You are thrown into a picturesque setup of what looks like the aftermath of a murder- the silhouette of a man who’s been impaled by a sword that looks like a glorified usb drive with a hilt and a red haired woman standing above him with a mournful expression. Suddenly, the stage turns black and the strange weapon lights up and utters the phrase, “We’re not gonna get away with this, are we?”

The first track of the game sounds off, and bam! You’re thrown into the beautiful Cloudbank City to uncover what has just transpired.

Transistor, the second title developed by San Jose-based game developers, Supergiant Games, not only delivers on a fast-paced, engaging battle system, but manages to hit the trifecta by also offering a beautifully rich world with an amazing soundtrack that lends itself directly to the game’s story.

The folks over at Supergiant Games have done an outstanding job letting the player figure out the narrative through unique methods. Instead of leading you by the hand, players are encouraged to explore the city. If you find a certain area that holds a chunk of information, your sword will begin to describe what or who may have been involved with that area. The sword is actually a main player in the story. The fact that it talks may be a bit odd for newcomers to the gaming scene, but the amazingly delivered lines and well-written script make you easily forget that it’s, well, a talking sword. As you travel throughout the game, you collect different abilities from citizens of the city who have mysteriously disappeared, which, if used, add to the story in a unique way themselves.

The gameplay in Transistor is a mix between free action, where you can freely use skills and enemies are at liberty to do the same, and an odd, but well-made, RPG type system called “Turn,” which, when activated, freezes time, allowing you to plan your moves out and subsequently fill up a bar at the top of the screen. When the bar is filled with your moves, you initiate your turn. The turn activation moves the player at an extremely fast speed. Enemies don’t have much range or freedom during this phase. After all the player’s moves have been used, the bar that was used to fill in moves has to recharge, leaving the player slightly vulnerable for a short amount of time.

The latter is the easier and most satisfying option to use. It feels extremely distinct to this game, and adds a layer of in-depth strategy planning for the more “hardcore” player, but time to get things in line for the more “casual” gamer.

If the allure of beautiful narration and enthralling gameplay don’t catch your attention, listen to one of the amazing music tracks this game has to offer. Don’t get me wrong, the music isn’t just there to add sound to the game. It ties directly into the game’s story. You learn early on that the protagonist was once a prolific singer in Cloudbank City, and each song her voice is featured in adds a sort of sentimentality to the story that would be lost otherwise.

Transistor almost feels like a piece of art more than a game. It invites you to interact and uncover the mysteries of what has befallen the city of Cloudbank. With a completion time of around eight hours, this game is short and sweet. Anyone who enjoys a well-made game should definitely check it out.