Review: Bastion

Bastion

XBLA (reviewed), PC, Chrome Browser

Publisher: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment

Developer: Supergiant Games

Release Date: 20 July 2011

What would you do if you woke up and found that your entire world was in ruin? Floating above a destroyed world, all you know is that the world is gone, and moving forward is the only way to set things right. Thus begins Bastion, Supergiant Games' first entry and a show piece of Microsoft's “Summer of Arcade” promotion. The crowded XBLA scene has plenty of fun games, so what does Bastion do to stand out? Only everything.

Welcome to the end of the world

Bastion takes the end of the world, and spins a tale that is familiar and alien. The Kid, as the hero is known, wakes to find things have gone horribly wrong. Armed with only his trusty hammer, he begins to walk toward the Bastion, the safe house his country had built. As you travel, the world builds itself around you. Paths form and branch, enemies appear and “memories,” shards of the old world, come back. Once in the Bastion, The Kid and a mysterious old man, Rucks, meet and begin the arduous process of restoring what was lost. Venturing further from the Bastion into the Wilds, The Kid finds various weapons and begins to piece together the story of the Calamity and how one Kid and one old man can fix it all.

Blunderbuss! Or Scrap Musket! Either way, it packs a punch!

On the surface, Bastion is a solid Action RPG. As you explore, you find memory shards (your currency) and various weapons. The game is wonderfully balanced so that any combination of weapons is a viable set. The Kid can only have two at any time, so you do have to make a choice, but all are worth experiencing. I fell in love with the slow but powerful Carbine Rifle and Machete load-out. However, I did enjoy the Mortar Launcher, the Dual Pistols, the Hammer and the Long Bow. As you explore, you will naturally begin to find a load-out that feels right for you. Maybe melee is better for some, while ranged is all that matters for others. Bastion allows you to make that choice, and survive no matter what you chose. To familiarize yourself with the weapons, each one has a challenge associated with it. These make use of the weapon and it's associated skills and allow you to get to know each weapon and it's uses/limitations. All the weapons have upgrades as well, but at each level you may choose one of two upgrades. These tend to make the weapon into two basic archetypes. The hammer, for example, usually has a choice between making the hammer strikes more powerful, or adding more stun. Thus, you can either deal more damage, or use the hammer for crowd control. The other weapons offer similar choices, so the twelve weapons really are 24 different ones. This awesome customization couples well with the simple, but stellar, combat. Solid combat needs worthy enemies, and Bastion doesn't disappoint. Though few in number, the enemy types are varied and unique. Each one is deadly in their own right. Some will try to overwhelm you while others will strike when your attention is elsewhere. It's in these instances that defense becomes important. Once you get a shield, you can block and deflect attacks, or stun enemies with a perfect block (or parry). Combat falls into a steady rhythm that is immensely satisfying. If you feel that combat is too easy, you can activate shrines that add a risk/reward to encounters. For every gain in experience or shards, you'll have to contend with enemies that can negate damage, turn invincible after hits or just straight up hit harder. One or two shrines are manageable, but more than that and combat takes on a frantic pace. This makes an easy game much more difficult, and adds to the fun.

The hammer challenge is satisfying

Fun combat can't save a game with sub-par visuals, but Bastion doesn't disappoint. The world is richly coloured and filled with vegetation. The water colour inspired visuals are a treat to see. It really catches your eye. The fluid animation adds to the visual delight. The Kid's movements are precise and while it isn't animated like Uncharted, it's still well done. Everything flows smoothly and the frame rate never hiccuped, even during wild combat with more enemies on screen than I could count. This is easily one of the best looking Arcade games in recent memory. To go along with the stunning visuals, the music is just as well done. The catchy tunes that infuse the game with loads of atmosphere. One of Bastion's strengths is that it makes serious effort to not only be fun to play, but also to be pleasing to watch and listen.

The gorgeous world of Bastion

Hands down, the reason to own this game isn't any of the above points. On those alone, the game is a solid 8. However, Supergiant took it to the next level with the amazing narrator. The mysterious old man (played by Logan Cunningham) in the Bastion narrates the adventure. Most games have narration, so what makes this better? Well, it's the fact that his dialog is emergent. It really is like listening to a master storyteller around a fire. Rucks talks about whatever The Kid is doing. His gruff tones comment on the state of the world, The Kid's actions and it never feels canned or recycled. This means that player is listening to his own story being told. Change weapons, and hear comments on the new load-out. Fall off the edge, get chastised. Go on a tear and destroy many enemies without taking damage, and hear him admire your prowess. This means that no two play-throughs will be the same. It's something that must be hear to be believed. Just like campfire tales, the story teller is as interesting as the story itself.

This is the dialog for the opening area. It spoils a bit, but listen for a bit and enjoy!

Bastion deserves to be on anyone's virtual game shelf. The game has fast and fluid combat, gorgeous visuals, great music and a narrator that makes this game an experience unlike any other. Supergiant has crafted a game that not only makes it's own mark on the crowded Action RPG landscape, but offers ideas that other studios would do well to emulate. Bastion is easily one of the best downloadable games (DLGs) of the year, if not this console generation. I heartily recommend sitting down and enjoying The Kid's imaginative story.

Score: 9.5 out of 10

Bottom Line: An adventure that is well worth taking

Check it out if you like: Action RPGs and stories told around the campfire

Downloadable Game of the Year Contender – 2011