Haven't been writing that much cause I've been /attempting poorly/ to make a video review for another game.(Hint: it's not going too well)
Might as well touch on something now before I lose my touch. And this one is going to be special, since I'm going to be making another review related to this.
So today we're going to talk about Bastion.
It's a part of certain artillery fortifications that protrudes out-
Oh wait wrong subject.
There we go.
The maiden work of SuperGiant Games, Bastion is an Action Role Playing Game presented in an isometric view. The developers describe their goal as being "to make games that spark your imagination like the games you played as a kid". And they've managed to pull it off.
Taking place after an apocalyptic event referred to as The Calamity, the player assumes the role of The Kid, a youth who woke up one day with the world around him reduced to pieces.
In the wake of this, he fellows an emergency procedure and heads through the ruined surroundings to The Bastion, a structure. After meeting with an old man (whose name is later revealed as Rucks) that seemed to be the only one to have reached it besides The Kid, he is tasked to seek out the 'Cores' of the city, power generators that The Bastion requires to be complete, as it wasn't when the catastrophe happened.
Gameplay consists of fighting to the objective(The Cores for the first half of the game) while many creatures run amok about the area, guarding it.
They have good reason to, considering that the area falls apart when it is removed, prompting The Kid to need to find the Skyway that leads back to the Bastion. The Kid's armaments consist of two weapons and two types of tonics, which are Health Tonics and Black Tonics. Black Tonics are required for the usage of special skills in battle. As for defensive options, The Kid can execute a dodge roll away from danger and slightly damages enemies was well as a shield for blocking attacks. Blocking works also as a lock-on that makes The Kid face and lock-on to an enemy, focusing attacks on the enemy while the button is held.
After collecting returning to The Bastion with a Core, The Kid can construct various structures. The list of structures that can be build and their purpose are all introduced in the first level, so the question becomes prioritizing what to construct first.
I like to be able to switch between my weapons first.
Besides the standard levels, there are also 'Proving Grounds' and 'Who Knows Where'. The former areas 'train' the player on the usage of a specific weapon. That's because weapons in the game each have a gimmick or mechanic, which is logical as picking up something might be easy but to master is another matter.
As for 'Who Knows Where', it's a gantlet mode where Fragments can be earned in abundance.
Fragments are the currency/resource needed to purchase items and skills from the structures, although weapon upgrades require upgrade materials as well to be improved. Weapon upgrades are split into five tiers with two options each. Although only one option can be active, the options can be freely switched between one another.
The game's aesthetic really reminds one of an old book. More specifically, it would probably remind one of an old children's storybook, which, at the time and probably even now, feels quite refreshing and easy on the eyes. It's game design is also superb, in the sense that it feeds on two degrees of achievement. As said before, weapons each have a gimmick that needs to be mastered upon to be efficient, and the Proving Grounds are made for honing one's skill with a weapon. Depending on how well a player manages to improve, the Grounds would reward the player with Fragments, upgrade material or, for those who have truly proven their worth with the weapon, a new skill to use. For those who find difficulty in the task, however, the specific skill is not barred entirely. From the Lost-and-Found structure, one can still obtain the skill or materials, meaning besides skill, the game also rewards effort.
Sadly, I've played the game to the point I have most the stuff, but you get the idea.
Due to the variety of weapons and passive effects that can be used from the Distillery, the loadout can be customized to fit the player's playstyle comfortably.
As the game progresses, one would feel the upgrades dimming the challenge of the game. That is where a genius move is made by SuperGiant Games. Instead of a difficulty selection, the game's deeper challenges come from a slew of Idols that can be activated from The Pantheon. As they're activated, enemies will gain buffs while the Fragments and Experience gained from them will increase.
To handle this would need The Kid become more than just a man.
As for the story, it's engaging due to the small pool of characters. Whist searching for the Cores, The Kid would happen upon two more survivors, whom the Calamity had caused a much bigger personal effect on.
The entire story is narrated by Rucks, whose voice is practically made to tell stories. It's easy to invest and understand how they feel as more of what possibly lead up to the event is revealed. When I say narrated, I mean that Rucks would narrate without interrupting the game's flow, revealing the history of the area currently being explored or talking about The Kid's actions. He also narrates when The Kid goes to 'Who Knows Where', which tells the backstory of all of the characters up until the point of the Calamity.
What makes it feel so special though is the fact that The Kid isn't. How good he is with a weapon lands on the one in control of him. The Kid had to EARN recognition from his actions and soon enough, in the end, he would be trusted with a very hefty decision with two endings. Something to note is that SuperGiant Games made sure that New Game Plus would 'make sense' if one was chosen. Even if the alternative was selected though, the player would still get why it would exist. Confused? Then play the game to find out.
The soundtrack utilizes loads of acoustic guitar and beats, plunging one into the fantasy world of Bastion even more.
HOWEVER
Having a slew of weapons can feel....Cumbersome because the weapons you don't use tend to just sit in the back to collect dust. And you have a LOT of weapons.
Like, 10 in total
Also, as much as the Proving Grounds reward skill, sometimes the weapon needs a certain upgrade for the player to get the best score. And it has to be mentioned again that the challenge of the game is dulled if the player chooses not to use the Idols.
Having Rucks be the only one who speaks can also come as being odd, especially when one of the other characters suddenly end up also speaking, which begs the question on why she didn't when The Kid talks to her on The Bastion.
The first stage can also feel a bit long and heavy.
For the price of $15 USD, I would say its content is well worth the price-tag and the quality of entertainment it would provide as a game and a story is superb.
Closing this, here's a preview of the next review:
I /hope/ you get it.
