Eastshade

A combat-free, refreshingly wholesome and decadent exploration focused yarn, Eastshade celebrates the spirit of discovery with aplomb and feels like the closest you'll get to a digital holiday.

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Eastshade is a single-player, open-world exploration-adventure game where you play as a traveling painter on the island of Eastshade. Capture the stunning world on canvas, engage in dynamic conversations with inhabitants, and solve quests to uncover the land's secrets. With its peaceful gameplay, outstanding music, and emotional depth, Eastshade offers a memorable and immersive experience, despite some bugs and optimization issues.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,153 reviews

story497 positive mentions

stability215 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and scenery that create a calming atmosphere.
Engaging quests and interesting characters that enhance the exploration experience.
Unique painting mechanic that allows players to capture the beauty of the world.

Frequent bugs and crashes that can disrupt gameplay and cause loss of progress.
Lack of a clear map or compass, making navigation difficult and sometimes frustrating.
Some quests can feel repetitive and may require backtracking, which can become tedious.

story
1,594 mentions
31 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of Eastshade is centered around a painter fulfilling their mother's dying wish to capture the beauty of the island through art, leading to a series of interconnected quests that explore themes of community and personal connection. While the main narrative is simple and lacks complexity, the game excels in its rich character interactions and the charm of its side quests, which often provide meaningful choices and emotional depth. However, some players found the quest structure repetitive and reliant on fetch mechanics, with occasional bugs that hindered progression, detracting from the overall storytelling experience.
- “I feel almost every little choice I made in the quests impacted a whole different quest I never would have expected to be connected.”
- “The story is engaging and the mechanics are very simple.”
- “The quests are unique and steeped in lore and entangle you in the background story of each and every character you meet.”
- “The story is whatever, the gameplay is simple.”
- “The quests are mostly variations of: 'find 'x' in the world and paint it, then bring the painting back to me and I'll pay you.' Progression is gated via fetch quests.”
- “The main quest doesn't have a lot of content as of now, but it can be finished in a somewhat non-linear fashion and you will have to finish quite a few side quests to be able to progress.”
graphics
703 mentions
50 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics in Eastshade are often described as beautiful and stunning, with many players appreciating the game's art direction and atmospheric environments reminiscent of classic titles like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Skyrim. However, some reviews note that the graphics can feel dated, with issues such as low draw distances, texture pop-ins, and occasional glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the game's visuals are generally praised for their charm and ability to create a relaxing and immersive exploration experience.
- “The graphics are stunning and the art direction and atmosphere are beautiful.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, providing some screenshot-worthy vistas as you explore dirt and stone paths through dense forests.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, the atmosphere is beautiful, the music is wonderful to listen to, and the voice actors do a lovely job of making every character sound unique and fun.”
- “The graphics are terrible, and the freakiest thing is their rendering of anthropomorphized chimps--there is something wrong about their eyes and facial movements that feels like it belongs in a horror movie, not a 'relaxing' game.”
- “The graphics remind me of 2006 (you are a body-less camera gliding throughout the world, trees and bushes are flat with multiple sides), and the mechanics are a bit primitive.”
- “The graphics are clearly dated, with wrong textures being baked into reflective material, the LOD not being balanced properly, several objects failing to render (the lively woods turned into a barren wasteland several times due to this) and generally just feeling 'from a few years back'.”
music
598 mentions
62 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in Eastshade is widely praised for its beauty and calming qualities, enhancing the game's serene atmosphere and immersive experience. Many players find the soundtrack to be a standout feature, often describing it as enchanting and perfectly suited to the game's picturesque landscapes. However, some users note that the music can become repetitive over time, with occasional issues in sound looping and volume balance. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's relaxing and exploratory nature, making it a memorable aspect for players.
- “The music is beautiful, and I find the voice acting to be sweet and well done.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece as well, instantly transporting you into the world.”
- “The music is calming and intriguing.”
- “The background music also tends to get somewhat repetitive if you linger in one place too long, and often just outright stops.”
- “The music gets a bit repetitive after a while, and I miss things like NPC day/night cycles or respawning crafting material.”
- “The music is ok-ish for my tastes (maybe a bit cheesy), but I played for under 2 hours and already had to turn it off because it was too repetitive and grated on my ears.”
gameplay
462 mentions
30 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Eastshade is characterized by its relaxing and simplistic mechanics, primarily revolving around exploration and a unique painting system that allows players to capture the beauty of the environment. While many players appreciate the tranquil atmosphere and charming quests, some criticize the repetitive fetch quests, limited fast travel options, and occasional bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game offers a peaceful, non-violent alternative to traditional gameplay, appealing to those seeking a leisurely adventure rather than intense action.
- “A rare example of a relaxing but still incredibly gripping game that allows you to be creative as a game mechanic.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are simple and intuitive, allowing you to focus on the exploration and discovery aspects of the game.”
- “The painting mechanic is stunningly simple and soul-satisfying.”
- “Terribly annoying mechanics and gameplay elements such as the cold, the running back and forth all the time, the lack of proper fast travel (there is some very limited and rare option to it but it's short distance too and not to where mostly you'll need to go).”
- “Performance issues coupled with the endless bugs and boring gameplay made this a chore; I could not complete the game as the hot air balloon quest refused to progress and then corrupted all my previous save data upon reload.”
- “The gameplay feels like a downgrade from just watching the trailer, with few compelling gameplay objectives to keep you engaged.”
stability
220 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches, including crashes, freezes, and graphical issues. While some users experienced significant problems that affected gameplay, others found the glitches to be minor and endearing, suggesting that frequent manual saving can mitigate potential frustrations. Overall, the game is described as charming but in need of further polish to address its technical flaws.
- “I don't recognize any of the bugs that the negative reviews mention; I never got stuck in the game and encountered no glitches apart from very minor visual ones.”
- “I've had a bug-free experience with no gameplay issues to speak of.”
- “I don't have a particularly above-average computer, and it still runs great.”
- “The game is beautiful but it's a buggy mess; I can't 100% the game due to a bug with the courier during the last quest.”
- “Way too buggy; this game will never go beyond a beta state: it has a Bethesda level of bugs: NPCs walking into walls, birds not moving in the sky, quests that don't give the reward, quests that can't be finished because of unwanted triggers... for a 10-hour game, it's shameful!”
- “The only real problem were some glitches that caused the game to freeze, so I had to close it using the task manager.”
atmosphere
192 mentions
65 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming, beautiful, and whimsical qualities, often compared to the aesthetics of classic titles like "Oblivion" and "Morrowind." Players appreciate the stunning visuals, soothing music, and engaging environments that encourage exploration and creativity, creating a unique and immersive experience. Despite some technical flaws, the overall ambiance is described as heartwarming and relaxing, making it a perfect escape from reality.
- “Despite some minor flaws, this game was thoroughly enjoyable and definitely a must-play if you like an engaging story and outstanding atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is really cozy and beautiful!”
- “The soundtrack is a masterpiece and creates even more atmosphere than the environment itself already does.”
- “However, the atmosphere also felt a bit dull, hollow, and empty at times.”
- “I have played a lot of games like this, and most of them do what Eastshade tries to do a lot better: graphics, story, characters, atmosphere; it just falls short in all aspects.”
- “With two consequences clearly not intended by the game: 1) I felt stupid and 2) I left the game atmosphere, which was created in such great depth before.”
emotional
172 mentions
99 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game "Eastshade" is widely praised for its heartwarming and bittersweet narrative, leaving players feeling deeply connected to the characters and the world. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine emotions, with several players expressing that they cried at the touching ending and felt a sense of loss upon leaving the beautifully crafted environment. Overall, the game is celebrated for its wholesome storytelling, calming atmosphere, and the emotional resonance it creates, making it a standout experience for those seeking a more heartfelt gaming journey.
- “The ending felt extremely rewarding, heartwarming, and at the same time bittersweet that the game had to end.”
- “I cried when I got to journey's end, not because I was disappointed, but rather sad I was parting ways with Eastshade.”
- “By the time it was over and it was my time to leave Eastshade and journey back home, I found myself crying like a little baby (something I rarely ever do, I honestly can't remember the last time a game made me cry).”
- “A walking sim without a compelling story that only the developer found interesting.”
- “The emotional moments felt forced and lacked genuine impact.”
- “I expected a deep emotional experience, but it fell flat and left me indifferent.”
optimization
138 mentions
12 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
41 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users noted that the game is playable with minor issues, the overall consensus is that poor optimization severely impacts the experience, making it difficult to recommend for those sensitive to performance problems. Despite its beautiful visuals and engaging content, the technical flaws detract from immersion and enjoyment.
- “It surprised me with several things I wasn't really expecting, like several different transportation methods (such as the ability to sail boats, ride bicycles, utilize zip lines), crafting systems, a fishing system, etc. The game was also mostly bug-free (zero significant bugs that truly affected gameplay, all small cosmetic bugs) and the performance on my very mid-tier rig ran smoothly and without hiccups.”
- “The devs have been dedicated to updating and smoothing out performance issues (the in-game bug report system is the best and easiest I've ever encountered).”
- “The roughness of its performance is made up tenfold by the gentleness, wonder, and beauty of the experience.”
- “The game suffers from some performance issues and some design flaws that I won't mention because of spoilers.”
- “The performance of the game leaves a bit to be desired as it often stutters and drops to low framerates for no apparent reason.”
- “The game has a rather serious problem with stuttering and dropping frame rates, no matter how low you set the graphics options, or how powerful your GPU might be.”
grinding
60 mentions
5 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed perception of grinding in the game, with some players finding it tedious and slow-paced due to repetitive tasks and backtracking, while others appreciate the lack of traditional combat grinding, favoring exploration and questing instead. Many noted that while the game offers beautiful environments and engaging story elements, the mechanics for item usage and quest progression can feel cumbersome and lead to a sense of monotony. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, providing a relaxing experience for some while frustrating others with its repetitive nature.
- “I especially enjoy that there are no fights and no tedious minigames.”
- “Quests are very enjoyable and not tedious (e.g. gather and bring x items, although some quests required materials).”
- “This is one of the most refreshing games I've played: no battles, no XP, no farming... what you have to do here is help folks, take awesome screenshots (paintings), wander, and sometimes you'll find a mystery that will pique your curiosity.”
- “I'm forced to sell foraged items at 1 a pop which means tedious grinding for said items.”
- “The walking around gets tedious after a while.”
- “Unfortunately, after about an hour or so of gameplay, everything became incredibly tedious.”
humor
50 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a delightful mix of quirky, charming, and sometimes unexpected moments, with many players finding the character interactions and dialogue to be genuinely funny and endearing. While some instances of humor stem from glitches or odd character designs, the overall tone is light-hearted, with a variety of amusing quests and NPCs that enhance the game's relaxing atmosphere. However, a few players noted that the humor can occasionally fall flat or feel forced, but this is generally outweighed by the game's whimsical charm.
- “The characters you meet are fascinating, funny, quirky, and full of life.”
- “Eastshade, a beautiful and varied realm, is populated with odd and tender animal-headed people who need your help and want to share their weird and funny stories with you.”
- “On top of the awesome art and atmosphere, this game is filled with pure and humorous character interactions and quests that make it even warmer.”
replayability
31 mentions
23 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players finding significant value in revisiting the game for its beauty, relaxation, and varied quest choices, while others note a lack of substantial replay value due to limited changes in gameplay and story outcomes. Many agree that while the game offers some opportunities for exploration and different interactions, it may not sustain long-term replay interest for all players. Overall, the consensus suggests that replayability varies widely among players, with some enjoying multiple playthroughs and others feeling the experience is largely finite.
- “The replay value is pretty good if nothing else but for the beauty and relaxation.”
- “It does have some replayability value as you can go and find quests or areas you may have missed and make different choices.”
- “It definitely has replay value for me, because in interacting with the multitude of characters the player usually has several choices of responses, basically 'good' or 'bad', nice or inconsiderate.”
- “Unfortunately, this type of game doesn't lend itself to a lot of replayability.”
- “The replayability is about zero.”
- “It doesn't have a lot of replay value, and it should be mentioned not to rush it (I did on the last playthrough to get that one pesky achievement, completed it in 4 hours). It's wholesome, just wish there was more to the game.”
character development
17 mentions
18 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is enriched by numerous side quests and NPCs featuring choice-driven dialogue, enhancing player engagement. However, opinions on character design are mixed; while some appreciate the unique and immersive designs, others find them awkward or reminiscent of early 2000s aesthetics, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's charm and character interactions contribute positively to its narrative depth.
- “There are numerous side quests and NPCs with choice-based dialogue and character development.”
- “Really immersive and good character design of the NPCs.”
- “This game takes the concept of the golden hour for painting, and extends it to all the color palettes during the day, to the music and architecture, to the completely unique character designs (there ain't no humans here, just bears, owls, deer, and other animals co-existing with the land).”
- “I can see the developers were going for a sort of charming, storybook feel, but they missed the mark and went full weird on the character design.”
- “I understand it's an indie game, but the difference between the environment, music, and voices versus the character design is pretty big.”
- “The character design definitely shows how it was on an indie budget, though it can be a bit lacking; the owl people especially have these pitch-black doll eyes that are rather jarring, but it's forgivable.”
monetization
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a strong dissatisfaction with monetization practices in gaming, highlighting concerns over excessive DLC and microtransactions that detract from the overall experience. Players feel that financial motivations have compromised game quality and creativity, leading to a focus on profit over passion.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, making it accessible for everyone while still providing optional purchases for those who want to enhance their experience.”
- “The balance between free and paid content is well done, ensuring that players can progress without spending a dime if they choose.”
- “What certainly doesn't help is how my favorite hobby has been hijacked by bean counters and pencil pushers who don't understand video games either, throwing both gamers and developers under the bus with practices at the development level (crunch and passionless, sequel-focused yearly cycles) and user level (endless DLC, microtransactions, etc).”