Bastion Review
| Game Name: | Bastion |
| Platforms: | Xbox 360 Arcade |
| Publisher(s): | Warner Bros. Games |
| Developer(s): | Supergiant Games |
| Genre(s): | RPG |
| Release Date: | July 20, 2011 |
| ESRB Rating: | E 10+ |
Maybe, if not, the most anticipated game for this year’s Summer of Arcade title and it is also the lead off to kick of the XBLA release per week. To say the least the game is beautiful and incredibly well done with hours of game play and amazing backgrounds. WB Games has release one of the perfect arcade titles and it doesn’t disappoint.
The title has already won more than 15 industry awards and nominations at E3, including nominations for Best Original Game and Best Downloadable Game from the Game Critics Awards. Developed by Supergiant Games, Bastion is the first title to be released for the Microsoft Summer of Arcade lineup.
In Bastion, players take control of a character known as the Kid, who is thrust into a world that has literally crumbled around him in a great Calamity. He must now construct a safe haven and build a new world from the remnants of the past. The game features lush and imaginative artwork as well as an innovative reactive narration system that responds to the player’s actions in real time all throughout the adventure. Bastion includes more than 30 areas to explore set in several wildly different environments, a variety of weapons and upgrades to discover, and a deep storyline to unravel.
The narrator is done by Logan Cunningham and he has the voice to fit perfectly and is also responsive to actions that you do in game. The game never has a dull moment with Cunningham always having a thought or something to say to help guide you on your quest to build a new city.
PRODUCT FEATURES:
? Reactive narrator – Bastion introduces a one-of-a-kind reactive narration system, which gradually reveals a rich back story as the narrator reacts to the player’s actions, allowing for the player to have a truly personalized gameplay experience. The game features thousands of lines of narration. No player will be able to hear it all the first time through the game.
? Lush, hand-painted world – Bastion is presented in a high-definition, richly-detailed painterly art style, which enhances the fantastical world design and immerses players in the unique setting and atmosphere.
? Nimble, active combat – The game offers exciting, highly responsive moment-to-moment action that rewards player skill and experimentation, allowing players to develop their own unique fighting styles by mixing and matching from a large variety of customizable weapons, each with their own special moves and mechanics.
? Frequent gameplay customizing choices – Bastion features many customizable elements including an array of weapons and upgrades as well as a special system that allows players to raise game difficulty in exchange for greater rewards.
Grand adventure – This is a full-length experience offering 8 to 10 hours of fully narrated gameplay. Once players finish the journey, they unlock a “New Game Plus” mode, which introduces additional content and new ways to play
The object of the game is to make a safe haven for your people to live because of the destruction of your world, you journey thought out the different lands to find pieces of a core to help you repair and build. As you go about this you find new weapons, guns and secret abilitys to help aid you. You level up by defeating enemies and gaining XP.
Each time you level up you unlock a slot to add a upgrade to your character, this is insanely helpful and can also be used to get you out of a jam, you do however get 3 healing potions that can be used at anytime by pressing the “Y” button. Don’t worry about using them because you can find potions all over. As for the weapons, Bastion features tons of weapons and each of them are upgradable, meaning you can upgrade the ammo capacity, reload time and damage that weapon will do. Bastion did not leave anything out and made sure the game draws the player in and also ensures a good time while playing!
The artwork for the backgrounds is just a treat and pleasant to look at, each background is hand painted and you can see the detail, time and devotion that went into bringing Bastion to life. Not enough can be said about how truly amazing the game really is. As you play the game the levels and walkways form right in front of you as if you are watching a jig saw puzzle being put together as you play the game, one of the best things we have seen in a long time from a game, let alone a download arcade game. To add to the amazing gameplay and length of the game (which sits at around 6-8 hours for one playthrough) is Bastion offers a “New game plus” after you beat the game, meaning that you can keep all your upgrades and start the game over and try different things without losing your characters level or anything.
Bastion is just a amazing game hands down and is a great start to Summer of Arcade line up. If you choose to only get one title this summer, then Bastion is your game! It features more then you could ask for and delivers on every level. We can’t wait to see what Supergiant Games does next!
Game 2 Gamer’s Final Score 5 / 5
Frustration Level 
Cool I’m so glad you liked it, it look fraking cool. The art work and color from what I have seen look fantastic. I hope I get a chance to play this.
Oh my god! Now I NEED to play this game. Brilliant review very informative! And really really made me want it!!
This game looks beautiful! Can’t wait to have a play. 🙂
Oh my God, I got this the second it came out and it’s been hard to stop playing. I love this game so much. You’d think the narrator would get annoying after a bit but because of how he tells your story (And honestly, I love this voice) he just never gets old.
I’m having a bit of trouble getting use to the combat system (Mainly the blocking. For some reason I can’t get the counter to ever work on anything but the Security towers) but it’s still so much fun.
The other good thing is that the challenges to master the weapons really aren’t all too hard. The only two I’ve had trouble with are the shield and getting First Place for the Hammer.
I think this game more than deserves the solid 5/5 and will definitively keep you entertained for a long time.
Nice WatchGrassGrow, glad to hear such glowing reviews of this, it was my #1 pick from the summer arcade when they were announced (from looks and description)
This was actually my second pick, first is still From Dust. I’m really interested in that game but this one is still just… absolutely amazing.
This sounds like a really great game! Thanks for the review!
I heard this game is “worthy of $15” but it would be nice for FREE 😉
This game looks very cool!
Glad to see it’s a great game. I’d like to play it, but 1200 msp is a steep price point. Hopefully you can hook a gamer up.
Looks like a interesting game but dont have enough points to get this and from dust. And want from dust a little more. Hopefully I will win and be able to play it.
That was a wonderful and evenly paced review! It was a pleasure reading it. I really hate the fact though that reviews like yours that come from the heart and convey the soul of a game much more than any clinical big mag reviews do aren’t included in the Metacritic review scores! That’s just unfair not only to the developer but also to you, since it is another avenue of publicity you and the game deserve so much. My gut already told me that this game is going to be epic, but after reading your review those feelings got concrete. It’s killing me even more now that I don’t have the means to get it right now instead relying on the generosity of others.
Thank you very much for that and keep up the great!
Looks cool, but I gotta save my MS Points for Crimson Alliance. I need the 4-player aspect of it for me and my sons. Would like to get this someday, though.
Looks like a great game! I hope I win this contest as I want this game really bad! Good Luck all!
@skan28 (twitter)
This game is so beautiful! Consider me in on the contest! This will one great Summer of Arcade. 😀
Really looks incredible! I love the fact that the world is hand painted – it make it look so much more vibrant.
Twitter: @ilRadd
Loved the demo and your review makes it sound even more awesome.
Can’t wait to play it.
Man can’t wait to play this game. The more I hear about it the better it sounds.
@Wuvein
I was sitting on the fence about this game , now thinking I should get it. Thanks for pushing me.LOL
Anytime, thats what we are here for! the truth!
this and toy soldiers are the two games that I want to try out from the summer of arcade.
This summer of arcade will get all my money, too much awesomeness, i really want bastion
Review looks really good, and it makes me want to try out the demo.. as a matter of fact – I’ma going to go download it now! Thanks guys!
My two boys would love this
Oh happy-happy joy-joy your review sealed the deal I WANT this GAME!!! Can’t wait to play it.
yeah this game does look pretty cool. everyone is raving about it.. I hope I win it.
yeah this game does look pretty cool. everyone is raving about it.. I hope I win it.
Past up the chance to play it at Pax east. Really looking forward to trying it out.
Game looks amazing ever since I’ve seen it last year it has been on my most wanted list. Hope to be able to play this game soon. Looks like a good start for the Summer of Arcade.
@Chronorayven
A brilliant startup to the Summer of Arcade, couldn’t be any better!! I’ve been waiting for this game a long while and after playing the demo, I was blown away.
Simply amazing
Cherry showed me a video the other day & this game looks simply amazing & your awesome review confirms this! ( :
The voice work is awesome!! I’ve only played the demo, but had a lot of fun playing it. If your on the fence at least try the demo. You won’t be sorry.
Yes yes, I WANT THIS GAME!
This game looks so beautiful and sounds epic. Nice review too.
Also, in for a win !
Wow…this game looks pretty cool, and the hand-painted levels look amazing! Thanks for the review!!!
Twitter: @PriusGuy2004
Looks like a great game!
Looks awesome, the coloring and artwork looks really impressive . Nice review. 🙂
This really looks awesome and the narrator sounds badass.
I want this now.
Just bought this yesterday, time to check it out, but I want to play Torchlight as well *pulls hair* NOOOOO!