Bastion Reviews

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Written by WorstUsernameEver on August 26th, 2011

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As I said, the core of the game, what you actually do, isn't the most fresh or all-conquering of things. (It even features that most tiresome of action tropes, the enemy that can only be attacked from behind oh please.) If you play for mechanics there's a lot on offer here, but you'll be confused why the game is being celebrated so loudly. But for atmosphere, grace, wit and heart, it's a remarkable achievement. I'm nowhere near finished the game appears to be enormous. But as I write this, one of the game's pieces of music looping endlessly in the background, I know I'm going straight back.

I suppose it's a good gripe to have, but I want more: Bastion is a game you can easily polish off in a day or two, without much in the way of side activities to keep you busy. Given that it's a small indie game -- not some sprawling 40-hour RPG -- I can't rightly complain too much. It's fun while it lasts, and I can't wait to see what other cool narrative ideas Supergiant Games comes up with for future games.

Leaderboards and a New Game+ mode are not the only reasons for replay value as I tried playing with completely different weapons the second time through and it felt like a completely different game. Bastion has a very memorable soundtrack and score and is easily on par with some of the best XBLA games ever such as Limbo, Shadow Complex and Braid. Supergiant Games is forever on my radar from now on and I cannot say enough great things about how much I enjoyed my time saving the Bastion.

Bastion is an intriguing and eclectic action-heavy RPG with great audio and visuals, and it mixes some interesting mechanics with tried and true gameplay. $15 might be a little steep for some gamers given its length, but this is a game you ought to play, particularly if you care about replayability.

The Bastion is an absolute must-own for anyone who has enjoyed action RPGs in the past. The ever-present narration adds a lot to the overall experience, and the core gameplay is very well-executed. Controls are sharp, dungeons aren't too difficult, and players craving a greater challenge will find it in the enemy wave-filled hallucination areas. Anyone on the fence should try the demo out because it actually packs a sizeable chunk of the game in it. You'll be able to tackle one dungeon, learn the battle system, hear some nice instrumental music and the narration, how it works within the game, see the beautiful graphics for yourself, unlock the Bastion, and even get an achievement should you choose to buy the full game. It's really the absolute best kind of demo one could hope for because it gives you enough of every major aspect of the full game to see if you'll like it or not without also giving too much away.

If you enjoy classic action-RPGs you're probably sold on Bastion at this point, and you should be. Otherwise, you may not think as highly of it since at its core it's still a throwback to a bygone day of gaming. It's a good game for what it is, but it's not for everyone. If you're still on the fence give the demo a try; you'll probably know on which side you'll fall pretty quickly.

Bastion is a wonderful way to kick off the Summer Of Arcade and one that will be very hard to match from the other four titles. A mix of wonderful art, sumptuous sounds and deep involving gameplay make this one of the best XBLA games of the year.

Overall, this game is well worth the price, and then some. It's simple, but with hidden depths, fun to play, with charming (adaptable) narration (basically means the narrator kicks in at certain scripted events like reaching a point or using a continue, but this, too, is fun), and achievements that don't require you to spend fifty million hours with the game. Although some of the challenges are a bit too difficult to reach first place without most of the weapon upgrades (Duelling Pistol challenge, I'm looking at you!)

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