Every once in a very great while something absolutely amazing occurs in the video game industry. Normally, this type of thing happens with a triple A title coming from a big publisher and developer. What I’m referring to here is something like Bioshock. That changed the way we think about game design and make us feel like we have opened a door into a new world. But this year, all most as if foretelling of a new era yet to come. Bastion, a small game from a small studio, SuperGiant Games. Warner Bros. saw so much in this game that they picked up publishing at PAX last year. As this is the first game from this company having a powerhouse like Warner Bros. behind you is a really big deal.
Bastion is an amazing title. Bastion is an action adventure game in the truest sense. There are no real puzzles or platforming in this game. But there doesn’t need to be. Bastion shows what focusing on pure gameplay can do for a story driven game. There are even some open world aspects in the game based on how you proceed through your ultimate quest. You can upgrade the Bastion, there by making upgrades to your own loadouts. I don’t want to discuss the story of the game as it will take away from the ultimate experience. There are no difficulty settings in the game. You can activate Idols to make the gameplay harder. But the average player will find the unaltered difficulty to be absolutely perfect.
There are no problems or bugs in this masterpiece. The art style and sound design are so superior to everything else out there with the possible exception of Elder Scrolls Skyrim that it makes me absolutely giddy to play. There is such a blending of gameplay, art, and sound design that it makes the player feel as though they are actually moving throughout another world. The controls are so responsive as they allow you to make pinpoint movements which are necessary for some of the skill based challenges present in the game.
As the narrator weaves the story of the KId, he is weaving the player’s story. He will respond when you begin to venture off the path or fight in particular ways. He will comment on the enemies you battle and how well the enemies or the Kid are doing at any given time. When you consider that the narrator is a character in the game it makes it even more interesting. While Dragon Age 2 did this as well, DA2 didn’t do it nearly as well as Bastion does it. There is a personalized feel to Bastion that even creating a main character doesn’t even convey as well as the narrator does in this game. It all most feels as though the game is watching every move you make. Which for some strange reason makes the escape of Bastion all the more palpable.
Bastion does what no other game this year did for me, made me want to play it over and over. It’s usually a chore for me to finish most games and when I’m done, I’m usually glad that it’s over and get a feeling of elation and great accomplishment. But Bastion just made me want to load up the game and play it all over again. This is also helped by the downloadable content in the game and the New Game Plus. For a full playthrough to get all the achievements the game is around 20 hours. But most players will probably be able to motor through the main story in about 5-10 hours.
If I was giving out a Game of the Year award, it would go to Bastion. In fact, if I was giving out a Game of the Decade award, it would go to Bastion. Yes, ladies and gentlemen I love Bastion more than Bioshock. Sorry Ken Levine…
Bastion is available for the XBOX 360, the PC on Steam or even through your Google Chrome Browser from the Google Appstore. The game is very inexpensive and EVERYONE should play Bastion. No matter your gaming tastes or level of skill; you should go out and buy Bastion.
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