Transistor is an action role-playing game presented from an isometric perspective. Players control Red, a singer in the city of Cloudbank, as she wields a greatsword-like weapon called the Transistor against robotic enemies known as the Process. Combat can be played in real-time or paused using a planning mode called Turn(), which allows queuing actions for execution in a burst. Powers called Functions can be equipped in active slots, used as upgrades to augment other Functions, or placed in passive slots for persistent effects. With 16 total Functions available, the system encourages experimentation with different combinations across multiple playthroughs.