The genre is set somewhat in the direction of cyberpunk. The futuristic city of Cloudbank is the setting in this case. There, every aspect of reality (e.g. the weather) is controlled by its citizens via democratic voting. The underlying technology is called the "Process".

The player takes the role of the pop star Red, who finds herself in the company of a man (maybe her lover) impaled by a huge techno sword. This sword is called the Transistor, which seems to have absorbed the personality of said man. The talking Transistor at her side, Red is fighting of waves of the amok running Process to find a way to reverse this "murder".

The heart of Transistors Gameplay definitely is the "Turn" phase. While running around and attacking can be done in real time, attacks and movements can be planned out during Turn phases instead. The planned actions then are executed almost in an instant. Planning in Turn consumes energy which reloads after a Turn is carried out, during which no attacks can be made. This adds a strategic element to the game.

Although Transistors soundtrack and art style are a little bit brighter than common cyberpunk, the atmosphere is rather melancholic. The image of Red as a singer is consistently present, due to her humming during battles and "her" songs during cut-scenes. Also, the voice from the Transistor is a constant companion.