Bastion Review: Stitchin’ it all together

Starting off Microsoft’s 2011 Summer of Arcade stands Bastion, an action-RPG that boasts a detailed hand-painted style and a reactive narrator. Is there more under the hood of this visually graceful game or are there cracks beneath the surface? Read on to find out.

Release Date: July 20th, 2011
Developer: Supergiant Games
Platforms: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PC
Price: 1200 MS (~$15)

Bastion places you in control of The Kid during the aftermath of an event called the Calamity, which has wiped out a significant portion of the populace. Tasked with rebuilding the bastion, a safe haven for the victims of the wreckage, The Kid must seek out core pieces from various places of the shattered world. Along the way our hero meets Rucks, one of the few remaining survivors who serves as the game’s dynamic narrator.

What does dynamic narration mean? Many of the actions you make in Bastion are recounted almost instantly by Rucks as they are carried out. Should you choose to stick around and smash crates for money, the narrator may chime with ‘The Kid rages for a bit’. This narration exists throughout the entire game, with enough variety that I never heard the same advice more than once my first time through. While dynamic narration doesn’t stir up gameplay mechanics, it’s the little things that really help you immerse yourself. Logan Cunningham’s smooth jazzy voice as Ruck’s voice actor certainly doesn’t hurt things either.

Unfortunately the plot of the game is slow to pick up, as much of your motivation early on dissolves into going from point A to B. Things start to get more interesting as you are fed more information about the mythos of the world but only at the end did I find myself starting to get truly engaged. It is a story tale that I wished would have lasted longer. All and all, your first run-through will take you from 3-5 hours to finish, with a New Game+ mode to boost replay value.

If not for the refreshing variety in the weaponry and the well-set pace in which you acquire them, the combat would teeter on tediousness. While there are a variety of enemies, many will see you mashing the same button over and over. It is lucky then that the equipment system works well with a bevy of weaponry such as dual pistols, a machete and more, each with several levels of upgrades. The setup is simple, with one weapon mapped to each the X and B buttons, and a special skill mapped to the right trigger. Playing with different combinations and working strategies together to use them is exciting and fun.

Not one to be satisfied with simple upgrades, each level of weapon upgrade comes in two flavors for you to choose between. Do you need extra range on that musket or more power? Higher critical strike chance or ricocheting bullets? Hunting down these enhancements requires you to find an item unique to each weapon and combine it with some money at a Forge. There’s nothing revolutionary here, but all of this combined gives a combat system that is surprisingly more satisfying than one would think.

As you restore parts of the bastion, you also unlock new buildings, such as the distillery to equip stat-boosting spirits, and the shrine, which allows you to increase the difficulty of the game in return for more XP and money. As well, you’ll find proving grounds that provide trials to shake up the gameplay with new ways to use your arsenal and several arenas, facing waves of enemies while the narrator recounts the backstory of The Kid. I was continually drawn back to the proving grounds as I upgraded my weapons, eager to test out my improved abilities and earn new rewards.

I couldn’t complete this review without some mention of Bastion’s artwork style, brandishing a finely detailed painted aesthetic. Animations are smooth and flow gracefully—the world is vibrant with an array of greens, blues, yellows and browns, all of which literally spawn at your feet. Enemy designs are creative and just as colorful. The background is perfect for the story that you unfold, with music that is befitting of situation without becoming annoying or repetitive. It seems that the impressive presentation does take a toll, as loading screens sometimes take a significant portion of time. However, in the larger scheme things it is a very small mark on the quality of this game.

Too Long; Didn’t Read
Bastion is a gem; there’s nothing genre-bending here but it is well-polished and fun to play. Simple combat mechanics provide a surprising amount of depth and variety via the game’s upgrade system and proving grounds challenges. The game’s world bursts at the seams with charm and allure, from hand-polished artwork to dynamic narration and finely-tuned music to serenade the action. While the narrator speaks often, the plot itself is formulated to be what you make of it and sometimes a bit thin because of it. Despite any minor flaws, Bastion stands as a great start for Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade and is definitely worth any action-RPG fan’s 1200 MS points to purchase it.

– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good

Free Giveaway
This giveaway does not, in any shape or form, affect our review score for Bastion.

Hello readers! Want to get your hands on Supergiant Games action-RPG for free? There are two ways to win (you can do both to increase your chances): 1) Comment on our post (right here!) about why you would like to play Bastion. 2) “Like” our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/monstervine and comment on our review link for Bastion. Contest entries end July 31, 2011 at 11:59pm PT and a winner will be selected August 1. Make sure to have valid e-mails/Facebooks so we can contact you by!