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[–]anace 17 points18 points  (1 child)

Transistor was the most beautiful game I've ever played. The combination of the character/costume/monster design, the soundtrack, the writing of both the whole plot and the individual characters, the setting, the voice acting, and the overall art aesthetic, all made for my pick for most beautiful game.

Also sorta character spoilers, but zero plot spoilers. None of these are explicitly stated (except the minor item), all are meant to be inferred: of the six principal characters (two protagonists (Red, Transistor(no official name, but is called "The Boxer" in the game's code, or "Blue" after the theme color)), four antagonists (Sybil, Asher, Grant, Royce)), two are women, three are queer, two are people of color, and the game has more interracial relationships than not. Only one of those six is straight white man. Plus, there's a minor character whose gender is listed as "X" (everyone else is M or F (well, except for the one with no data given, his gender (presumably "M", from context) is listed as "??")(yay nested parentheses!)), bringing the total non-binary characters in games that I know of to three, the other two being Eden in Binding of Isaac and Bolt in Crypt of the Necrodancer (Transistor's was first of those)(I really like parentheticals, sorry (not sorry)).

Then there's this analysis(actual for-realsies full plot spoilers), which can put the whole story in a completely different light (a beautiful light, like everything else).

The combination of what you and /berrieh said, I don't really relate to Red either, but the mere presence of so many characters like me in other ways (far more than a single token minor character) does make it feel like the game was made for me.

[–]CJGibson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

bringing the total non-binary characters in games that I know of to three

Dota explicitly has some non-gendered characters (Puck, Io) though they're not human, so I'm not sure if that's in line with what you were imagining.

[–]berrieh 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I think there are other games that I've felt were "made for me" before, maybe even more-so, as I didn't really "relate" to Red exactly (I loved her, but I'm simply a different person than you, and it's hard for me to relate to someone so mysterious, so relate is not the right word for me - I never felt I could "be" Red; I simply loved her story) BUT I think Transistor is one of the most purely emotional experiences in gaming. I was crying at the end, and that almost never happens. I love when a game makes me FEEL something. I agree 100% that the relationship seemed purely real.

Also - side note - The combat system is really freaking cool in that game! That's an interesting take on the modern RPG progression.

[–]Mariant2Steam 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Transistor is one of my absolute favorite games. It's one of... two?... that can really evoke an emotional response from me just by listening to a few seconds of the soundtrack. And-- yes, I love that it's a game about love, and not parental love or sibling love or whatever. I feel like romantic love is kind of devalued in the games industry apart from serving as a cheap incentive to have the protagonist kill people; it's not viewed as "valuable" on the same level as the other types of love. Like, you have plenty of games about a father figure guiding his daughter figure to safety, but practically none about a couple surviving together at the end of the world. I even heard people theorizing that Red and Breach()'s relationship is a mentorship, or that he serves as a father figure to her... really? Come on.

And-- yes. Red is beautiful. I really don't like when people act as though feminists can't appreciate beautiful characters, because I can! ... but there are types of beauty, and an overabundance of women who look like porn stars or vocaloids or, I dunno, weird fantasy sex fantasy... it doesn't feel like it's for me. And-- yes, the other thing is that most of the time these women are extremely heavily made-up and feminine-looking without actually possessing any knowledge of traditionally feminine pursuits. Heavy eyeliner, airbrushed skin, and red lips... yet she'll still make fun of someone for getting beat "by a girl" or scoff at other, lesser women in the narrative who aren't as "strong" and are instead "shallow". Red is stylish, feminine, incredibly beautiful... and she doesn't really know how to fight. I mean, she can't even really lift the Transistor. But-- that doesn't make her a weaker character. She demonstrates her strength.

[–]Tonkarz 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Like it's okay to have a female character as long as she doesn't exhibit any stereotypically female characteristics (likes shopping, likes dating, wears pink/purple, etc.), because then she's a "girly character."

There's a certain tension there because many stereotypically girly things are seen as impractical or frivolous for soldier/warrior characters in war-zones. Like heels, frills, bright colors and a love for shopping.

[–]erissaidBattle.net/Steam 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Transistor is one of my all time favorite games, but I don't think I've ever been able to put words to the feelings it gave me quite the way you were able to. I put Supergiant on my list of "developers I will support in every way possible" because of Transistor, and I can't wait to see what they do next.

[–]yuudachi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh god, I love Transistor so much. The ending had me choking up so badly. Still hurts to think about ;_;

The part that I felt uniquely catered to me was indeed the romance. For whatever reason, you rarely get relationships in games (or media, really) that are maintained throughout the entire storyline vs getting together right at the end. I loved that Red was already in an established relationship, and I enjoyed projecting on Red and receiving Transistor's love. Just like you said, it felt like a real relationship and not something just tacked on.

I could go on and on about what I loved about Transistor (the world, the gameplay, the MUSIC omg). Man, now I feel like buying it again for the recent iOS port...

[–]lexabear 4 points5 points  (3 children)

Borderlands 2 made me really like Lillith. She (or any of the playable characters) didn't have that much personality in Borderlands 1, but when they become powerful NPCs in 2 they get a lot more background.

She's a Strong Female Character not because she's literally strong, which is a common interpretation. Although she is powerful, she is also brash, impulsive, and hardheaded. She has a complicated relationship with Roland that she self-sabotages because she's uncomfortable with vulnerability. I found her to be an interesting character with a full personality.

I hope Maya gets an equally interesting treatment in the next BL.

[–]anace 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Yeah all the player characters have some personality, but it only really comes out in occasional sound bits. The Assault on Dragon Keep dlc's story is told through the original characters, but then during the end cutscene Maya walks into the room and says one line. It felt different from all her in-game lines, like she was her own person, and not just my proxy.

I also love the strong characterization of a lot of the characters. Moxxi is my favorite example, specifically because she's sexualized, but also well rounded. She doesn't talk about her past much, except to refer to which number ex-husband some character is, but what we learn through her family is impressive. On top of that, her whole persona is an in-universe character. She's acting like a walking innuendo because it brings in customers. When there's no potential customers, she's a different person. Out of universe, she's not sexy for sexy's sake, the writers actually gave her a believable reason.

Plus, that game is chock full of gay and bisexual characters. Seriously. There's so many.

[–]lexabear 5 points6 points  (1 child)

On top of that, her whole persona is an in-universe character. She's acting like a walking innuendo because it brings in customers. When there's no potential customers, she's a different person.

I actually really disliked Moxxi until I realized this. She seemed like just another over-the-top cheesecake super-sexy character. But she was given more background, and it was so cute to see her working in her mechanic's sanctuary in her overalls. It's only when she drops character that she gains it!

[–]anace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My feelings exactly. All the stuff we learn through Scooter and Ellie is nice, but that moment is defining.

edit; I actually just found another great bit. In one of the headhunter addons for 2, Marcus says that Moxxi is the reason he is fat. She had told him "If you're ruthless, look fat. If you're smart, look sexy."

[–]knownohowgirl 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Transistor is an absolutely amazing game. The art style, the agency, the music, just everything. They tell an amazing story with so little. Oh, and it's also just really, really fun. I've played it/beaten it a few and it's still just as fun from day one. I even bought it on PC just because I felt bad that I got such an amazing game for free when it was one of the free games of the month for playstation.

[–]cldrgdALL THE SYSTEMS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I still have yet to figure out a way to describe just how much I love Red's outfit. Not just her in-game outfit, but the stage outfit she wears in the cut-scene and the relationship between the two. She's got this beautiful, formal dress for her performance, then this traumatic event happens and she rips off the part of her dress that would be in the way and picks up the unnamed guy's jacket and the Transistor and marches off to smush anything between her and her goal. It's one part beautiful, one part sentiment and one part practical going-to-war-wear and I love it. (I'm not sure I'm making any sense. lol Sorry.)

[–]QuinnocentPC/3DS/WiiU 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The music. God, the music.

I'm a borderline audiophile and sorta music geek, and I listen to and explore new music constantly, so I'm not the type of person who can listen to a game OST and pretend it's as good as my favorite albums.

With the exception of Transistor's OST. I can listen to that, back to front, and thoroughly enjoy the whole thing as a musical experience.

[–]mafonso -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

As a guy gamer i'd say I haven't felt any video game's main character is as relatable to me as you seem to find Red is to you.