Once in a while a new game strikes an emotional chord within the very heart of the gaming community. With so many great titles this year (that ar wow-ing us with the graphics and gameplay route) none have come close to what Bastion has delivered to the plate.
In essence, Bastion is a rich and colorful action-RPG reminiscent of Diablo with a tinge of the classic look of games such as Chronotrigger and Grandia. Beyond it is something more emotional: the game’s narrative element plays a vital role in the immersion, guiding the player through a completely aural treat. You can really say that it’s a game that utilizes Spoken Word as a core mechanic.
Whoever wrote the narrative has such amazing command of prosaic cadence. The best example is at the start of the game, when our protagonist wakes up and makes his way to the Bastion. The narrator explains the destruction of the world as you make your way to the end of the first level, “The ground forms up from under his feet .. he don’t stop to wonder why…” is the introduction to the world of Bastion.
Full gameplay with narration without voiceovers
Whereas in typical real time strategy games, where we always have an “invisible hand” guide troops to battle, all the player’s actions are consolidated by the narrator into a flowing story that just seems to work. From picking up weapons to introducing new enemies, the narration serves as a replacement to cut scenes by keeping the player tied to the action.
To give you a sample of what I mean, here’s the first track from the game with the narrator filling the player in on the general scope of things. This track is titled “Get Used To It” by Darren Korb.
You can have a listen to the complete album and download the tracks DRM free from Bandcamp
Industry-wise, spoken word narratives seem to be the new thing when it comes to adventure games. The mechanic is rather similar to The Stanley Parable, a half life mod which we featured some time ago.
Bastion will be available soon for all platforms. There is a demo which you can download via Steam.
