It is pretty crazy that as I write this Bastion is coming up on 10 years old! This was a massive hit for Xbox Live Arcade back in 2011 and over the years it has been released on pretty much every platform going, including the Nintendo Switch most recently. It is regarded by many as one of the best indie titles of its day.
How to Download Bastion
To download Bastion from a digital store of your choice, click on the Download button at the end of the review. Check out also the free demo of the game.
The Game Review
Bastion is an action-RPG that to me feels like something I could have played on the Game Boy Advance. The game does not have the most amazing story for an RPG. It is set in a fantasy world that has been destroyed thanks to a cataclysmic event. A nameless hero only referred to as The Kid is trying to put things right and save the day.
While on paper the story is rather generic, it does have something that no other RPG has and that is a narrator. The story is narrated by a very talented voice actor and this keeps you invested. You may think that having a guy doing play-by-play would be annoying, but it is not. It fills in the story and I thought it was fantastic and very well done.
Bastion is an amazing-looking game. It is played from a top-down isometric viewpoint and the whole game has a very well done hand-drawn effect going on. The different areas you will be going to are quite varied and the way the world is created as you move forward is a cool idea and nice effect.
While the game looks great and has an interesting premise. For me, the gameplay of Bastion is what makes it special and is what has made it a game that is still relevant ten years later. You control the kid as you move from area to area fighting enemies. It sounds like it is rather basic and at first, it may seem like that.
You can have two weapons on you at a time. There is a great selection of weapons and special attacks that you can obtain as you go through the game. I found having a gun (this awesome Western-style six-shooter) and a blade was the best combination for me. The combat is very fast-paced and I liked going on the offensive more than playing defensive.
In-between the levels, you can go to the Bastion. Here you can spend the currency you earn from defeating enemies on upgrades, items, and so on. You can add structures to the Bastion as you progress through the game such as an armory for example. These structures will benefit you as you play by giving you access to things like upgrades.
The core game here is great, but Bastion has a lot going on. You can take on wave after wave of enemies if you want to test your skills which is a great deal of fun. It also has a great new game plus mode which is awesome. It is the kind of game that is fun to run through when you have a bunch of powerful weapons and know exactly what you are doing.
I played through Bastion on the Xbox 360 when it first came out and loved it. I recently played through the Nintendo Switch version of the game and can hand on heart say it is just as much fun now as it was back then. If you have not yet experienced the game, I highly recommend that you give it a go.
