All the World is Built For You: The Bastion Review.

Our buddy Zack Keyes tackles this downloadable darling in what is our very first non-satirical
review! Read on to get his opinion of Supergiant Games' first attempt at videogame craftery!  Bastion: it'll blow your mind, baby....

Bastion is a joy to behold

       Bastion: a safe haven designed for the denizens of Caelondia. A world at war, in which you find yourself fast asleep. Upon waking up you realize there is very little around you, so naturally, you start exploring. The world appears to form before you, as you step, so as to give boundary and balance to a dimension that floats for its own good with no obvious support.As you begin your journey you walk in a pretty straightforward manner until you find your hammer conveniently located in a direct path from your bed. Then you confront a single fearsome opponent, who seems to be placed in precisely the 

spot you would hope to find a target 

for the larger-than-you-hammer.

Hammers>Monsters

        This enemy teaches you the value of a sturdy hammer and the basics of combat. You continue on to locate a ranged weapon, a secret skill (1 of 20), and your shield. Congratulations! You are now a moderately well equipped character. From this point on you continue through the game experiencing the story from the narrator, leveling up, finding new weapons, and upgrading those weapons to become a child-sized ball of ferocity! The narrator tells the entire story, giving voice to your actions, describing the character's emotions, granting juicy nuggets of vital information, and basically doing its job in a rather splendid and uncommon way. I found myself waiting to see how I was doing and the narrator obliged to my childish glee! All this while also delivering a fantastic soundtrack that creates a “discovering the great frontier” feel that truly enhances the entire atmosphere. Oh, and if you're a fan of achievements (who isn't?) get ready for your achievements to be part of the narrative as well!

/badass pose

With a launch price tag of a mere $15, about 8 hours of game play, and a unique experience from an Indie developer, I give this a 5/5. It really is a mind-blowingly out of control, great game. Go get it!

Verdict: 5/5

Zack Keyes wishes a gruff disembodied
disembodied voice would narrate his life