I have played video games my whole life with a passion as I am sure most of you have. Last year or so though, I haven't felt it as much. I still played them and enjoyed them well enough, but I have felt kinda blah half the time. Been a very long series of games that honestly I just haven't had the drive to finish most of the time, and generally have a bit of fun at first but then kinda don't care after time moves on just a short bit. I guess a lot has to do with the types of games that have been made lately. I guess it has felt like about every other game has been the same game over and over again.

Then I played this game, and I have had my first true huge enjoyment in a long time in a game. This game has for the first time in a LONG time finally given me that moment where it is 5 PM and I don't realize it at all, but I look at the clock a second time, and it is suddenly 2 am, no exaggeration at all. This game has finally also given me that desire to want to do like every single thing possible in this game. I have spent most of my time doing side objectives, and the memorials, and upgrading weapons, and all that, and having a blast.

The combat just feels so fun, and it feels 100% skill based, like I see myself getting better and I have not reached the peak of my abilities in this game, but I see it achievable to do so. It is just a blast, and all the weapons feel significantly different and each an extreme pleasure to use. They all provide a different experience.

Bastion also does something that greatly surprises me. It is as if this game knows all the little things that just outright annoy me like mad in video games, and almost laugh in the face of those things. As if whoever made this game knows exactly all these annoying things that tend to happen in about every other video game, and then makes sure that it is not there, but kinda makes me feel like the game is saying "yeah, that junk annoys us too."

And on top of all this it finally has a very interesting story and presentation! So nice to not have a game with the EXACT same story as about every other game and then in addition present it in an amazing way. Half the games out there follow the exact same story points at one point or another. This game has a story that just makes me keep wanting to see more.

Not to mention the game is darn beautiful.

This game has just been a refreshing delight for me that I have not enjoyed in a long time. I haven't even finished it and I will probably play it quite a few more times [been ages since a game has given any desire for me to do that lol].

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

Argh waiting for the PC version!! Can't get here soon enough!

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

Same here, I have been doing every single thing the game throws at you, I think this might be the first game I S rank actually.

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

I completely agree with the idea of this game renewing enjoyment in games, it feels like it was created with such an amount of care and precision without all the usual corporate bs that gets shoved into games nowadays. Everything about it feels fresh and tight, it's a great ride.

@JCTango said:

@Krakn3Dfx said:

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

Hmm... I wonder if the PC community will be able to mod the game and have a different voice actor doing the narration xD.... or even take it out completely and just have it subtitled.

You would have to be literally insane to do any of those things.

i still really love games so this hasnt renewed my enjoyment by any stretch but it has been a source of amazement since i got it, the story, the challenge rooms and that song,the first time i heard it i was blown away, it was used to such a powerful effect.

@JCTango said:

@Krakn3Dfx said:

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

Hmm... I wonder if the PC community will be able to mod the game and have a different voice actor doing the narration xD.... or even take it out completely and just have it subtitled.

You would have to be literally insane to do any of those things.

@Resident4t said:

Same here, I have been doing every single thing the game throws at you, I think this might be the first game I S rank actually.

This will probably be my first S-rank as well. Except for the last secret achievement (since I don't know what it is, but I assume it is story based), I actually want to do all of the listed achievements.

Just played a quick 1/2 hour at lunch. Hooked.

I've been the same way for a long time. It's been years since I played a game that really made me want to just do everything in it. I think this game with it's slightly old-school style will really appeal to me. 

I'm not really enjoying it. The combat just isn't very good. There is no real skill involved except a constant mashing of the roll button; countering works but is hardly ever useful; the weapons are kind of boring and feel very weightless like they have no impact. The combat in later levels of Dungeon Siege 3 is far more enjoyable and skill-based than Bastion.

Oh, and I can't stand the narration.

I love the game personally, just my type of game. The combat is great, very responsive and I love the shield. The narration really grows on me the more I play it. XBLA has saved this generation for me. This is one of my favourite games this gen.

I thought it looked really interesting before I played the demo. I didn't really like anything about it besides the art style.

The beginning is not great and does not help the demo but once you get into Bastion it is a refreshing experience. Whoever compared it to portal is 100% right.

Lol, at people basing their impressions off a demo. This is an RPG. It gets better the more you play it and the combat just gets more and more fun. Buy the game and comment if you want to be taken seriously.

@GhosthH said:

Lol, at people basing their impressions off a demo. This is an RPG. It gets better the more you play it and the combat just gets more and more fun. Buy the game and comment if you want to be taken seriously.

If they don't like the demo why would they buy the full version? The job of demo is to give you a taste and see if you want the full game. People posting their opinions on the demo is just that. An opinion on the demo.

@GhosthH said:

Lol, at people basing their impressions off a demo. This is an RPG. It gets better the more you play it and the combat just gets more and more fun. Buy the game and comment if you want to be taken seriously.

If this is what passes for an RPG these days... what the hell happened to RPGs?!

Not saying it's a bad game, of course not, but I definitely wouldn't call this an RPG.

Granted, I only played the demo, but an RPG to me is Baldur's Gate. It's Final Fantasy. Oblivion and Fallout 3, maybe, although I consider them FPS.

Lol, at people basing their impressions off a demo. This is an RPG. It gets better the more you play it and the combat just gets more and more fun. Buy the game and comment if you want to be taken seriously.

There were some very negative comments though. I'd like to know what game like this has better combat, because I haven't played it. For a lot of games, the demo is representative of what to expect, this is not one of them. I wasn't sold initially either.

Played the demo; did not like the combat at all. I found shooting what I specifically wanted to to be a hassle as well as rolling around and the melee combat was no fun either. I didn't find the narration to be all that amazing, either. Sure, contextual narration is interesting but it's definitely not something I'd want to play the game to see more of.

For me it's a throwback to the days of the super nintendo, which is the golden age of gaming for me.  It seems the more you associate with the SNES days the more this appeals to you.  If you're younger and you're first system was the 64 or later, I could see this not having the same effect.  I'm not saying this in an elitest way, just my assumption.

Damn you all... I only have a PS3 and SORELY feel like I'm missing out on something amazing. 
 
As for the comment on the creators not including all the things in games that are typically annoying, give credit to Greg Kassavin. He's reviewed countless games in the past and happens to have great taste in them as well. I was expecting nothing less coming from his mind.

I just beat the game once, and right away started it again. After a few hours with it I realized it reminded me of Deadwood. Yeah, you heard me. Games are a lot like TV shows. There are a lot of them, most of them are decent, a lot suck really hard and some are really great. But once in a while you get one show or game that just stands out, which gives you this feeling that you witness something far beyond the rest of the "rabble". Bastion is such a game for me, just as Deadwood was such a show. Plus, some of the music really reminds me of Deadwood. Damn, the music is great in this game. Everything is great!

@natetodamax said:

@JCTango said:

@Krakn3Dfx said:

I played through most of the demo and was kind of nonplussed by the experience. I really don't like the narrator, that's probably my biggest problem, but loading intervals and times seem a little excessive for what it is and the weapons I've had access to so far don't feel especially satisfying. The game does look really good, but for me that's about all it has going for it. I'm glad people are enjoying it, I usually really get into action RPGs, but for whatever reason this one is isn't clicking with me so far.

Hmm... I wonder if the PC community will be able to mod the game and have a different voice actor doing the narration xD.... or even take it out completely and just have it subtitled.

You would have to be literally insane to do any of those things.

Heh.  I wouldn't want to do it, myself - I kinda like the narrator - I was just proposing it as an idea to those that didn't like his voice is all.

Definatly my pick for GOTY for downloadable games so far. It's just amazing, my favorite moment so far is when you find "the Singer".