As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Bastion-Action RPG of the Year

captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
edited January 2012 in Games and Technology
I just read about this on Entertainment Weekly, of all places. One of their top RPGs to look for, alongside bigger names like Skyrim and Final Fantasy XIII-2.
What is Bastion?
Bastion is an original action role-playing game featuring a reactive narrator who marks your every move, lush hand-painted 2D artwork, and tight responsive gameplay that rewards playing with finesse. The game is designed to be simple to pick up and start playing, while offering a lot of rich choices around character customization as well as a deep story and gameworld you can lose yourself in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX48y24t9iU&feature=player_embedded
Developer FAQ

It looks absolutely gorgeous. The other big selling point, besides the art, is the reactive narrator. They recorded 3,000 lines of dialog, and the narrator will actively respond to the things you're doing. Sounds like it could be an interesting addition.
What is the story of the game about?
In Bastion, you play as a young man who wakes up to find his world shattered to pieces in a surreal catastrophe called the Calamity. You head for a place called the Bastion, where your people were supposed to go in case anything ever went wrong. But all you find there is an old man… who believes he can fix everything that’s happened, but he needs your help. You then seek out the materials necessary to complete the Bastion and realize its true power.
This story unfolds through the use of real-time narration, so you will be piecing together the mysteries of the gameworld every step of the way, as the narrator conveys the greater meaning behind your every action.

As someone who loves building/fixing towns in games, this pricked my ears up. Hopefully it is robust and not automatic, but I can't tell from this blurb.


Release Date: Coming to XBLA this summer, and PC after that.

captaink on
«13456718

Posts

  • sgt robsgt rob Pure Rock Fury Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Color me interested.
    The town rebuilding in Dark Cloud was fun.

    sgt rob on
    Alien imposter. Pretender. I'll keep you safe now. Close to my heart.
  • InkyblotsInkyblots Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Glad this is coming to pc because I don't own a 360, looks like a really fun game.

    Inkyblots on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    captaink wrote: »
    The other big sticking point is the annoying narrator.

    Fix'd. Gonna be hitting the mute buttopn on that jerk. I don't know why but to me he's just the aural equivalent of sandpaper on my asshole.

    Magic Pink on
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    captaink wrote: »
    The other big sticking point is the annoying narrator.

    Fix'd. Gonna be hitting the mute buttopn on that jerk. I don't know why but to me he's just the aural equivalent of sandpaper on my asshole.

    :lol:

    No sound at work. What's the narrator sound like, Ben Stein or something?

    Skull2185 on
    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    captaink wrote: »
    The other big sticking point is the annoying narrator.

    Fix'd. Gonna be hitting the mute buttopn on that jerk. I don't know why but to me he's just the aural equivalent of sandpaper on my asshole.

    :lol:

    No sound at work. What's the narrator sound like, Ben Stein or something?

    He sorta sounds like a manager of a trailer park trying to sound bad-ass.

    Magic Pink on
  • Medium DaveMedium Dave Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Personally, I think it's got a great pulp/Western sound to it, but whatever.

    Game looks rad.

    Medium Dave on
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I've been following it off and on since the developers have been in Giant Bomb's spotlight for the last few months. I think it looks great.

    SteevL on
  • HozHoz Cool Cat Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Narrator sounds fantastic to me.

    Hoz on
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Magic Pink is a goose, the narrator is awesome.

    Also, nifty. I had forgotten it was an XBLA title, I had it in my head that it was a full-price one.

    Man, I love that this generation has made all these $5-$20 games available. Though I do wish sales happened more often.

    durandal4532 on
    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Interesting. A bit too cutesy for me, but I did play all the way through Dark Cloud 2, so I guess that sort of game might have some appeal.

    Dracomicron on
  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Wait, what type of town building will we have? Will it basically be "build item shop" or "build item shop here, make street connect here, put water here"?

    urahonky on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Magic Pink is a goose, the narrator is awesome.


    durandal proves his taste is crap.

    Magic Pink on
  • L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Well. Color me interested. The gameplay might not be the freshest, newest thing, but the graphics look pretty, and the narration thing sounds like an awesome innovation. I'd be willing to check it out.

    L Ron Howard on
  • NeuralFizzNeuralFizz Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I'm hoping it's like Dark Cloud or Soulblazer; if it is I'll be happy.

    NeuralFizz on
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Certainly looks worth keeping an eye on from that trailer.

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    If you don't like the narrator, this game is not for you. That's a major selling point.

    captaink on
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    NeuralFizz wrote: »
    I'm hoping it's like Dark Cloud or Soulblazer; if it is I'll be happy.

    Based on what I saw of the game in videos and interviews, it doesn't look like there's any real Dark Cloud elements. Maybe there's a little Soul Blazer in there, though. You just see the world "build up" around you as you walk down a path.

    SteevL on
  • zilozilo Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I used to work with the guys that made this game and they are aces. True craftsmen, professional developers, and this is "their baby" as they put it. They've been cranking full steam on it since late 2008.

    I also saw it at E3. The combat is fun, it looks great in motion, and the narration feature adds a lot of atmosphere to the world. You can turn it off if you must, but the guy's voice fits the context of the game well. Needless to say I am really, really excited about Bastion, moreso than any other XBLA game yet.

    I asked about the release date- turns out they're in the XBLA Summer of Arcade which starts July 20(?), runs five weeks, releasing one game per week. They don't know which "slot" they're in yet.

    zilo on
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    If the guy in this post is right, the release date is August 10th.

    SteevL on
  • zilozilo Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    That's just the order they were listed in the Microsoft press conference, I don't think there's been any news about the actual order of games yet.

    zilo on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    This gives me more of a Legend of Mana vibe than a Dark Cloud vibe; at least from the video.

    I would be happy to have a vibe from either, as I loved both games. Dark Cloud 2 is still one of my all time favorite games and that there has never been a sequel is a constant reminder to me of everything that is wrong with the video game industry.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    This is the best part of my summer. This game.

    joshgotro on
  • fortisfortis OhioRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Bastion looks great. I've been following this game since Giant Bomb started doing their video segments called "Building the Bastion". The lead on the game is Greg Kasavin who used to be EIC for Gamespot when the GB dudes worked there so they have a close relationship.

    Here's the videos link for anybody who wants to watch. They provide a lot of insight you don't often get from developers.

    fortis on
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    This gives me more of a Legend of Mana vibe than a Dark Cloud vibe; at least from the video.

    I would be happy to have a vibe from either, as I loved both games. Dark Cloud 2 is still one of my all time favorite games and that there has never been a sequel is a constant reminder to me of everything that is wrong with the video game industry.

    Yeah, Dark Cloud 2 was fantastic. I never did finish that last chapter...

    SteevL on
  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    360 only? :(

    Lanrutcon on
    Capture.jpg~original
    Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
  • Alfred J. KwakAlfred J. Kwak is it because you were insulted when I insulted your hair?Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    is the narrator the guy from the trailer?

    I could listen to his voice forever

    looking forward to this

    Alfred J. Kwak on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Man, that narrator will get old fast.

    Glal on
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Glal wrote: »
    Man, that narrator will get old fast.

    I worry about this, but given that it's a central feature of the game, I'm sure they must have taken every effort to have him speak in a dynamic and interesting way so that he doesn't just become a background drone.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    They said during one of their segments on Giant Bomb that he does not repeat his lines during a playthrough, so that's good.

    SteevL on
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    SteevL wrote: »
    They said during one of their segments on Giant Bomb that he does not repeat his lines during a playthrough, so that's good.

    I should hope not, that would drive everybody insane.

    What I'm wondering though is if it's dynamic, so it responds to how you're playing and what you've achieved. Or whether it is just static "reach X, play next bit of narration"

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    217507093_FmxLq-L-2.jpg

    Glal on
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Cantido on
    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • zilozilo Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Lanrutcon wrote: »
    360 only? :(

    And PC, eventually. Not sure if Microsoft has some timed exclusive mojo going on or what, but there's not even an official 360 release date yet.

    zilo on
  • ArtereisArtereis Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    FWIW, this team is pretty great. I visited them at Prime2010, and when I came back a second time they gave me a cookie. I look forward to giving them my money when they do their PC release.

    Artereis on
  • EvangirEvangir Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Lanrutcon wrote: »
    360 only? :(

    It's a really small team, so they're focusing on one platform at a time. They've confirmed that they're currently working on the PC version. A PSN version seems likely at some point.

    Evangir on
    PSN/XBL/STEAM: Evangir - Starcraft 2: Bulwark.955 - Origin: Bulwark955 - Diablo 3: Bulwark#1478
  • zilozilo Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Evangir wrote: »
    Lanrutcon wrote: »
    360 only? :(

    It's a really small team, so they're focusing on one platform at a time. They've confirmed that they're currently working on the PC version. A PSN version seems likely at some point.

    They wrote their engine in XNA, so... probably not :( Maybe for Bastion 2!

    zilo on
  • Alfred J. KwakAlfred J. Kwak is it because you were insulted when I insulted your hair?Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    well, that's our retribution for not getting Journey, or that new Vanillaware game

    Alfred J. Kwak on
  • Indica1Indica1 Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    is the narrator the guy from the trailer?

    I could listen to his voice forever

    looking forward to this

    Def want to sex him up.

    Indica1 on

    If the president had any real power, he'd be able to live wherever the fuck he wanted.
  • ultimakayultimakay Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Bastion has an official release date of July 20th as the first Summer of Arcade title.

    I can't wait for it to come out, really all of the summer of arcade games look good.

    ultimakay on
    hLeTR.png
  • Alfred J. KwakAlfred J. Kwak is it because you were insulted when I insulted your hair?Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    for some reason I thought the Summer of Arcade would already start in June and I got all exicted

    and I just finished Clash of Heroes and got nothing to play :(

    Alfred J. Kwak on
Sign In or Register to comment.