Get Started...
Android
iOS
Mac
Switch
Wii
Wii U
PC
PS4
PS5
Xbox One
Xbox X|SWe've documented 21 accessibility features for Eastward, including No Button Combos, Play Without Hearing, Colour Blind Friendly, Audio Cues and Speaker Indicator. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Controls but it also has features in Reading, Navigation, Audio and Getting Started to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Angela Hickman Newnham, first checked Eastward accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Angela Hickman Newnham and updated 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
Although there is no control map available, many of the controls have on-screen cues provided at appropriate times. This does not include the most frequently used commands, such as attack.
The game map is clear and easy to understand and provides a large indicator for the next destination you need to go, but it is fairly small and there is no option to zoom in.
The Treasure Detector uses a visual indicator, sound, and vibration to alert you of treasure nearby, however, the visual indicator alone is fairly small and positioned far in the upper right corner, so you will want to pay close attention to it or check it frequently if you have both sound and vibration off.
Game Details
Release Date: 16/09/2021, updated in 2022
Out Now: Mac, PC, Switch and Xbox One
Players: 1
Genres: Adventure, Fighting (Action, Narrative, Role-Play and Shooting)
Accessibility: 21 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Blocks and Pixels
Developer: Pixpil Games (@PixpilGames)
Costs: Purchase cost, In-Game Purchases and In-Game Pass
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in Eastward which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Single Stick: Can play with multiple buttons and a stick.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates events or interactions in the game, echoing visual and audio cues. This can provide additional information about progress, approaching enemies or hitting a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Eastward, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Staxel (9 Controls Features)
- Stardew Valley (9 Controls Features)
- Destiny 2 (8 Controls Features)
- Corrypt (5 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Eastward which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to Eastward, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Neo: The World Ends with You (3 Difficulty Features)
- Staxel (1 Difficulty Feature)
- Persona (1 Difficulty Feature)
Getting Started
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Getting Started in Eastward which deals with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Eastward, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Staxel (7 Getting Started Features)
- Corrypt (6 Getting Started Features)
- Neo: The World Ends with You (4 Getting Started Features)
- The Touryst (2 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in Eastward which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a high school student (14-year-old) would appreciate.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Eastward, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Neo: The World Ends with You (6 Reading Features)
- Staxel (5 Reading Features)
- Stardew Valley (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Navigation in Eastward which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Head-Up Display
Game Map: View a map of the game world during play, with the landscape, points of interest and missions highlighted throughout the entire game. This enables the orientation of the player and the world, confirming a direction of movement and the location of destinations or points of exploration.
Menu Navigation
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Visual
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Visual in Eastward which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Interactive Elements
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable. Enemies and player characters are at least 1/6 of the height of the screen. Or there is a zoom feature to make them larger.
Visual Distractions
No Flashes: No flashing strobe effects or you can disable them. This includes the absence of flashing from dramatic visual effects, explosions or weather effects like lightning.
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Eastward which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Eastward, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Neo: The World Ends with You (3 Audio Features)
- Mana Spark (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors @growingupgamers
