"Once Upon A Time": A Bastion Analysis

Bastion recently made the move from XBLA to the PC and after reading the glowing reviews I picked it up. While Bastion's main gameplay is somewhat basic, it is easily one of the most stylish games I've played this year and backs it up with some interesting mechanics.

The story is one of the best parts of the game. Players will assume the role of a nameless survivor of a calamity that has destroyed his world. The only parts that are left are fragments of land that are floating in the sky. At the start, the player learns that the Bastion is the last refuge on the planet and that he has to make it there. Joining the player in the adventure is the narrator which does a lot to bring life to the game.

Just about every action and choice the player makes in the game will be commented on by the narrator. From hanging around to kill enemies, to choosing specific weapon combos, the narrator will have a remark ready. While this doesn't serve any real gameplay purpose, it adds a unique twist to the hack and slash genre.

Gameplay is pretty basic; you'll be running around the beautifully stylish remains of the world, fighting your way through each level. There is a sizable weapon variety, from a hammer, to a carbine rifle and more. Players can take any two weapons, along with a special skill with them into battle. Each weapon can be upgraded multiple times and as an interesting mechanic, each upgrade level the player will have to choose one upgrade from a set of two. What I like is that the upgrades are not just damage, but also can add utility to a weapon. For example one choice for the hammer is between allowing it to go through armor, or giving it a stun effect.

The other unique twist to the game mechanics is how the game handles leveling up and difficulty. Each time the player levels up; they unlock a slot in the distillery. At the distillery the player can select what tonics to apply to the main character and each one provides a unique benefit. The tonics themselves are not restricted by level, only the amount the player can have active at one time. This allows the player to mix and match benefits for a more personalized feel. Leveling up takes a long time, but how difficulty works in the game can help out.

Another building the player finds at the hub is the shrine. Here, the player can set idols that represent the various gods of the world. Each idol will bestow a unique modifier to the enemies. For example, one idol causes enemies to drop bombs that explode upon death causing the player damage, while another one gives enemies a chance to nullify damage against them. For each idol the player activates, the experience earned for beating enemies will be boosted, and with all 10 difficulty idols on can give the player a huge increase in experience.

Being able to effectively alter the difficulty of the game at any time is an interesting mechanic and reminds me of The World Ends With You for the DS. Bastion takes things a step further with having different modifiers and not just altering stats. The game without any modifiers on is on the easier side giving players a way to just experience the story, while having risks and rewards for those that want to go further.

I do have a few complaints about the combat. While the main character is somewhat agile, there is a certain "floaty" sense to fighting. Because the game is played from an angled isometric view, it's hard to gauge sometimes where the player is in relation to the enemies. There were plenty of times that I swore I was attacking the enemy to only have my attacks hit air.

Each weapon has its own utility, but the actual use of them is simplistic, no advance combos past hitting the attack button repeatedly, which seems like a waste of having all these different weapons. The biggest issue with combat is with defending. The block command is the same as the lock on command for ranged attacks. While there is a manual aim option for ranged attacks, there is none for blocking.

When going up against a few enemies, the lock on feature is adequate. However, when the player is surrounded, they'll find that they will keep blocking in the wrong direction and without being able to manually turn the character, their only option is to run away.

Bastion reminds me a lot of Braid: a unique game that isn't for everyone, but still something you should at least try to see what the fuss is all about.

Josh Bycer