Storyline - 10/10
Graphics - 9/10
Game Score : 29/30
Those of you who saw my top ten list of must play games for 2011 should recognize this title. Today we will be diving into the world of Bastion; shout-outs to my loyal blog fan who donated a copy of this game to me on Steam so I could give it the review it deserves complete with introductory play-through footage. By the time you finish reading this review you will know why this game deserves the accolade of being a must play game of 2011.
Bastion is an action role-playing video game produced by independent developer Supergiant Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. In the game, the player controls "the Kid" as he moves through floating, fantasy-themed environments and fights enemies of various types. It features a dynamic voiceover from a narrator, and is presented as a two-dimensional game with an isometric camera and a hand-painted, colorful art style. Bastion's story follows the Kid as he collects special shards of rock to power a structure, the Bastion, in the wake of an apocalyptic Calamity. As you progress through the game you really find yourself connecting with the main character "the Kid". You go from feeling sorry that he is all alone in this world to realizing just how determined and resilient he can be. This game even though made by an independent studio did an unbelievably good job on this game as their debut game for their company. My only gripe is that when I tried starting up the game for the first time it crashed whenever I would try to adjust certain graphical settings. Oh and they kept dropping me on my face; so not cool.
The world of Bastion is large and far reaching and holds many secrets for you to discover as you traverse its perilous landscape. The player character, "the Kid", moves through floating, fantasy-themed environments that form paths as the player approaches the edge. Levels consist of a single plane, and are viewed isometrically. They are filled with enemies of various types, which attempt to harm the Kid. The Kid carries two weapons, which may be selected from the choices available to the player at specific locations called arsenals. The Kid also has the ability to perform a special attack. Weapons and special attacks must be acquired before they can be used. There are a limited number of special attacks that the player can perform at any time, represented by "black tonics" that can be found in the levels or dropped from enemies. The Kid's health is represented by a health bar, which can be replenished with "health tonics". Like black tonics, the Kid can only carry a certain number of health potions at a time, and can replenish them by finding more in the levels. There are many other noteworthy intricacies and nuances about the game but I don't want to spoil them here. I would rather you see them in action for yourself whether via my play-through or playing the game yourself.
With all the inherently good things in this game it almost seems easier to just name the faults and be done with this review but screw that shit. From the stellar sound track, that will have you humming and singing along; to the varied combat system and enemies that provide a customization filled experience suited to your play-style. Not to mention the beautifully done landscape and level design of the game that immerses you into the tale of Bastion. Culminating in a truly wonderful story that keeps you guessing and interested in each characters development that you come across. Bastion is truly a marvelous game and deserves every gamers time and effort without a doubt, you will most certainly not be disappointed. Feel free to try out the demo on Steam if you have an account, if not the demo for this game is also available on the Chrome Web Store, so take the chance to experience the awesomeness. For those of you not video game inclined feel free to check out my introductory play-through of the game if you like to watch instead of playing...IN GLORIOUS HD LIKE A BOSS!!!!!
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