast. Eastward was announced at Wednesday's Nintendo Indie World Showcase - with it coming from Shanghai developer Pixpil.
This beautiful 2D pixel game sees you take control of two stoic survivors called John and Sam. The comparisons come from the fact John is an almost doppelgänger for The Last of Us' Joel. He doesn't say a word, yet, those around this bearded brute seem to know what he's saying. John's only aim is to keep his young travelling companion safe.
Meet Sam, who is very much this game's Ellie from The Last of Us. Unlike the brunette beau of Naughty Dog's world, Sam's unique skillset includes a series of kinetic powers that apparently progress as the game goes on.
There's a bit of Mario thrown in, as Josh and Sam have to make their way through a toxin-ravaged society. What's left of society has moved underground, while this dynamic duo make trips to the dangerous service to travel on rails to their next destination. Zelda elements also come from a colourful cast of shopkeepers who will ask you to cross their palms with silver to level up your arsenal.
When is Eastward coming out?
Although it all sounds like Eastward has been done a thousand times before, there's something different here. It's impossible to pick Josh or Sam as your favourite, as completing Zelda-like puzzles involves flipping between the two of them. Finally, Josh's weapon of choice (a frying pan) can be used to cook them hearty meals.
Chucklefish already has an impressive catalogue of games that includes publishing Stardew Valley and Risk of Rain, alongside developing Starbound and Wargroove. Eastward is exactly the kind of game you'd expect to see from Chucklefish, and although there's plenty of hype right now, we'll have to wait and see how it performs. To be honest, you had us at Zelda and The Last of Us crossover.
Originally announced all the way back in 2015, Eastward is coming to Switch on September 16, with later releases planned for PC and Mac. With its Studio Ghibli and Habbo Hotel-inspired looks, coupling this with blossoming comparisons between Zelda and The Last of Us mean it's definitely one to watch in 2021.