4/5 ★ – Hinsai's review of Eastshade.

In the first three months of 2020 (the before times) I was commuting 200 miles every week to teach at a University that had extended an invitation for a quarter long visiting position. I spent my work week there and then came home to see my wife on the weekends. The work was amazing but the commute was every ounce as soul sucking as it sounds. Amidst the stress and chaos of organizing my courses I discovered this little gem that puts off serious Skyrim/Myst vibes but with zero threat and a focus on peaceful creativity. Eastshade asks the player to compose paintings using a super simple camera-style interface. It’s incredibly compelling and drew me in throughout its 10 or so hour runtime. It’s amazing to take on commissions and work for ornery clients— especially since I couldn’t paint my way out of a wet paper bag. The low points were rare and mostly limited to some minor grinding (truly negligible) and iffy QA (unfortunately noticeable). This is where I need to spotlight the soundtrack. If you love Jeremy Soule’s soundtracks to the Elder Scrolls series then you’ll absolutely love Phoenix Glendinning’s work here. It’s tranquil while still underscoring some of the profound vistas you can enjoy in the game (“Painting Flowers” is a highlight) and I’m looking forward to see what Glendinning does in the future. It’s also worth noting that, because Soule has been accused of some truly disgusting misconduct, this is a wonderful way to enjoy this style of soundtrack without the overhead of having a gross dude attached. I’d be thrilled to see what Glendinning could do in the context of a game like Elder Scrolls VI. This game was one of the first in the year that stuck to this year’s theme of “games I played when I needed them most,” and if you’re stressed/anxious (or, in my case, more stressed and anxious than usual) I’d highly encourage you to seek out the serenity and beauty of Eastshade.