Build that Wall
It was with muted anticipation that I started Bastion. Previews showed something like a cross between Diablo and Zelda with a vaguely JRPG style look. I thought it would be an interesting time waster, and I quickly downloaded the demo and started it skeptical of laying $15 for a product.
“Proper story’s supposed to start at the beginning. Ain’t so simple with this one. Now here’s a kid whose whole world got all twisted, leaving him stranded on a rock in the sky.” The narrator’s voice was smooth as silk.
I bought the game.
It’s amazing how the narration ties the entire game together into a single cohesive experience. He binds the whole world together describing every achievement or aspect of the once lush world. In most other games, story is told through side texts or other out of game experiences. By having the narrator describe the world before the Calamity, the player drives the entire experience. It’s quite refreshing to be able to get story elements without giant cutscene intrusions at every turn or a scripted “jail” where you must watch the event unfold locked in an invisible prison. Bastion just has a very competent story with in depth characters all wrapped up in a haunting, thoughtful soundtrack.
Dissecting the game experience into singular parts as if videogames were technical hardware and not art feels like a travesty. By itself, Bastion is a fairly straightforward action RPG with a customizable leveling system (each level corresponds to how many stat altering drinks you can hold) and weapons loadout that you can upgrade with perks. Its art style often makes it difficult to see empty tile on or an unsupported piece of scenery. In the chaos of some of the harder levels with enemies that can punch holes in the ground, the action can get confusing.
Bastion does so well in its ability to make sure every aspect is contained within the world and gameplay, I wish more games would follow its footsteps. Taking spirits contains the leveling system. Difficulty is obtained by defying individual gods (reminiscent of skulls in the Halo series). Achievements are memories or homages to the old world. It’s all a demonstration of how abstract concepts such as leveling or achievements can be contained in the world itself and flesh out the background story.
Bastion is one of the best games I’ve played recently, and I highly recommend it to those aching for more mature stories that don’t stem from military machismo or Hollywood mimicry.
