Bastion

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1641 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,311 out of 1641
  2. Mixed: 270 out of 1641
  3. Negative: 60 out of 1641

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  1. UglyBaby
    Mar 16, 2013
    7
    Bastion is definitely a good game. No question about it but it isn't really a GREAT game. When it was released it was descended into the gaming world amid of ticker tape parade of hype. It did not live up to that hype at least not across the board. The gameplay, character development and plot are all good but like I said before none of them are great. The game is not without monotony,Bastion is definitely a good game. No question about it but it isn't really a GREAT game. When it was released it was descended into the gaming world amid of ticker tape parade of hype. It did not live up to that hype at least not across the board. The gameplay, character development and plot are all good but like I said before none of them are great. The game is not without monotony, the enemies aren't (by and large) particularly distinct, the multitude of weapons and attacks add something but that something isn't really that much fun, the plot is sort of vague and unnecessarily dark. The bosses, level designs and 'quests' feel pretty repetitive.

    All that said what Bastion does do is bring a really novel and humanizing use of game narration and actual voice to transform its gameplay. The effect wears off after a few hours but having the narrator (who's voice I love) responding to the nuanced gameplay choices you make is truly fun. He will mock you if you are playing poorly or dawdling he will comment on your ingame successes and tell the elements of the story as they unfold around you. The other element of the game that really grabbed me and deserves mention is the manner in which the game world is 'constructed' around you. The levels assemble and disassemble themselves as you play in a way that is interesting and beautiful.

    In closing Bastion is an interesting product and definitely worth a play through. It has incredibly innovative elements unfortunately none of those elements are truly central to the gameplay.    … Expand
  2. nighter-3d
    Jan 12, 2012
    7
    some hate the narrator and some love it. it is a matter of taste. i myself enjoyed it. made the whole world a lot less empty. i sometimes even forgot that the world was supposedly shattered and that most people are dead. however i did find some lesser points tough. for starters there are to many skills and weapons for a small game like this. i get weapon after weapon thrown at me causingsome hate the narrator and some love it. it is a matter of taste. i myself enjoyed it. made the whole world a lot less empty. i sometimes even forgot that the world was supposedly shattered and that most people are dead. however i did find some lesser points tough. for starters there are to many skills and weapons for a small game like this. i get weapon after weapon thrown at me causing me to not even bother to upgrade most of the weapons i get till i reached the endgame at which you have 2 weapons that are already the best. the same goes for the skills: you get one useful skill and you stick to it till the end. id still recommend it tough as its rare to find a game of this quality in its genre during the past few years. just don't expect an amazing game. its just very good… Expand
  3. Nimgif
    Nov 7, 2011
    7
    An excellently crafted experience, good core mechanics and a narrator that will give even Morgan Freeman a run for his money. The setting is well done and overall the game has alot of polish.
    Id say that using a x360 controller is the easiest way to play it. Happy gaming
  4. Trashware
    Jan 9, 2013
    7
    This game left me confused. It has nice, lush graphics, some fun enemies and a beautiful world to roam through. The story is somewhat convoluted but very well conveied (although I personally feel the narrative style does get old after a while). The weapon system is an interesting one and has got lots of upgrades. But just when you're fully upgraded, levelled up etc. the game ends. Why? WhyThis game left me confused. It has nice, lush graphics, some fun enemies and a beautiful world to roam through. The story is somewhat convoluted but very well conveied (although I personally feel the narrative style does get old after a while). The weapon system is an interesting one and has got lots of upgrades. But just when you're fully upgraded, levelled up etc. the game ends. Why? Why only 20 small scaled levels, not including the weapon upgrade levels? Sure, you can start all over again and you can keep your stuff and level up even further, but there's no real point to me if it doesn't bring me any new surroundings or storyline as a reward. It's no fun repeating the levels AND hearing the same old story over and over again just with higher difficulty (so I probably should have made thing more challenging to myself BEFORE I knew how short this game was? The map looked big enough for more challenges). This game could have been awesome if it would at least include some sort of level editor so that the users can provide each other with more, different levels. Now it's just a bit unsatisfying to me. I enjoyed my 6 hours of gameplay very much, but it's not enough. Needs more levels.… Expand
  5. JonesR
    May 12, 2012
    7
    he story and narration are done exceptionally well, but at its heart, Bastion is simply a top view hack & slash shooter. What it does, it does well making it a great addition to the genre. The narration delivers something unique plus it includes some decent music, although I couldn't find anything exceptional in the gameplay. It was on par with my expectations, but never exceeded them. Athe story and narration are done exceptionally well, but at its heart, Bastion is simply a top view hack & slash shooter. What it does, it does well making it a great addition to the genre. The narration delivers something unique plus it includes some decent music, although I couldn't find anything exceptional in the gameplay. It was on par with my expectations, but never exceeded them. At roughly 6 hours in length, it proved a pleasant distraction from my core games.… Expand
  6. lorienwarden
    Aug 16, 2011
    7
    The game is ok, combat can be fun and not too simplified, tons of destructible environment is also a plus. What i didn't like was annoying "off-screen" voice and price. 14 bucks could be fair price if Bastion had multiplayer and/or was replay-able, but as soon as you complete the main story you will never play this game again.
  7. JimCorbett
    Jun 10, 2012
    7
    I enjoyed this game while it lasts. It's not a particularly long game: 6-8 hours on your first play through. The way to story is told is really unique and interesting, though it took a while for me to get the hang of the story. The levels are clearly designed with a controller in mind, you will have a difficult time navigating some parts of the game as your Keyboard won't allow you to moveI enjoyed this game while it lasts. It's not a particularly long game: 6-8 hours on your first play through. The way to story is told is really unique and interesting, though it took a while for me to get the hang of the story. The levels are clearly designed with a controller in mind, you will have a difficult time navigating some parts of the game as your Keyboard won't allow you to move in the precise direction needed. The RPG elements aren't that deep and are easily understood which i liked. Overall it was a good game, one that is worth the look.… Expand
  8. NeverwinterNigh
    Feb 16, 2012
    7
    Very original, great concept, though the execution could stand some scrutiny. For one thing, while many have praised its soundtrack I am on the other side of the fence. I think that music really allows a player to be engulfed into a world, not just by lush visuals but by the ambience of a track that puts you in the element of driving you forward. Bastion's soundtrack, while primarilyVery original, great concept, though the execution could stand some scrutiny. For one thing, while many have praised its soundtrack I am on the other side of the fence. I think that music really allows a player to be engulfed into a world, not just by lush visuals but by the ambience of a track that puts you in the element of driving you forward. Bastion's soundtrack, while primarily praised, I find a bit lacking. I felt as if the soundtrack just didn't put me in the game, but kept me away from it. As for the gameplay, it is a solid experience...when it didn't crash on me. For some reason, this game kept crashing on me a few hours into it. Mind you, my computer is capable of running Battlefield 3 and Skyrim on rather high settings, but yet Bastion of all games crashes my computer? The graphics are pretty, I won't take that away from the game, but why is it that this game crashes my computer? After googling around for a bit, I found it is a more common thing than I had initially thought, and Supergiant Games, after I informed them of this, gave me the poor excuse that maybe my computer couldn't handle it. Of course, that makes perfect sense. My computer can run the biggest, most graphically visceral games like Skyrim, but it just can't handle the awesomeness that is Bastion apparently. So, I'm tending to think that the game has some internal bugs that we're not aware of, and ones that Supergiant Games are not telling about. In any case, it's a solid game, well worth the money for a purchase. Hopefully, it won't crash on you.… Expand
  9. VerdantMoon
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    I think this game is a bit overrated to quite honest. It's a good game don't get me wrong, but it's go a few issues it needs to address. For one thing, I'm not that fond of its "spectacular" soundtrack, it kinda grates on my nerves at times. Second, the controls are usually fluid, but there comes moments when it gets sticky and a bit clunky to move the proper way. Again it's a good game,I think this game is a bit overrated to quite honest. It's a good game don't get me wrong, but it's go a few issues it needs to address. For one thing, I'm not that fond of its "spectacular" soundtrack, it kinda grates on my nerves at times. Second, the controls are usually fluid, but there comes moments when it gets sticky and a bit clunky to move the proper way. Again it's a good game, but definitely undeserving of an Indie Game of the Year award at least in my opinion.… Expand
  10. Jstrauss
    May 9, 2012
    7
    A good, solid, admirable game.
    Bastion is one of those titles that I can't bring myself to call truly great, but that being said it's definitely very *good*. Mechanically it's pretty tight and enjoyable, essentially a hack and slash with a variety of diverse weapons and abilities that keep the gameplay fresh and fun throughout. Story-wise there's a distinct attempt to try something    A good, solid, admirable game.
    Bastion is one of those titles that I can't bring myself to call truly great, but that being said it's definitely very *good*. Mechanically it's pretty tight and enjoyable, essentially a hack and slash with a variety of diverse weapons and abilities that keep the gameplay fresh and fun throughout. Story-wise there's a distinct attempt to try something different, and it generally works in providing an interesting narrative that keeps the game ticking along and might even manage to pluck at your heart strings once or twice. Stylistically Bastion stands out a little more, with a distinctive art style and one of those rare soundtracks that manages to incorporate one holistic tone into a variety of different tracks, from the exciting to the sombre.

    Getting down to the critical observations though, the originality and distinctiveness of Bastion does not necessarily work to its advantage across the board. That's not to say it makes the game any worse either, but certain elements can be described as unremarkable in anything but their originality. I think the most obvious example of this is the style of narrative delivery by the narrator; one continuous voice over in the background that comments on the player's actions, progresses the plot, and exposes backstory. While the novelty of this feature made me smile a lot near the beginning of the game, it has the obvious drawback of limiting the player's emotional involvement with any of the characters. We don't hear their voices, understand their thoughts, or get much sense of their personalities outside of the bare bones.
    Overall it's a very novel feature, but I couldn't help but feel the narrative lacked a lot of the depth it showed potential for given its limited dimensions of storytelling.

    Gameplay-wise Bastion is slightly more conventional, and there's really nothing too major to criticise overall. It might have benefited from more of a focus on puzzles and unique situations that tickled your brain, but there was enough depth and variation in the combat system to keep it enjoyable for the six hours it took me to get through the main story and complete a smattering of sidequests. My only real gripe is with a strange change in combat mechanic at the very end of the game. Without giving any story spoilers away, it's that bizarre trope of video game design that throws a player into a completely new scenario in the final moments of gameplay, rather than building upon what the player has learned and testing their skills during one final well-constructed challenge. This isn't necessarily always a bad thing, but in Bastion you're given very clunky tools and vastly restricted abilities to overcome your final challenge. Thematically it's got a little merit to it, but in terms of gameplay it's just horribly sluggish and jarring, feeling like you're fumbling your way towards the finish line rather than dancing across it in a blaze of glory.

    For me, these little niggles and downsides are definitely going to keep Bastion out of my top tier of games, but it's undeniably a very well crafted product that isn't afraid to be itself. Admirable is the term I'd use to describe it. There's a character and uniqueness to Bastion that you don't find in many games between the extremes of mainstream content and overly quirky indie titles. It's a pretty gem that catches your eye, but it doesn't quite have the depth and sparkle of a diamond. For most people though, that should be more than enough to make Bastion a worthy investment and an enjoyable experience.

    It's solid, fun, and original. You can't really ask for much more than that.    … Expand
  11. TROLIO
    May 15, 2012
    7
    I have this on steam. My PC and Mac have the same amount of ram, processor and graphics card, but for some reason the graphics were much smoother on my PC. The controls are much better with a controller than the keyboard. I got this game on sale, so for the price I paid it was a fun and entertaining game. The graphics were really bright and vivid, which was a nice change from theI have this on steam. My PC and Mac have the same amount of ram, processor and graphics card, but for some reason the graphics were much smoother on my PC. The controls are much better with a controller than the keyboard. I got this game on sale, so for the price I paid it was a fun and entertaining game. The graphics were really bright and vivid, which was a nice change from the dark/muddy pallet many games today have.… Expand
  12. jim109109
    May 31, 2012
    7
    I loved bastion, for an indie game it 's good and content meets quality, the gameplay doesn't feel like something you have played before, the item customization is great and makes each item different altering the way you play. God did not come down to Earth to deliver this game, sorry rabid furry loving noobs, but it's quite a good game that is fun and definitely worth it.
  13. Dazaras
    Aug 12, 2012
    7
    While the graphics and narration are fantastic, the game mechanics leave a little to be desired. The game consists entirely of hack-and-slash style combat, the only variation comes from the players preferred combination of weapons.
  14. iseeall
    Jul 29, 2013
    7
    Amazing graphics, presentation and overall style. It's just that the game is too arcade and primitive. Also, the idea of the path appearing under your feet may seem cool at first but is actually quite annoying: you don't see where you can go and where not.
  15. shambles14
    Dec 2, 2012
    7
    The story was very involving, as a player you feel emotionally connected to your decisions. The controls are a little odd at first, but they grow on you. I wish there was more story to try out all the various weapons available. As soon as you develop a fondness of one, the game throws another at you that's equally as interesting. Towards the end I felt that I didn't get to use as manyThe story was very involving, as a player you feel emotionally connected to your decisions. The controls are a little odd at first, but they grow on you. I wish there was more story to try out all the various weapons available. As soon as you develop a fondness of one, the game throws another at you that's equally as interesting. Towards the end I felt that I didn't get to use as many weapons as I wanted to take down the unique creatures of the story.… Expand
  16. MrXLiebezeit
    Jun 18, 2013
    7
    Bastoin is a very enjoyable indie game with a big heart. You can really feel that the creators put their emotions into the art, story, soundtrack etc. What really makes the game stand out is the Narrator. Some may find him grating, but I and many others find him to be a very interesting way to give us the narrative of the game. I'll put it this way, could you listen to an audiobook about aBastoin is a very enjoyable indie game with a big heart. You can really feel that the creators put their emotions into the art, story, soundtrack etc. What really makes the game stand out is the Narrator. Some may find him grating, but I and many others find him to be a very interesting way to give us the narrative of the game. I'll put it this way, could you listen to an audiobook about a game while playing a game. If that seems even vaguely interesting you might like it, but if that sounds annoying then maybe you should pass as the narrator is always there.
    The gameplay for me is a bit of a miss, but many people like it. It blends a top down rpg with some hack and slash elements. For me, it got a bit bland as I'm not a particular fan of such games(but the narrator kept me going) but for some it, and the great customization can make the game fun even if they dislike the narrator.
    Again the visuals in the game. Very pretty. That's about all I can say, as that is all I could think.
    The soundtrack is lovely and I think really help the narration flow.
    The story while may seem rather convoluted at first, can be rather intriguing if you listen to the narrator enough, and do all the bonus missions.
    I'm not going to spoil anything, but the ending bit is rather emotional, well, for a game of this caliber at least.
    In the end, I really think that the narrator is the deciding factor in many peoples enjoyment of the game. So if you would like it, then definitely play it. Heck, if the gameplay sounds interesting enough, give it a go if it's on sale.    … Expand
  17. Vonnd
    Jul 20, 2013
    7
    This game had excellent visuals and one of the best narrations ever. It was a shame that it took me 2 hours to finish the story and the game wasn't very challenging. I completed some of the challenges but after the story was done, so was the game. I bought it for 2 euros on steam summer sale so I'm pretty content with what I got for that price. 10+ is a pretty steep price for such a shortThis game had excellent visuals and one of the best narrations ever. It was a shame that it took me 2 hours to finish the story and the game wasn't very challenging. I completed some of the challenges but after the story was done, so was the game. I bought it for 2 euros on steam summer sale so I'm pretty content with what I got for that price. 10+ is a pretty steep price for such a short game though. I would still recommend buying it from summer sale.… Expand
  18. xSoul
    Jul 15, 2013
    7
    Overall, I found bastion to be a pleasurable experience playing it but there were some key parts of the story and gameplay which I found to be very annoying and results in me only giving this a 7. Some of those things are the narration that was very limited at some important times and way too unnecessary at others. The somersaulting in the game is not very well programmed and I believeOverall, I found bastion to be a pleasurable experience playing it but there were some key parts of the story and gameplay which I found to be very annoying and results in me only giving this a 7. Some of those things are the narration that was very limited at some important times and way too unnecessary at others. The somersaulting in the game is not very well programmed and I believe that it could've been so much better. Overall, it was a great game but I believe that it could've been better with some little changes.… Expand
  19. diwolf
    Aug 12, 2013
    7
    At first, graphics, sound, game-play were very enjoying. After some time, it got repetitive and boring. Additionally I didnt understand the storyline much. I did not finish the game.
  20. Tuz0
    Oct 11, 2015
    7
    A very beautiful and intriguing game from Supergiant Games, which was indeed a surprise hit and deserves all the praise. It is an Indie, Diablo-like Hack and Slay game which should be very appealing to a lot of gamers out there. But this alone apparently doesn't make a good game, what makes this game so fascinating is on one hand the magnificent and captivating music from their musicA very beautiful and intriguing game from Supergiant Games, which was indeed a surprise hit and deserves all the praise. It is an Indie, Diablo-like Hack and Slay game which should be very appealing to a lot of gamers out there. But this alone apparently doesn't make a good game, what makes this game so fascinating is on one hand the magnificent and captivating music from their music producer Darren Korb and on the other hand the exclusive narrative style of Bastion. A voice is always following every step the gamer takes while unfolding the story behind the Bastion. This is what makes Bastion so unique and different to other games and should be on every gamers 'must-play' list, which sadly never going to happen since the majority of the gamers are graphics driven, blood seeking blockheads.

    This part is where my own opinion starts which I always try to avoid in ratings, so feel free to stop reading right here. Well I can't play Diablo-like Hack and Slay games since they all are the same for me and feel very repetitive and besides boring. This is why I couldnt gave it a good rating, but still doesn't change a full purchase recommendation from me.    … Expand
  21. jelikey
    Apr 4, 2021
    7
    Very charming visuals and story; fun upgrade system. The combat is fun, but repetitive after a while. The narrator's voice adds a lot to this game. Worth playing just to listen to him talk :D
  22. agurczuk
    Aug 25, 2016
    7
    I've had this game lying around for some time before actually picking up and playing. A very nice looking, colourful game with somewhat interesting game mechanics and a really good audio layer.

    In short you wake up as a Kid in a world that has been hit by calamity - whatever that means - in short the world is dying, a lot of people died already and soon more will follow. You find a    I've had this game lying around for some time before actually picking up and playing. A very nice looking, colourful game with somewhat interesting game mechanics and a really good audio layer.

    In short you wake up as a Kid in a world that has been hit by calamity - whatever that means - in short the world is dying, a lot of people died already and soon more will follow. You find a place called Bastion from which you venture forth trying to gather shards in order to restore Bastion to its full glory and stop the calamity.

    What really stands out in this game is both great music and superb narration. The story at first seems a bit strange and it's hard to make out what's going on but once you reach the end it all starts to make sense and is in fact quite interesting.

    The gameplay is an isometric a little bit like hack and slash but with much more emphasis on arcade action. You don't rely on the stats of your weapon but rather on your skill to doge, block and attack at the right time with the right time. Personally I didn't find the combat extremely exciting although I feel this might be a personal preference and a lot of people might love it. This is the reason why I only went after the story missions and completely avoided any additional challenges. In the end wanted to finish the game for the story, not the gameplay.

    The game lets you level your character but levelling up does not increase your stats - rather it unlocks a space where you can hold a bottle of sorts which boosts your stats in one way or another - it's an interesting approach to levelling. The weapons you will have you find along your journey. They're interestingly designed although I found out that at any given time I'm sticking with the choices made early on and not really going for the newer weapons which feel weak. You can level them up - but still - once you find your favourites there is no real reason to change them.

    Overall a good 7/10 game - not spectacular but a solid title - worth playing for the story for sure.    … Expand
  23. Coramcrash
    Oct 27, 2018
    7
    voto 70/100.
    Carino il gameplay e la nota artistica, ma a mio parere gioco molto sopravvalutato, non capisco i voti così alti..
  24. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    7
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  25. michaelb1928
    May 12, 2020
    7
    Played this back in the day and decided to revisit it again. Im writing this review from a 2020 standpoint. Does the game still hold up? yes it does. The art direction is cool, the music is perfect, the story is ok, but mainly this game is all about the gameplay and luckily it still feels great to play although the 2 melee weapons aren't quite satisfying when landing hits on enemies.Played this back in the day and decided to revisit it again. Im writing this review from a 2020 standpoint. Does the game still hold up? yes it does. The art direction is cool, the music is perfect, the story is ok, but mainly this game is all about the gameplay and luckily it still feels great to play although the 2 melee weapons aren't quite satisfying when landing hits on enemies. Overall tho id recommend it. Supergiant are a rare breed of developer, with everything they put out brimming with creativity and what better place to start then bastion.… Expand
  26. CriticalHit20
    Oct 22, 2019
    7
    I tried 3 or 4 times to start playing this game but it never stuck. The narrative for me was annoying. I did not like the art style. You can fall to your death in an ARPG? Apparently so. I love the genre but this one was not for me, which is unfortunate because I love to love games.
  27. Bloodnes
    Oct 20, 2020
    7
    В целом неплохо, интересная задумка у игры, но поиграл около часа и надоела, выбор скилов не велик, вещей тоже, сюжет...но такое себе, на любителя. 7/10
  28. PanMrkvicka
    Jun 1, 2020
    7
    supergiant are amazing developers that recently released Hades in early access which is amazing game and for Bastion you can see that they improved quite a bit from bastion the narrator is great and well written and the gameplay is good and theres a ton of weapon variety and upgrades but the combat could be better its short and story feels rushed and its kind of ok also enemies are finesupergiant are amazing developers that recently released Hades in early access which is amazing game and for Bastion you can see that they improved quite a bit from bastion the narrator is great and well written and the gameplay is good and theres a ton of weapon variety and upgrades but the combat could be better its short and story feels rushed and its kind of ok also enemies are fine but still could be better. still recommend… Expand
  29. Oshiri_Maeda
    Nov 17, 2020
    7
    very nice top-down slasher/shooter, very cool narrator voice. nothing extraordinary though
  30. ErayTellezi
    Nov 17, 2020
    7
    Aksiyon çeşitliliği ve zorluk seviyesi yerinde. Günümüzden bakınca biraz modası geçmiş gibi dursa da oynaması hala eğlenceli.
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PC Game of 2011
17
#17 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
23
#23 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. ActionTrip
    Jan 24, 2012
    83
    It's a highly polished, bug-free bundle of fun and at $15, it's a steal. Kudos to Supergiant Games.
    Read full review
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 30, 2011
    70
    Visually stunning independent action RPG impresses you with a captivating world but will disappoint you with a dull and boring combat system. [Oct 2011]
  3. Everyeye.it
    Oct 9, 2011
    75
    Bastion hides a fun traditional gameplay under gorgeous and innovative visuals, that on the long run could come short in variety.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »