First thought of Bastion

This game has been out for awhile on XBLA, but has just been released on PC. I ended up giving it a download after seeing a number of reviews and gameplay videos. From the videos alone it looked like a decent little indie game. I have now played though a good couple hours making notes as I went so this post will actually have some form to it instead of the usual rambling on.

First off I have been playing with an Xbox controller, which is probably more suited to the game given that it's an Xbox game in essence, the controls for the controller are very easy to get used to. I did have a quick shot with the Keyboard and Mouse setup. They went with a basic WASD layout, was easy enough to pick up, aiming was more accurate, but over all I would probably say use a controller for this game.

You start of in bed, staying there until you move which makes you get up. Out of nowhere you hear a voice, this is you the player not the character. This is turns out to be the story being told overhead. The guy that voices it sounds pretty cool aswell. Anyway so there you are next to your bed and the platform you stand on is floating, little weird I know. A little bit more weird is there doesn't seem to be a way out, it's just a floating platform. So you move around and all of a sudden a path starts to appear infront of you. This is well implimented throughout the game, there seems to be no path until you get closer to it. I guess it is same kind of deal as the fog in games like command and conquer you can not see what is there until you get closer. It is a cool little feature. The enviroment on the most part is destructable, if there is something in your way you can destroy it 9 times out of 10.

The first level, is essentially a tutorial but they still fit it nicely in with the storyline. You get a number of weapons in this first level including a giant hammer, a gun and a bow and arrow towards the end. You fight though mobs of enemies and pick up items, the most important of which being a 'Core'. You eventually get towards the end of the first level and hop on a hover boat type thing, (I forget what they called it), which leads you to the 'Bastion' which will become your base of operations. Upon getting there you see a man, who happens to be the same guy that is narrating the story. He will tell you to put the 'Core' you found in a monument just ahead of you.

You do this and the place starts to come alive and starts rebuilding itself. You can then create a building which you can use for upgrades. The more you play the game and the more 'cores' you collect the more buildings you can build letting you upgrade different things. The upgrade system is quite simple, while you are out on missions you pick up little blue shards and other items all of which can be used to upgrade if you go to the right shop. You go in see if you have enough bits click which upgrade and BAM. Done.

I do find myself getting quite addicted to this game, as I said before I played for a good couple of hours and I was still wanting more, I only stopped to walk the dog and write up this. It is definately worth a play. Another thing I noticed is you don't seem to die if you fall off the edge of a platform, which happens more than you would think, all though that might just be my playing. If you actually die from enemies you get one continue then if you die after that you get a menu screen where you can restart, go to bastion, quit etc...