Bastion Review - New Game Network

Bastion is the first major release from independent developers Supergiant Games, an action RPG downloadable title that was published by Warner Bros. The game features a distinct visual style and isometric top-down view on the action, which includes combat with various weapon types and abilities. With numerous levels and solid gameplay mechanics, Bastion is an adventure that’s worth undertaking, particularly if the presentation style intrigues you.

The game takes place in a fictional world which has been suddenly destroyed by an event called the Calamity. Players take on the role of The Kid, an aptly named child who awakens after the disaster and eventually meets another survivor, an old man named Rucks who is also the narrator of the story. They enter Bastion, an area that was designated as an emergency meeting point for the world’s inhabitants, which serves as the main base for the characters. Rucks instructs The Kid to collect Cores, fragments of a powerful Bastion tool which could possibly salvage their broken world. Thus, players will visit a number of levels, collecting cores along the way, and participate in a story with some good and unexpected twists. There are even a couple of morality choices during the last level, though it affects little more than the ending cutscene.

This downloadable title is reminiscent of other downloadable action RPGs such as Torchlight, though it may not offer as much value as that particular example. Players control The Kid in third person, navigating the world as it actually builds the path under your feet. It’s nothing new as a design concept, but is well implemented as one of the game’s core presentation mechanics. There are a number of levels in the game, with a good variety of pathways and dead ends which promote exploration and often offer rewards. The worlds aren’t that large though, and fully discovering a level can take as little as five minutes. There’s no map to speak of, but navigation is often straightforward so backtracking isn’t necessary, but at the same time replay value is lacking.

As an action-RPG, Bastion keeps things fairly simple. Players start off with one ranged and one melee weapon, and things progress from there. You later gain a shield, and a variety of other weapons which vary in function, but still remain of melee and range variety. The hammer hits slower but is more powerful than the quick and throwable spear. A rifle packs more punch but takes time to aim while a crossbow is able to fire multiple shots in quick succession before needing to reload. All of these weapons are discovered on new levels, so the progression is fairly linear. With each new weapon found, a special training area also becomes available where you can practice using that specific weapon. Players can select any two weapons from the arsenal to carry with them, as well as one ability. These special skills depend on weapon equipped, and allow you to execute powerful attacks in the heat of battle.

Combat in Bastion is fairly involving, but not exactly complex. Two face buttons are assigned to each of the two weapons carried, a trigger activates your special skill, and the second trigger controls your personal shield. The enemies that The Kid faces come with a variety of abilities, and new monster types appear as you progress through the game. The fights usually play out fairly quickly, with blocking and dodging being often crucial for survival. Except for a few occasions, the game doesn’t overwhelm with enemies and can be fairly easy. The hectic moments that do exist are generally not overly frustrating, as The Kid carries at least three health potions which fully restore life, and even if you fall, the game allows one or more chances to carry on (without restarting the battle).

As mentioned earlier, Bastion itself is a central hub of the game world. From this location, players use teleporting device of sorts to transport themselves to one of the game’s numerous levels. But it is more then that – each Core that you find in the game, while used to restore the Bastion’s secret ability, also allows you to expand the area and build a number of structures. Forges allow weapon upgrades from found materials, armory stores all available weapons, and a shrine actually allows you to place idols which boost the enemies’ abilities, making them much more challenging. There is also a distillery, which allows you to select tonics that provide passive benefits at all times. All of these upgrades are purchased with Fragments, the in-game currency which is most often dropped by monsters or by simply destroying objects in the world. So as players will note, while the levels are fairly small and linear, the game’s different weapons, abilities, and upgrades can provide for a lot of variety to combat. Not everything can be fully unlocked and upgraded through a single playthrough, so a new game plus mode is available.

While the gameplay may feel quite by-the-numbers, the game’s presentation is quite worthy of note. Featuring a neat hand-drawn visual style, mixed with a bit of Anime influence, the world of Bastion can look very attractive the detailed. It’s not quite on the levels of Trine, but it is none the less a very attractive looking title. Similarly, the game’s narrator is the only voice in the game, and he does a superb job. Not only is he able to effectively narrate the story without resorting to cutscenes, there is also dynamic commentary seen through regular play. The narrator will sometimes comment on your actions, from a quickly defeated enemy mob to your favorite weapon selection. It’s minimalistic, but the voice acting and sound design work very well. Soundtrack itself is also flowing and fits perfectly with the world.

Alongside other downloadable releases, Bastion is definitely worthy of note. It may lack the deep customization and expansive worlds of something like Torchlight, but at the same time it offers an actual storyline with excellent visuals and narrative. Combat and upgrade systems all work well, on their admittedly somewhat basic level. If anything, Bastion is an easily enjoyable and highly accessible action RPG title that’s a great first effort for the Supergiant Games studio, and can be easily recommended to casual fans.