Bastion

Blog Post: "The Kid Starts to Wonder if the Game's Ever Gonna End..."

Paradigmthefallen — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 20:58:00 GMT

All the praises Bastion gets are well deserved, but there is one seldom given criticism -- it is too bloody long. By the time I was about one third of the way through the game, I expected to be done, but then it went on for two more thirds. For the second third, I went along with it, and then when the final third came, it became a slog of last minute ideas being thrown in by the developers. The fact that there is even a platforming section in a game that has no reason to include platforming... is just ridiculous. Like Red Dead Redemption, this game tries very hard to be an outstanding title, but is trying far too hard. It would have been better to make an expansion pack or content update down the road rather than push so much in at the last minute. Plot twists occur so close together that you barely get time to process them, and motivations aren't really explained until the final hour or so of the game. Bastion is a great game, no doubt, but oh it needs an editor to cut some of the excess. The game spends so much time packing new combat scenarios in that it even lacks the choice input that earlier and later levels do -- instead leaning on straight linear progression through environments. If Bastion had ended sooner, this score would probably be higher, but there is such a concept as having too much of a good thing.

Blog Post: A Proper Story

Stranger — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:40:00 GMT

Bastion, as review material, is a hard nut to crack. As a downloadable game, it is subject to more lax requirements pertaining to length and size of the game. But in those requirements, Bastion is one of the rare games that goes beyond these bounds to deliver an experience worthy to stand toe-to-toe with triple-A titles, and in many ways surpasses its sixty dollar peers. So, the enigma comes from whether I judge it with the queue of average download titles or against the best the industry has to offer? Lets just take a look at it being what is is, and delve into what makes this game one of the unforgettable experiences of 2011 for me and many amongst my friends and acquaintences.

The aesthetic, as the most immediate thing you see, is a great place to begin. Bastion takes place in a colorful world reminiscent of a quality painting. It creates an interesting counterpoint with the dark story behind the game, and serves to remain visually appealing for the eye throughout the full experience. From deep jungle to railroad tracks, the aesthetic journey take you to a great many vibrant locales. The character designs remain unique, due to the brilliant designs of Jen Zee. The Kid, Rucks, Zia, Zulf, and the myriad creatures and enemies all have creative looks that separates the visuals this title has to offer from any other on the market and gives you a refreshing break from the games that promote more and more realistic looking graphics.

The sound...where do I begin? The soundtrack, composed by Darren Korb, creates a unique aural experience that ranks among my favorite soundtracks of all time, one which is good enough to warrant a purchase for the CD from Supergiant Games. From quiter, more haunting pieces like The Bottom Feeders to more energetic, powerful music like Mine, Windbag, Mine, there's not one song in the instrumental portions that fails to be anything less than amazing. There are also three songs that include voice, Build That Wall, Mother I'm Here, and Setting Sail, Coming Home (a juxtaposition of the first two voiced tracks). They are used sparingly throughout the game and add a monolithic weight of emotion to the scenes in which they play. Other than these, voice acting is used sparingly, with one notable exception. Rucks. The voice of Logan Cunningham, narrating your actions, is absolute sheer brilliance. If you fall off an edge, or just randomly smash objects, or kill a couple of Gasfellas, he's right there commenting on what you're doing and adding a whole new layer to the storytelling. His voice is perfect for the job, and never gets tiring even if you marathon through the game all in one go. The sound design is brilliant in this game, and well worth the price of admission all on its own.

The story tells of a Kid. He wakes up in a crumbling world and has to make his way to the Bastion, a stronghold for the survivors of humanity. And it comes in to play as the events right before the start of the game led to a Calamity that wiped out most of the human race. As the story progresses, you meet new characters and figure out exactly what happened to the world, as well as the two primary factions in the world, Caelondians and Ura. The narrative is brilliantly told both through questioning characters using items you've picked up as well as the narration. The denizens of Caelondia are well written in a minimalistic way and you end up feeling a bond with the characters in a way not many games can accomplish. One moment near the end of the game, and I dare not ruin this for people who haven't played, damn near had me moved to tears. The finale of the game involves a choice that forces you to choose between two devestating results. It's the kind of fresh take on a story you see oh-so-rarely nowadays in games, and it's one of my all-time favorite narratives in my 19 years of handling a controller.

Going on to the controls, they are simply mapped out in a way that allows you to get absorbed in the game without thinking about what you're doing on the pad. You can hold two weapons at any one time, assigned to the B and X buttons. Y provides you with a chance to heal, and R trigger allows you to use your special attack. And that is pretty much it on the fighting side! It's an intuitive simplicity that still allows for tactics in fighting without overthinking your control scheme. You move around, you click A on menu choices, you press start when you want to pause, pretty much just the everyday controls. Minimalism at its finest.

And, whoa boy, the design. I have to get one thing out of the way first. The enjoyable weapon variety in this game, along with the fact that you can hold two at any one time, allows for countless hours of replayability as you tool with the different variations of loadouts you can prepare. From the War Machete, which adds a ranged element to a primarily melee weapon, to the Scrap Musket, which sends out a wide swath of bullets, you'll never find yourself getting bored of the offerings. As for even more customization, there's the distillery, which allows you to give your character certain spirits to provide passive bonuses, and along the way of the game you can also find buildings where you can apply upgrades to your weapons and summon gods which work like the skulls on Halo for extra experience. The level design is set up spectacularly. As you walk through the levels, the ground comes up in front of your character and unveils where you are going to. You fight your way through enemies, make it to the core of the world, and hightail it out of there. There are also training grounds where you can perfect your skill in each individual weapon.

All in all, Bastion is one of my most cherished gaming experiences in my life, one that wrung emotion out of me even as I was having an amazing amount of fun. Going on a scale of downloadable games, after playing through this twice, I would give it a 10/10. There's very little to be able to find and complain about, if you can even find anything at all. Even the length is a good amount, clocking in at six to eight hours even without the replay value or working on all the different training grounds. And on the scale of regular games, I'd honestly still go for a ten out of ten. It provides an unforgettable experience for a very reasonable price. And, at the end of the day, Bastion has become one of those independent games that has ended up being able to go up against the big dogs and surpass them in many ways. If you want a game with great art, a soundtrack that's unreasonably awesome, a story that will leave a lasting impression, and gameplay that offers deep customization and replayability, set up Bastion on your Steam or XBLA queues and get ready for the ride of your life. You won't regret it.

~Stranger

Blog Post: A World All Twisted, On A Rock In The Sky

Doctor Apozem — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:26:00 GMT

Concept Restore a world rocked by the Calamity	Graphics Phenomenal. The hand-painted art is fantastic	Sound Good, if you're into trip-hop. If not, still good
Controls Supports mouse/keyboard, but I preferred the gamepad	Technical Framerate slightly drops during rain. Other than that, no issues	Replayability Low, unless you're into super hard mode

This generation of consoles has brought small, creative games that specialize in being different. Most indie games, although good, have a limited audience. Bastion broke that trend when it released to widespread acclaim last summer.

One could be excused for confusion upon first look at Bastion. Is a top-down isometric shooter worth such fuss?

The visuals and original soundtrack stand out immediately. Caelondia and the Wilds are drawn in vibrant colors and gorgeous brushstrokes. The music is strange and wonderful. With that level of sensory inundation, Bastion has more personality than most games could ever hope for.

The most striking part of Bastion is the narrator, Rucks. His voice could seduce Sam Elliot. Rucks comments on the story, your mistakes, your playstyle, and just about everything in the game. It's a gimmick, albeit a creative one.

Combat, like Rucks, is also creative. There are a dozen weapons, each unique. Try them all, as they have radically different strengths. If you don't like any, wait a mission or two. The game doles out new weapons at regular intervals.

Enemy types are varied as well. Each one requires special tactics to defeat. Be aware that certain levels are much easier with the right loadout. Weapons that work well initially may falter against later enemies. It sucks when your favorite weapon becomes obsolete. Also, not all weapons are created equal. Some of them (looking at you, Brusher Spear) just suck.

Although creative, Bastion is limited. The game is about eight hours long. There are multiple endings and "idols" to add extra difficulty, but that's it. Bastion not nearly as fun once the initial wonder wears off.

With that said, there is a lot of wonder. The art, music, story, and narration create something greater than the sum of its parts. Bastion is profound, emotional, moving, heartfelt, and genuine. It has something unquantifiable that sets it apart. Where other games feel engineered, Bastion comes alive with an ineffable spark of life. That's why people make a fuss about it.

Like Braid, Bastion is best described as an experience. It's refreshing in a market oversaturated with zombies and shooters. Few games can be called beautiful. Despite the short length and limited replayability, this is a title I'd recommend to almost anyone. When it ended, I felt distinctly sad.

So long, Kid... Maybe I'll see you in the next one.

Blog Post: The Fate Of The Bastion

Joyful Penguin — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:27:00 GMT

I was a little late to the Bastion party. I picked it up during the Steam sale in August, and never really played it until a few weeks ago. I blew through the game. I went in with little expectations, and everything was surpassed. The very first time I played the game I was wandering around trying to get used to it all and almost immediately fell off of the appearing path. The narrator declared in a deadpan voice, "the Kid falls to his death." Crap. "Just kidding." And as I appeared back on the pathway I knew I was hooked. This kind of humor is carried throughout the game and one of the reasons I love it so much. I looked forward to each time the old man talked.

The husky voiced narrator is how the story is unfolded, but you're kept in the dark for most of the game as to what's actually happening. I obviously won't reveal the story, but it's set in a type of post-apocalyptic sky-land. It's like nothing I've played before, and engaged me the entire time. The gameplay is much like an older Legend of Zelda, with upgradable weapons and special abilities. The arsenal seemed a little off, however; you have four or five weapons for most of the game and at the end you suddenly seem like you get one every new level. It got slightly overwhelming with the choices at the end; with each weapon operating differently and no time to perfect how and when to use them I largely just skipped them, which seems a shame since there is some cool weaponry here.

There were some cool ideas in Bastion's execution. First, how the land appears in front of you is one of the coolest things I've seen and it never lost its novelty. The world was lush and colorful and the enemies were cleverly designed. The entire game just had a different feeling to it, and it worked. From interchangeable spirits that give you bonuses to the gods you can activate to make the game harder to play, you can customize how you want your experience to be. And I think that's impressive.

The game comes packed with a new game+ option, which I definitely plan on using in the future. I'm not certain exactly how it's operated; I don't know if I still keep the weapons or start back with just the hammer, but I think it will have the game make more sense anyway. The story is something that I honestly didn't care too much for, and is the only part of the game that underwhelmed me. The ending especially was disappointing. I heard that it was one of the most groundbreaking endings in a video game, striking people on an incredible emotional level. I thought it was cool, don't get me wrong, but it was not amazing. It seemed appropriate and fit with the game, nothing more. After such a buildup, it let me down a little.

All in all, Bastion is a game that I will recommend to anyone. It has plenty of action, a definite challenge if you beef up the bad guys, and one of the most incredible soundtracks I've heard in a long time (reminiscent of the music in Firefly). It's inexpensive, and with an eight to ten hour campaign and a new game+ it's definitely worth it. Try it out! Thanks for reading!

Wiki: Bastion Guides

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:49:00 GMT

Guides for Bastion

Blog: Bastion - iOS

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Blog Post: Powefull and Fun

Luke Strain — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:09:00 GMT

Bastion is an excellent game that finds the perfect balance of innovation with familiarity in every way. Every time I think I have the game figured out, it pleasantly surprises me and makes me want to play even more.

The most obvious way that Bastion excels is it's sound. Two things from the audio stick out; First, the music, and then the narration. The music is spectacular. Each song is unique and distinct, but they all fit the game very well. Specifically the vocal tracks are brilliant additions to the game and set the mood extremely well. The narration is also one of the strongest points in the game. The narrator's dialog is very well timed, and uniquely situational, creating a very unique experience

Audio is not the only way Bastion excelled though. The game play starts off familiar, seeming like a beat 'em up. It gradually becomes tweaked through custom difficulty modifiers, weapon customization, and interchangeable passive upgrades. Exploration is also a huge part of bastion. Paths are not revealed until you get close to them, adding not only a cool visual effect, but a great way to hide secret paths.

Visually, Bastion excels as well. The floor rising up as you walk looks gorgeous, and the varying color schemes of the levels are great.

Ultimately, Bastion is an excellent game that sets the bar at almost every level, especially for low budget games.

Wiki Page: A Complete Guide to Earning Achievements in Bastion

John Wrek — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:06:00 GMT

(As with all of my guides, this guide will be periodically updated and moderated as need be. Considering nothing new concerning Bastion has released, once I have talked about all of the achievements- I will only continue to write about either about walkthroughs for each or other information concerning them. Last Updated: June 19th 2012.)

Mind you- as usual, I will warn you of spoilers or the possibilities of spoilers ahead with vibrant colors highlighting any achievements that are secret achievements or otherwise may ruin most of the game for you. If you do not care either way and simply want the achievements, then feel free to read on!

Full Achievements List for Bastion (Xbox 360):

1) The End: This achievement can only be earned by choosing to avert the almighty Calamity at the end of Bastion- not the end of New Game Plus or any other modes, although it can be earned in NGP if it wasn't previously earned somehow.

2) Pet Sitter: In order to gain this achievement- which you do not get in one playthrough always, as you can screw it up- collect all relevant items in relation to bosses and the eggs and such, then they should appear in the Bastion. Possible pets that work for the achievement include: Squirt, Steam bull, Anklegator, Windbag, Raptor nest, etc.

3) Vigilante: To earn this achievement you must collect 12 vigils or 50% of them, also- be sure to properly click on them after you have beat them and to get bonuses for equipment, abilities, etc.

4) Altruist: Complete every single vigil challenge up to 100% and on every single one of the levels that it requires as well. Pretty self explanatory. Beware though, because if you encounter a glitch you must either save and restart your Xbox or attempt the challenge once again.

5) Calamity Kid: Simply beat the game one more time, but this time be sure to play it in New Game Plus instead of simply restarting from the beginning.

6) Mind Voyager: To earn this achievement you must complete all three Who Knows Where challenges, although there is also a secret fourth- this one is not required and does not count towards the achievement as well. The three needed are the smoking pot, food, and sleeping bag.

7) Kid at Arms: To earn this achievement, you must upgrade all eleven weapons at least once in the game. The weapons are all easily found in-game and throughout the levels and the world, but here is a complete list of all eleven anyway: Army combine, Breaker's Bow, Brusher's Pike, Cael Hammer, Calamity Cannon, Dueling Pistols, Fang Repeater, Flame Bellows, Galleon Mortar, Scrap Musket, and the War Machete.

8) The Stranger: After you pick up the core near to the ending bit of the level, hurry on your way through the collapsing segment of the level in order to reach the portal and warp your way to Skyway. At the end of the level, you will earn this achievement for completing the Wharf District and the level.

9) The Ura: Complete Zulf's Who Knows Where challenge and stop him from assaulting the Bastion with his other survivor buddies in order to earn this achievement. The achievement is effectively given out once you halt the siege upon the Bastion.

10) The Survivor: Once you complete the Hanging Gardens level and discover the survivor of the Calamity there- Zulf, then you should earn this achievement. It's not too terribly much of a secret once you get it of course, as there should be no way to miss it due to the fact that it is story related as well.

11) The Singer: Finish the Prosper Bluff level and then speak with the singer- Zia, once she has traveled from the same cooking pot used for her Who Knows Where challenge. Once she arrives at the Bastion, you can also pick up gramophone and play music there as well. Talk to her in order to receive this achievement easily.

12) The Beginning: This achievement can easily be cheated instead of having to complete the game twice to get, as if you choose the "stay in calamity times" choice at the end of the game- you will receive this achievement. Note: If you don't replay from those last moments again, you won't receive the "The End" achievement unless you already have it, then that is no big deal... You get this achievement as soon as you choose the second choice and also get to watch the second ending.

(The only thing that has really been updated at the moment is the addition of a cover picture of sorts for Bastion. Also, note that- across all of the guides I have or ever will create/created, I will try to update them all at once every few days, weeks, or months or so... Thanks again. 6/19/12.)

Blog Post: The Best Game I Thought I'd Never Play

GoldvsSilver — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 20:36:00 GMT

Bastion.

What is the word, Bastion?

Well, according to dictionary.com, the word bastion means "Fortification", "a fortified place", or "anything seen as preserving or protecting some quality, condition, etc: a bastion of solitude; a bastion of democracy.

A Bastion seems like a pretty nice place to stay, in my opinion. It's a place of safety, warmth, and virtue; a haven, if you will. However, what does the game, Bastion, mean to me?

Bastion is art, amazement, and awe. It is sound, simplicity, and spectacular. It is exemplary, and executed to an immaculate level. While Bastion is indeed a game, it's more so an experience - An experience that both immerses and separates you, so that you feel, yet listen at the same time, to the Kid's plight.

As the Kid, you wake up in a strange, unknown land, bewildered and calm. When you stand, you are greeted by a soothing, gritty voice that narrates your every move. This is just one example of the truly original performance that you find yourself in while playing this game. There isn't much text, but you are still conveyed every little detail by the old country-side man who wants you to help him create his fallout plan of the Bastion.

The gameplay is action based, with an angled top-down view of your character. As you move, the world falls into place around you, slowly recreating and revealing itself. Every once in a while, you'll stumble across an abandoned weapon, ranging from your trusty hammer, to a full-blown mortar gun. The gameplay is satisfying, with three different families of enemy-types, and a realized control scheme that allows for every action to be pulled off naturally.

What stunned me the most however, and I'm sure I've already repeated many times before, is the game's ability to convey such a simple and somewhat re-used idea, but completely turn it around on its heels and touch you down on a deeper level.

There are several scenes especially, where I will admit, I was moved emotionally. The game offers a split of choices near the end.

And of course, given how much of a music freak I am, I was especially touched by Supergiant's notion of intertwining several brooding vocal tracks, and many fantastic instrumental pieces. I won't even elaborate beyond the fact that I absolutely love it all, and there's a personal touch laid in them that seems to reach in to your inner soul. Yes, its effect is that dramatic.

Zia's theme

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8cELTdtw6U]

Zulf's theme

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlfUcnSbKDA]

At first I wasn't going to purchase this game. I had played the demo, didn't really feel interested, and was practically on the edge of getting Fez and some other XBLA game. Gosh, am I glad that I caved and bought Bastion instead. The content is there - Story, New Game Plus, Score Attack, Gameplay Modifiers, Achievements. You won't be scrounging for extra time. No, rather, you'll be telling yourself, "Just a couple more crystals", before the night has completely passed by.

Blog Post: A Dream So Real - Review of Bastion

Jonathan Barnes — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Have you ever woken up from a dream that was so real, it made you question whether or not you had woken up or actually fallen asleep? One of those dreams where the events, people, and things seem so real you can tangibly taste them... feel them... and feel for them? That magical and scary feeling is exactly the beginning of Bastion.

As The Kid, you are thrust into the aftermath of the calamity, a devastating event which leaves your world of Caelondia destroyed. The earth literally forms beneath your feat as you acquire your first weapons and search out the Bastion, the last safe haven for your people. Upon finding the Bastion, you learn that it still needs some work, so you're tasked to find cores and shards to finish the Bastion.

The greatest asset to Bastion is the narration. Logan Cunningham, the voice of the narrator (Rucks), tells your tale in real time, as you do it. Acquiring new weapons, defeating enemies, discovering trinkets, giving backstory to areas, people, weapons, events, and actions prompts Rucks to give you a piece of the story, to fill in the history: past, present, and future of Caelondia.

Presented in an isometric format, Bastion is a gorgeously rendered game which has a hand-painted look. Everything moves at a startling degree of smoothness. In short, the game and its art style are downright gorgeous.

Supplementing the visuals is the best music ever to grace an XBLA game.

While not revolutionary, the gameplay is a very satisfying hack-and-slash blend that utilizes a primary weapon, an auxiliary weapon, a shield, an evade button, and a special attack button. This simplicity means that the game's combat will never be complicated, but, on the flip side, it will never have great depth. As you advance through the wreckage of Caelondia, you'll acquire upgrade items which (supplemented with the game's currency) allow you to upgrade your weapons. Upgrades allow you to pick from two different bonuses to a weapon, once a level is purchased, these bonuses can be switched back-and-forth for free.

As you rebuild the Bastion, you'll construct and upgrade six different buildings: The Distillery, The Arsenal, The Forge, The Memorial, Lost and Found, and The Shrine. The Distillery allows you to select spirits which will aid your abilities. The higher your level, the more spirits you can carry. The Arsenal allows you to switch out weapon and special ability loadouts. The Forge is where you upgrade weapons. Lost-and-Found is the store where you can buy upgrade items, new special abilities, and spirits. The Shrine allows you to invoke the gods which buffs enemies in various ways, but also provides a currency and XP bonus. Finally the Memorial is where different challenge tasks (known as Vigils) are assigned. Completing each Vigil rewards you with currency.

The last, primary feature to the Bastion are the trips to "Who-Knows-Where", which is basically a training room that allows you to test your skills against increasingly tough enemies. By the end of the game, three different items can send you to three different trial rooms. These rooms are fantastic for finding your favorite weapon set, completing Vigils, and testing out abilities.

The game has great replay value with the addition of a New Game+ mode, allowing you to carry over all of your experience, cash, and weapon upgrades into a new game.

On the achievement front, completionists should have no fear of diving in, as all of the pops are easily accomplished within two playthroughs.

The game does have a few, small drawbacks. First and foremost is the method of storytelling. While I praise the narration and the style of presentation, the actual story of the game is laid out in a fashion where you REALLY need to focus on it while also focusing on the gameplay. It's told through nuance and allusion, things I enjoy personally, but may leave many gamers confused. The only other knock I can give is that Bastion ends up feeling short at the end of the day, but wanting more of a game this good is rarely a bad thing.

As the XBLA format becomes more and more popular with big developers and publishers dipping their toes into the water, games like Bastion shine as an excellent example of what a smaller game can do if given love and time. It is an absolute must-play.

Blog Post: This Game Brought Me To Tears

greenblackman — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:05:00 GMT

This game has one of the most compelling narratives I have ever seen. The way the story focuses on the loss that the characters experienced made a real connection to the player. And the final choice you make was one of the most difficult ones I have ever had to make. The music was unlike anything I have ever heard, and added to the depth of lore in the world. This is by far one of my all time favorite games.

Blog Post: Innovation+Quality=Bastion

blaze6106 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:59:00 GMT

Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

This is an interesting situation. My past two reviews have inspired Stranger to buy the games reviewed, but this time, it was Stranger who told me to play this game. I owned it already, but never completed it. Well now I have, and am going to attempt to talk about it in great detail.

Bastion

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive

Developer: Supergiant Games

Systems: Xbox Live Arcade

Gaminformer Score: 9.25- Review by Matt Miller

Bastion is a special type of game. It doesn't try to do to much, it doesn't try to be a blockbuster game, it just innovates. That is something very interesting in this day and age. Innovation? This is a very rare occurrence in video games. Most games follow the Call of Duty model. Make little to no innovation and just do what has worked for years. By going downloadable, Bastion is able to take a big risk and innovate. This results in a huge success and one of the best downloadable titles of the year.

Power of The Voice

I don't mean like Fus Ro Dah! I am talking about how Supergiant games managed to weave a touching, but simple tale, just using an omnipotent narrator. The narrator's name is Rucks, and you meet him on the Bastion. He is basically the guy who sits back and tells the story. You almost feel as if your playing a campfire tale. That is part of the charm, the wonderful tone the narrator's voice has. His voice is deep and clear, almost as if he were writing the story as you played it.

One reason that the narrator is really cool, is that he has a personal relationship with the main character, The Kid. He and The Kid are on a quest to restore the Bastion, therefore restoring the world to its prior state. A state before the Calamity. They never really tell you what happened, other than it has something to do with the Ura.

The story in and of itself is simple and to the point, but the Narrator makes it much more epic. He literally talks out every action you make. If you start destroying things for no reason, he will say you went raging for a while. He may talk about his past, or the weapons your using or whatever the case.

The story gets to its climax on the last world, and it is incredible. The way the narrator talks and the emotion in his voice is just awesome. The words he uses and the things he says, the desperation and hope all at the same time. It is just enchanting. As Stranger said, the end makes it perfect.

Changing up the Presentation

Whoever did the art for Bastion had lots of time. And all of it paid off. All the art was hand drawn, and it looks beautiful. The world looks very blocky, but in the best way. It has a tremendous amount of detail in all the environments. The colors used accent the world perfectly. Enemies, characters, destructables, and weapons all have a very cartoony feel, but still look magnificent.

The music for this game is also spectacular. The menu song is enchanting to the point that you know your going into a beautiful, fantasy world before even starting. All of the music is different based on the area. Some will be a bit faster paced, but a lot of it is slow music.

A particularly awesome track is Zia's Theme, Build that Wall. There is a reason that the song won best song in a game. It has a particular soothing feeling, and is vocally impressive. The song at the end with Zulf is really emotional as well, but mostly because of the scenario.

One Kid Army

Of course the most important part of a game is the game play, and Bastion delivers on that front as well. You start off thrown into a bit of a combat situation. After traveling a small ways, you encounter a group of enemies in a building, and you really learn the basics of combat. It is pretty simple honestly. X for one weapon to attack, B for another attack, RT for a special, LT to block, Y to heal, and A to roll. That is really all you will be doing. It's the way you chain certain attacks and use your weapons that will matter.

You are given a nice variety, ranging from the starting hammer, to dual pistols, to a sword, to a mortar and a cannon, to a Battering Ram. There are others, but those are some of the best you get. You can ave two equipped at a time. Combat can get quite hectic towards the end of the game.

The game has several enemy varieties, and will take a variety of means to deal with them. Direct combat is only part of it though. The RPG elements are a big factor in the combat system. Several buildings can be built on the Bastion, all which contribute to the RPG feel of the overall game.

The forgery and distillery will increase your own abilities as well as weapons. You can upgrade your weapons with materials that you buy. The lost and found can give you some of these upgradables as well as other various items. Lots of things can be down on the Bastion. You can level up, which increases your stats. (I think, I never really got the level up system, but oh well.

You can also use the shrine to make things harder, but get more experience. It is a really good system, but not one that I used very often.

New Game + adds a good bit of replayability. You get to keep a lot of the stuff you ended with in the last game and play through it a gain, just like most New Game + modes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Bastion is like literally playing out a fireside, fantasy tale. With the combination of the unique visuals, great music, and constant narration, you can't help but feel as if you are living out a story that is being told to you. The great gameplay just makes it a really enjoyable tale that is fun to play. While the gameplay is awesome, it can get repetitive towards the end, but only a little. Bastion truly is a unique experience that is a must play title.

Pros:

+ Surprisingly great story with an awesome narration

+ Fun, Fast paced Gameplay

+ Beautiful Visuals and Soundtrack

+ Only $15

Cons:

- Long for a Downloadable Title, but still a short title that can be completed rather quickly

- Somewhat Repetitive Gameplay

Final Score: 9.00

Blog Post: Bastion is Fortifield With Immense Amounts of Creativity and Depth

DrJoeystein — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:15:00 GMT

There was a deal recently on Xbox LIVE that priced Bastion at 600 Microsoft Points (normally 1200). I heard about the game and the great reviews it scored, but wasn't that interested in it. I never tend to buy downloadable games anyway, but I did purchase Outland a few months ago and loved it. Who knows, I might dive into another treasure cove. After some thought, I took the plunge to see what awaited me...little did I know what I was about to discover.
Bastion is a special kind of game. It's one of those gems you don't find that often where everything is near perfect. The sound, the story, the graphics. Everything. Supergiant Games poured their souls and passion into Bastion, and it's evident in every single aspect of the game. Without further delay, here's why I think these things.

Story
One of the most surprising things about Bastion is the story. Supergiant created a vast world with a rich history that I never saw coming. The basic premise is that a place named Caelonida is destroyed by a world-wide disaster called the Calamity. You play as The Kid, who wakes up to find a shattered world around him. You make your way past strange enemies and end up meeting a survivor named Rucks, who tells you that we need to start rebuilding the world by finding Cores. Your mission is clear. Get the cores, start repairing the world and try to find other survivors on the way.
I can't reveal anymore or I'll spoil the game for you. But trust me, this is one of my favorite aspects of the game that gets better every moment. As you progress through the story, you'll experience betrayal, peace, anger, and surprise. I can't stress this anymore; Bastion's story is shockingly wonderful, creative and deep.

Gameplay
   Bastion was actually kind of boring at first. The basics were introduced to me: a health bar that could be replenished with potions, a hammer that could bash my enemies, a special attack that uses up another kind of potion, a point system and so on. This was simple and shallow to me, but my opinion eventually changed.
   I said something important about the story. The more I was exposed to it, the more it amazed me. This directly applies to the gameplay of Bastion. There turned out to be more to the mechanics (and other new ones) I described than I thought. Once you reach the "hub" of the game, you create buildings when you obtain cores. There are six in total, and they're all important to describe.
   There are actually 11 weapons in Bastion, which two buildings deal with. The first being where you organize your loadout and pick a special attack for the weapon of your choice. The other deals with upgrading the weapons. Once you have enough points and a specific item for a weapon, you can (for example) add 25% damage or tighten the accuracy a bit on a firearm. There are 5 total upgrades for each of the 11 weapons...yeah, it's pretty deep. There's another place called the Distillery, where you can drink elixirs and concoctions to beef up your resistance to damage, increase the amount of health potions you can carry, obtain the ability to leech health from enemies and so much more. The last three buildings involve one where you complete a list of challenges for points; a store where you can buy additional items to upgrade weapons, acquire special attacks and more; finally, there's a shrine where you can add difficulty to the game for additional points by enduring the gods' wrath for "blessings." See how creative this game is?     There are so many ways to equip yourself and mix things up. The possibilities become overwhelming after a while! This gives the game so much diversity because you can experiment with all sorts of things as you venture through the story. What I thought was simple at first turned out to be continuously rewarding, exciting and fresh.

Graphics
Bastion is like watching an impressionistic painting come to life. The environment is composed of vivid, warm colors with visible brush strokes. Everything runs at a good frame rate and handles heavy, on-screen action very well. The cutscenes (when there are some) are only still paintings, but definitely set the scene portrayed accurately with great detail. The artists of the game painted their feelings into each stroke, and this is what makes the game even more enjoyable to play. And it's not just the environment; the characters, items and enemies look fantastic as well. Everything brims with the light of life, the darkness of death, and the mysteries of spirituality. All in all, Bastion is visually beautiful in every sense of the word.

Sound
If I had to choose between the story and the sound, I would probably choose the sound. Supergiant are masters of music, experts of sound effects, and have a now-famous narrator of pure awesomeness. To start off, the music is absolutely breath-taking. Tracks like "Build That Wall" and "Mother, I'm Here" make me feel so peaceful and relaxed when I hear them. Other songs are either fast-paced, soothing, ominous or sad; each one perfectly fitting the mood of a certain level or area. The soundtrack should definitely be on your "listen-to list." Second, the sound effects bristle with crisp realism. The sound of a fire crackling, leaves bristling as you walk by, and stone panels rising from an empty void are not just nice, but expand the whole experience of the game. Lastly, did the narrator succeed? Of course, he did a phenomenal job! The gritty, powerful voice of Logan Cunningham really sets the mood of the game as he comments on hundreds of your actions and tells you the entire story of Bastion. For example (in the first moments of the game), I was bashing some boxes and pillars with my hammer and he randomly comments "the kid rages for a while." Or when I chose a combination of the hammer and the army carbine for my loadout, he piped in "A hammer and an army carbine...when I was a fightin' man, I used the very same." This small part of the game is so important because I've never heard of anything like it. Let alone that a very conversational guy would work so well in any other game. I smiled a few times at most of his dialogue and thought how difficult it must have been to record so many lines of his voice. Overall, a lot of hard work went into this part of Bastion, for which is why I tip my hat off to Supergiant.

Longevity
The main quest (if played through without doing anything else) will take about 5 hours on the normal difficulty mode. However, I highly discourage this course of action. The side missions you can do consist of accomplishments; a "survival mode" where you fight off a horde of enemies as you listen to the narrator tell a story about one of the main characters; levels where you master a specific weapon for three prizes (some of which are very challenging, but rewarding) and different endings you will long to play through. For me, Bastion took around 10 hours to complete. I was left very fulfilled with the length of the game. In conclusion, not only should the above categories convince you to purchase the game, but the satisfying length and replayability should seal the deal.

Verdict
As I was saying in the beginning, Supergiant Games' passion for making games is obvious. I can tell that this team of seven people (hard to believe!) went out to pursue their dreams with a desire to have a good time while maintaining quality. In doing so, I believe they had as much fun creating Bastion as I did playing it. It isn't just a game, I think it's a journey into the imaginations of several gifted people that touches the soul. Bastion is a must-play. In my opinion, the game is a classic that other developers should look up to for inspiration. Now go save Caelondia!

Dr. J

Blog Post: Bigger on the Inside

PaperCamm — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:56:00 GMT

Video games are defined by their aesthetic, their gameplay, their art, their music, their atmosphere, their visuals, and their contemporaries. These pieces combine to create the immersive world of the game, and if they are capable then they support one another. A game that practices gestalt, in this manner, is Bastion. Bastion, on the surface, is a top down brawler infused with RPG elements to liven the action. Experience is collected, and the story is more linear than not. However, the true depth of Bastion is a reciprocal phenomenon. To myself, and perhaps others, whichever of it's many facets you devote yourself to concerning the game is going to become strongest to you. The true strength of the game, in my opinion, is it's ability to empower you as the player to determine what makes it great.

That being said, there are many things here that make Bastion great in a typical sense. For starters; the story. Bastion's narrative is a now lauded "active narration" in which elements of gameplay are mixed in while the story is being told to you. As a result your actions dictate the course of the plot, act cruel and the "Stranger", as the narrator is known, will comment. This extends to choice of weaponry, enhancers, and the difficulty-increasing idols. Free will is a decisive factor in the frame set by the narration. It's much like a determining how you'll reach an end that isn't in sight. You are simultaneously guided, and free to make your own way.

The top-down perspective of the game is deceptive. The mechanics initially lead you to believe that the experience is more shallow than it actually is. Gradual introduction of tertiary systems such as weapon modification, spirits (which enhance or modify specific aspects of combat such as critical chance), and idols (which increase challenge) are all introduced a step at a time. Basics are given, variety comes in, specialization follows, and challenge is last. Until that point when idols are unlocked your ability at the game eclipses the difficulty set forth. So as a bonus you are given the choice as to whether or not you want to experience something more challenging.

Visuals for Bastion are interesting. It is not a technically powerful game, but the artwork certainly fills in any gaps left for immersing the player. The picturesque world is like a painting. Landscapes that are distinguished by color and tone are shattered by devastation. Through the footsteps of the player pieces reassemble as you walk froward. Through your path the remnants of civilization can be rebuilt. This visual style is somewhat reminiscent of Braid, another lauded arcade game.

Now, the most striking part of the game to most: sound design. Accompanying the narration, which in it's own right is fantastic, is the soundtrack to the game. The ecclectic mash of folk, techno, and rock are delivered to increase the emotional impact that the combat has. In addition to these instrumentals are the occasional vocalization. Though scarce, these arrive at critical moments in the story and completely blow the emotional impact out of the park. Truly, the soundtrack alone is worth it.

To me the art of Bastion is the most inspiring. The idea of a broken world that forms around your movements, a narration that is crafted from your exploits, and choices that let your playstyle shine are all exemplary in an industry where free will limits itself to arbitrary inclinations of right and wrong, or how to go about doing something. Both of which may indeed have little to no impact on the tale being told. Bastion separates itself from games like that, everything you do and choose becomes part of the story in progress. Bastion is legitimately the best experience available on the Xbox Live Arcade, and also one of the best gaming experiences of 2011.

Blog Post: Bastion Review (PC)

hiromu656 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:12:00 GMT

This game is excellent, it's fast paced action keeps the battles exciting and fun. It's probably one of the most addicting games you'll ever come to play. The feel of progression as you gain currency to purchase new upgrades, skills and child-friendly alcohol, and discover new things in the many dungeons of the game is just amazing. I remember getting the bow and getting the Power Shot down packed so that I could perform it every time I pulled back the string, but when I found the Musket I just gave it up and began pouring points into upgrading that weapon instead. Bastion gives you the chance to create the character that you want to be, it has an incredible amount of character customization that allows you to build the "Kid" how you want him to be. The game, though, is not a walk in the park, it tends to get difficult at times, but you aren't punished for failure as bad as many other games; you lose, return to the Bastion and head back to the level with very fast load times to back it up. But if the game is too easy, you can find God Statues and turn them on in a Halo-like fashion like you'd turn on skulls. You can increase enemy difficulty and at the same time gain bonus exp and currency.

Bastion is a very satisfying game and could get you hooked easily.

Blog Post: Fantastic

Thomas Steinberg — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:21:00 GMT

This game is fantastic, the narration and art style make this game awesome to play, unfortunately I had to wait to get it on Steam for PC and would be more enjoyable if i had a gamepad to use instead of the mouse/keyboard combo, but in the drought of this summer by far worth the $ to get this game.

Blog Post: The Kid is Alright

Craigaleg — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:55:00 GMT

Score 9.25/10

Bastion

Xbox Live Arcade

Developer: Super Giant Games

Publisher: Microsoft

Release Date: July 20, 2011

Cost: 1200 MS

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX48y24t9iU]

Pros:

For an arcade title, it has an impressive presentation
Stellar soundtrack
Gameplay is fast and easy to pick up
Array of weaponry at your disposal allows you to customize to your liking
New Game+ gives replay value to the game

Cons:

Targeting can be hectic when multiple enemies are on screen
Fixed camera can occasionally make it difficult to determine where a platform ends

Bastion is another title that has received great word of mouth and promotion during the Summer of Arcade. At 1200 MS points, most have been reluctant to purchase the newest title from Super Giant Games. Once you start Bastion it soon becomes obvious that this arcade title is unlike any you have played before, and may be the best Xbox Live Arcade experience you can have.

Welcome to the Bastion

The plot and story telling for Bastion is done through an ominous narrator. His deep, boding voice unfolds the story as you progress with original and fresh dialogue. It gives off the sense of being a recalled tale, rather than one that is playing out in real time. While the voice do not seem to fit at first, you eventually grow to love his commentary on your actions.

You play as The Kid, who awakens to a world destroyed by an event simply known as "The Calamity". Through artifacts and stage progression you slowly peal away the layers to find out what happened and restore your hub world of The Bastion, bringing it back to its glory days.

When firing up Bastion I got the sense of throwing an SNES cartridge in my Xbox, as the shading and style of the game feel like a classic throwback. Though the images by no means contained super detailed textures, it went along with the theme and feel of the game. As you walk the world unfolds before you, giving it a dungeon crawler ambiance and ever present ignorance of what could lay ahead.

Terror of the Tiles

The game at its core functions as an action/adventure RPG. You start in the hubzone of Bastion and from there, shoot off to other areas to explore. Fighting nets you experience, which you use to level up your weapons and skills.

Combat is simple, and easy to pick up. You get a button to attack, one to block, and one to use a special ability. Though simple in layout, the combat is not a standard hack and slash with waves of enemies. Some take priority in being struck first, some cannot be attacked directly, and some are handled best at melee or ranged. The constant shuffle of enemies keeps thing interesting and challenging enough to keep you from getting bored.

In addition to the main questline there are specific side objectives for each weapon. Tasks such as hitting as many targets with the bow with as few shots as possible, to navigating a maze with the polearm are welcome distractions from the main story. Exploration is also encouraged in each level as artifacts are littered throughout for you to collect.

Only a few minor nuances really get in the way. When mutliple enemies get on screen, it can be tough to target the specific one you really want as you dodge incoming projectiles. Plus, once you are leveled up enough you do seem a bit overpowered, but none of these truly detract from the overall enjoyment.

Level Up!

As stated before, the RPG elements come into play when customizing your loadout at the Bastion. An array of six buildings litter the hub world, each offering something to improve or challenge your character. Each weapon you get can be customized to perform better with items from the store and exploration.

The most interesting part is how the weapons can choose one of two paths, being switched at your convenience. An upgrade could warrant a more powerful shot or a faster shot, depending on personal preference. It's this simple inclusion that really makes it feel like I am tailoring the weapon to fit my play style.

There are also additional "spirits" you can assign to boost personal health or damage with each level, and a room that awards additional experience upon completing certain requirements. The most interesting Bastion addition is the altar, where you can invoke the wrath of the gods to increase the difficulty in certain areas but have enemies yield higher experience.

Melodies

Something that impressed me the most about Bastion was not the gameplay or the look, but the music. The soundtrack to this game is phenomenal. Each track captures the feel of the moment; be it frantic combat or somber self-reflection.

The most standout tracks at the songs performed by the games' few characters you run into along the way. Their somber melodies combine with original lyrics to really convey the hopelessness and struggle the few surviving citizens are coping with. Even if you never play the game, just listening to the soundtrack can impress the biggest non-gamer.

Overall

Bastion is not only one of the most impressive titles this year, but one of the greatest Xbox Live Arcade titles on the market. A compelling story, addictive combat, and incredible sound design combine to create a truly remarkable game. With a New Game+ mode and hours of content, you get plenty of bang for your buck.

Blog Post: User Review - Bastion

Bearded Gent — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:09:00 GMT

Developer(s): Supergiant Games

Publisher(s): Warner Bros. Interactive

Platform(s): XBLA, Steam

Player(s): 1

Before you read any further you should know this, if you’re a fan of action RPGs, buy Bastion. Stop reading this and go buy it. If you’re not so easily convinced and don’t generally take strangers at their word about how to spend your money, then by all means read on. Perhaps I can convince you about what kind of masterpiece Supergiant Games has developed.

“Proper story’s supposed to start at the beginning. Ain’t so simple with this one.” With that opening line you’re thrust into the post-Calamity world of Bastion, and what a world it is. The story of “The Kid” is narrated by Rucks (voiced by Logan Cunningham) a wise old man that you soon meet face-to-face at what serves as the game’s central hub between areas, aptly named The Bastion. Logan Cunningham’s narration voice work is remarkably impressive. His voice brings a strong liking to that of an old gunslinger spinning stories of the Wild West. Through your whole adventure, Rucks tells you some of the history of the world you’re in before the Calamity destroyed it all. He’ll also comment on your choice of weapons, if you die, or if you accidentally fall off the edge of the play field. Every bit of it is incredibly well done and you’ll find yourself being genuinely interested in what Rucks has to say.

Viewed from a fixed isometric vantage point, the sprite based visuals are striking. Each area you’ll visit is varied and unique, all offering their own distinct flavors. The very ground at your feet forms as you near it or drops away, leaving you always having to watch your step. This floating playfield is often beautiful, prompting times that you’ll want to just pause and admire the view. Characters are well animated, attacking with smooth motion and enemy types are not often repeated. From start to finish, Bastion is a gorgeous game.

The music, by composer Darren Korb, is outstanding. All of the tracks have a very distinctly western feel with tiny bits of middle-eastern strings and techno beats thrown in for good measure. Every track sounds fantastic and fits the story, characters, and environments perfectly. Aside from the amazing narration by Rucks, there is little other voice work done but what is there is done to the same high standard. I cannot stress enough about how much I enjoyed the soundtrack for this game. So much so that I purchased it from the Supergiant website, marking the first time I’ve ever bought a game’s soundtrack.

This wouldn’t be a RPG without some sort of level structure. Like everything else in Bastion, this isn’t handled in the standard fair either. The Kid gains levels as he slays enemies but instead of increasing a base set of stats, he instead gains access to certain beverages accessed through The Distillery. Each level you gain, up to level 10, lets you add another drink offering different passive bonuses like increased damage or damage resistance. These can be combined for added effects, or even canceling out the negative effects they may have. For example one drink may offer an added chance to get a critical strike but reduces your overall health pool while another may give you that health pool back.

It’s not just The Kid that can be leveled up either. Each weapon you find throughout the world can be upgraded at the Forge by using unique materials corresponding to the right weapon and spending the appropriate amount of Minerals, the game’s currency. The Kid’s trademark hammer, for instance, has to be upgraded with “Something Heavy”. Each deadly tool at your disposal handles differently and offers their own set of advantages or disadvantages, magnified by the upgrades you pick.

The buildings that you’ll restore to The Bastion as the game progresses unlock more than just the Distillery and Forge. As you make your way through the story you’ll also gain access to an Armory where you can swap out your weapons and special abilities, a Lost and Found where you can purchase everything from new special abilities to additional drinks for the Distillery, a Monument where you gain bonus Minerals for completing certain goals, and a Shrine where you can activate certain “gods” making the enemies in the game more powerful.

Without using the Shrine to increase how powerful the enemies are, Bastion is never an overly difficult game. You’re able to heal yourself via tonics, up to five times and restore your ability to do special attacks by the same means. Refills drop from destroying objects, eliminating foes, or they’re placed at certain locations around the world. The Kid is also able to defend himself with his Bullhead Shield which can stop almost every frontal attack or roll, very nimbly, away. The biggest hazard you’ll face is falling from the playfield. Sometimes you’ll misstep, other times you’ll be knocked off. If you do fall, you’ll be dropped right back in the area causing a bit of damage to you and any baddie that happens to be standing under you. You can even eliminate the damage done to you by falling through a Distillery upgrade while also increasing the damage done by you falling on an enemy.

The biggest problem I had with Bastion is that there isn’t enough of it. Yes you’re offered a New Game Plus mode after you’re finished, allowing you to play through the game again from the beginning but maintaining all of your upgrades and levels. Since there is more than one ending offered, you’ll appreciate that option. No, what I’m speaking of is that Bastion will make you want to know more about the world you’re offered only a small glimpse of. Throughout the game you’ll hear Rucks speak of a great war between your people and the Ura, of the beauty your kingdom possessed prior to The Calamity that destroyed it. There is a great story presented here that could easily offer a full retail game with hours upon hours of addictive gameplay, unique characters, stunning visuals, and memorable music. You’ve given us a small taste of this rich world, Supergiant Games, please give us more.

Blog Post: Lost in a wonderful world

Madd0x — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:33:00 GMT

For an Arcade game (not a hater just saying) this is one hell of a bang for our bucks. Seldom have I found a title that i felt was truly worth it (although they were purchased anyway). A lot of it has to do with the addition of a new game+ after you beat it once. But with this gem there’s so much more. The story is a crafted masterpiece which is only helped by the great narration that is webbed throughout your entire journey. The game play is fun and solid. The light rpg element, which at first I was looking for more, surprised me as I became more engrossed in the combat and characters. The choices you are asked to make really change very little but still draw an emotional response from the player. The choices in weapon load outs and the added difficulty of shrines offers you the chance to play it how you would like. As excited as I was to beat the game, I was even more so to start it all over again the moment the credits finished.

Blog Post: Popular Formula Meets Innovative Narrative

Psychotope — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:13:00 GMT

Bastion is a simple isometric dungeon crawler at it's core, this is nothing new in the industry. You are treated to a variety of weapons, different locales, and over a dozen enemy types. It does a solid job on all of these fronts, but these are not what make Bastion great. The single thing that really sets this downloadable apart is it's ever present narrator and the story of a world in pieces. The story and how it's presented will draw you through the game until the truth is finally laid out before you. The music is literally, the best music in a game I have heard this year. I have searched endlessly for the soundtrack without success. Also the art is beautiful, each character and environment looks hand drawn and from a storybook. All of these elements combine to give this game a truly unique and fun feel, despite it's common presentation. I would be lying if I said this wasn't a game everyone should download.