Bastion review

Exceptional

by jcnrad

I played Bastion (Nintendo Switch) in January 2022 while the year still had a fresh coat of paint and after Bastion just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. I got the chance to play it away from the hub-bub and hype, and my first impressions were, 'wow.' This game is really immersive and mysterious and pulls you in with the story and gameplay. The arsenal keeps growing and it's easy to master thanks to the weapon ranges (proving grounds) that have a personality all their own. The game is gorgeous and the narrator adds to the essential experience of learning about what happened and what the kid needs to do to restore balance, if that's possible. I enjoyed the attention to detail, the weapon variety, and the life breathed into every inch of this world. The only downside is that going in cold to the game and not knowing what to expect, I was amped up for a big adventure. With that mindset, I played most of the game as if it were a prologue to a story. The levels were short, the arsenal grew so fast I only tried out the weapons once or twice in each level, then the climax of the story apparently came and the falling action and resolution followed shortly after. I loved the characters, for as long as I was allowed to love them, and then it was all over. Perhaps this is one of the few games that I have time to replay on New Game Plus mode just to amp up the difficulty and try out my favorite weapons while listening to the narrator recount the whole sad saga again:)

4/5 stars

The World has been torn to Pieces and now it is your Job to rebuild the Bastion and turn back Time. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=726830872 Gameplay: Bastion is a relatively classic Hack n Slay, but it doesn't rely on silly button mashing but prompts the Player to dodge enemy Attacks by rolling or blocking. The whole thing, however, goes very smoothly off the Hand and ensures a quick Game. The Gameplay has an incredibly good flow and is constantly reinvigorated by new Types of opponents (which actually behave completely differently). An individualised Style Of play was Also provided. Because you have the Opportunity to improve the 10 different Weapons that you can find at Bastion during The Course of the game in Different ways. Even if the Possibilities are not very superior, you can still customize the Weapons for different Styles of play. What makes Bastion So special? But what sticks in Your Mind at Bastion and what makes this Game so special for me is not the Gameplay but the Interplay of Narrative structure, Level design and Soundtrack: Speak the complete Atmosphere. The Story is told with an interactive Narrator who comments completely on everything that happens in the Game. I really liked this Narrative Structure Because this Narrative Is unused and adapts excellently to level Design. Because by the Fact that the world has been torn to pieces, the Level itself is always created in front of the Player'S Feet, this Level design is simply perfect for this Narrative style. The Game is Accompanied by a Soundtrack that I still listen to after playing. It's actually worth buying the Soundtrack (Or the "Supergiant Collection") Here's an Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eqMszMGUww Difficulty/Long-term Motivation The Level of Difficulty in Bastion is quite low by default Kept. You can't even die in the Game by selecting the "no sweat mode." However, you can make the Game more difficult if it is too easy. Because with so-called "Idol" that you can find in the Game, you can make the Opponents stronger. In Some cases, it even goes so far that Enemies can reflect attacks or become invisible. However, I would still have liked to see a Higher Degree Of Difficulty by default. The NewGame + also offers no new Challenges. If you don't use the "Idols" on The NewGame +, it's even twice as easy to get through the Game. Pretty Bad. But There are still challenges after the end of the Game, on the one hand by the "Score Attack mode," where you can set a High Score for completing the Level or through the "Dream Level" where you have to fight Enemy Waves. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=726884776 Lifetime Bastion is unfortunately a very short Game, playing through the first one will see the Credits after a rough 5 Hours and with the NewGame + you can even use all the Upgrades in under 3 Hours through the Game bounce. Nevertheless, the Overall Package is so good that I have to say: The €15 is still worth it. Especially because there are some Optional Modes that you can aim for after finishing the Game. Verdict: Clearly, Bastion is a Video Game Pearl and, in my Opinion, a must play. While It does not set new Standards in Gameplay technical Space, the Overall Package is unique and memorable 9/10