Since the fabulous Bastion was released in 2011 developer Supergiant Games have been all quiet about what they’d be working on next, saying only that they would be taking the time to pick a project they really want to invest their time in, and, with the phenomenal success of their debut game, they could afford to take as much time as they needed.
Today Supergiant announced that their next title will be a sci-fi themed action RPG going by the name of Transistor. The game sees the return of the voice actor who played Bastion’s narrator, Logan Cunningham, though he won’t be assuming the same omniscient position this time.
Watch Transistor at work in the reveal trailer below.
You’ll be controlling an as yet unnamed woman, a singer, who comes into possession of a powerful sword-like weapon, the Transistor, after violent hoodlum-types try to assault her with it. With the weapon in her hands the whole of the city’s nasties rise up to try and take it back. All the while you will be fighting your way across the metropolis to work out what the heck is going on.
Supergiant don’t tell us a great deal more about the game, only that “All of us from the Bastion development team are working together again on this new project, with the aid of a handful of talented new people who’ve joined us since Bastion’s launch.” Which is clearly great news, the small team managed to find the perfect balance between a mind-enrapturing art-style and deep, flexible combat system, yet keeping the control system simple and intuitive. Really, if you’ve not played Bastion yet then, for love of Hovis, do so now(it’s currently on a pay what you want deal).
While Supergiant haven’t announced what platforms Transistor will be launching on, through their Twitter feed the developer responded to a question about whether the game would appear on PC, saying:
@taedirk Steam has been essential to our success with Bastion.
— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) March 19, 2013
Logan Cunningham has confirmed that he will be voicing a character in the game:
To clarify: Yes I am working on Transistor in a vocal capacity.
— Logan Cunningham (@GlancingOnHuman) March 19, 2013
Though Supergiant have stated that Transistor won’t have a narrator:
@djeett The game isn’t narrated per se though voice is very important to it still.
— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) March 19, 2013
With that per se, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Transistor could speak, much akin to Dishonored’s Heart.
As to the music in the trailer, Bastion fans may recognise it to be also composed by Darren Korb, the fellow behind BAstion’s exceptionally good score. The song’s called “We All Become” and is apparently the protagonist’s song:
@chrisfrantastic It is an original song written for the game. The protagonist is a singer — it’s her song.
— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) March 19, 2013
Supergiant are predicting an early 2014 launch, though the game will be on show at PAX for the gruesomely lucky folk who can make it over there.