Game Overview:

Bastion is the first game developed by Supergiant Games. Published in 2011, the developer describes Bastion as “an original action RPG in which you must create and fight for civilization’s last refuge as a mysterious narrator marks your every move”.

The game is widely praised for its innovative narration, art style, and soundtrack. It received multiple awards and nominations, helping Supergiant Games to become a major force in indie game development.

Bastion carries a PEGI 12 rating for including fantasy violence, animated blood, alcohol and tobacco reference.

Analysis Overview:

For this review, we've processed over 23,000 public user reviews from Bastion's release until now.

Top five most commented user tags for Bastion are: Narration, Great Soundtrack, Rich Story, Isometric and Action-RGP. What follows is AI-driven insights of your reviews, presented as they were.

Narration

a) Dynamic Narrative Style: 35% of reviews | Score: 9/10

Bastion’s narration system primarily functions as a dynamic, reactive element that responds to player actions in real-time. The narrator provides ongoing commentary about player choices, movements, and combat actions while simultaneously revealing story elements and world lore. This responsive system creates a personalized experience where each playthrough can feature different narrative elements based on player decisions and actions. While a small number of reviews note that the constant narration could become repetitive or intrusive, the vast majority praise its seamless integration with gameplay. The system particularly excels at delivering exposition and character development without relying on traditional cutscenes or dialogue boxes. Notably, the narration adapts its tone and content based on context, ranging from combat commentary to emotional story moments.

b) Voice Performance Quality: 30% of reviews | Score: 9.5/10

The narration's vocal performance, primarily delivered by Logan Cunningham, receives widespread acclaim for its distinctive characteristics. Reviews frequently compare the narrator's deep, gravelly voice quality to that of Morgan Freeman, highlighting its smooth, rich, and commanding presence. The vocal delivery masterfully balances a rough Western-style drawl with sophisticated storytelling elements, creating a unique tone that fits the game's post-apocalyptic setting. While a small minority of reviewers find the accent or style affected or distracting, the overwhelming majority praise its ability to convey both gravity and humor. The performance particularly excels in emotional resonance, with many noting how the voice actor's delivery adds layers of meaning to even simple commentary.

c) Storytelling Integration: 25% of reviews | Score: 8.5/10

The narration serves as the primary vehicle for the game's storytelling, weaving together gameplay and narrative elements in an innovative way. This approach intentionally aviods traditional game storytelling methods in favor of a constant narrative presence that builds the world and characters through measured revelation of information. The system particularly excels at maintaining narrative momentum during active gameplay, avoiding the common pitfall of segregating story and action. Reviews note how the narration gradually unveils both immediate plot points and deeper lore, creating a layered storytelling experience that rewards continued attention. The approach receives particular praise for its ability to create emotional investment while maintaining gameplay flow. While some reviews mention that the story itself can be cryptic or vague, the narration's delivery method is consistently praised for its effectiveness in maintaining player engagement.

d) Impact on Overall Experience: 10% of reviews | Score: 8/10

The narration's influence extends beyond simple storytelling to fundamentally shape the game's atmosphere and player experience. Reviews consistently highlight how the narrative system creates a unique sense of companionship through the journey, making the potentially lonely experience of a post-apocalyptic setting more engaging. The narration achieves this by providing constant contextual feedback that acknowledges player choices and actions while maintaining the game's tone. This aspect receives particular praise for its ability to enhance both gameplay moments and emotional story beats without becoming intrusive. While a small number of reviews note that the constant narration can occasionally feel overwhelming, the majority emphasize how it creates a cohesive and memorable gaming experience. The system's success in balancing gameplay needs with narrative depth demonstrates its crucial role in defining the game's distinct identity.

Reviews indicate that Bastion's narration system succeeds through a symbiotic relationship between its components: all working together to maintain player engagement while avoiding the potential pitfalls of constant narration.

Great Soundtrack

a) Overall Music Quality: 45% of reviews | Score: 9.5/10

This game's soundtrack stands as one of the most highly acclaimed aspects across hundreds of player reviews, consistently receiving exceptional praise for its outstanding quality. Multiple reviewers consider it among the best video game soundtracks ever created, with numerous mentions of it being "masterpiece" level work and "worth the game’s price alone." The composer, Darren Korb, receives specific recognition for creating a soundtrack that players continue to listen to even outside of the game, with many reporting adding the soundtrack to their regular playlists years after playing. The quality is so consistently high that many reviewers recommend purchasing the soundtrack separately from the game. While a very small number of reviews mention there could be more tracks to prevent repetition, the overwhelming majority describe the music as "flawless," and “phenomenal”.

b) Musical Style & Composition: 25% of reviews | Score: 9/10

The soundtrack demonstrates remarkable stylistic diversity, skillfully blending multiple genres into a cohesive and unique sound. Reviews frequently highlight the distinctive combination of Western/frontier elements with electronic and folk music components, creating what many describe as an "acoustic frontier trip-hop" style. The composition features a rich instrumental palette, with particular praise for the guitar work, ranging from haunting acoustic passages to more energetic segments. Vocal performances, especially those by Ashley Barrett, receive special recognition for adding emotional depth to key musical moments. The music shifts dynamically between different moods and intensities, with reviewers noting how it adapts from peaceful ambient sections to more intense combat themes. This genre-blending approach, combining elements from American Wild Western, techno, and steampunk influences, creates what many reviewers describe as an innovative and original sound that sets it apart from typical game soundtracks.

c) Integration with Gameplay : 20% of reviews | Score: 8.5/10

The soundtrack's integration with gameplay elements emerges as a masterfully executed aspect of the game's design. Reviewers consistently note how the music dynamically adapts to match different situations, with combat sequences, exploration moments, and story beats each receiving appropriate musical accompaniment. The soundtrack is praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere of various locations while maintaining coherence with the overall narrative. Multiple reviews highlight how the music seamlessly blends with the narrator's voice and sound effects, creating a unified experience. The timing of musical cues also receives particular praise, with many noting how tracks "kick in at the perfect moments" and effectively underscore key events.

d) Emotional Impact: 10% of reviews | Score: 9/10

The emotional resonance of the soundtrack represents one of its most profound achievements, with reviewers consistently describing its powerful impact on their gaming experience. Many players report experiencing strong emotional responses, from "getting goosebumps" to being “moved to tears” by certain musical moments, particularly during key story sequences. The soundtrack's ability to evoke specific moods ranges from creating feelings of desolation and foreboding to inspiring hope and determination, with special praise for how it captures the game's themes of loss and perseverance. Players frequently mention how certain tracks remain "stuck in their heads" long after playing, with some reporting still listening to and being emotionally affected by the music years after their initial playthrough. The emotional connection is especially strong during vocal tracks, which reviewers describe as "heart-touching" and "soul-crushing" in their delivery and timing.

The soundtrack achieves its exceptional overall quality through a masterful blend of diverse musical styles and genres, which are dynamically integrated into gameplay moments and expertly crafted to deliver powerful emotional resonance, creating a cohesive musical experience that elevates the entire game and remains memorable long after playing.

Rich Story

a) Narrative Quality & Storytelling: 45% of reviews | Score: 9.2/10

Bastions's narrative quality and storytelling style represents a defining characteristic that consistently draws praise. The storytelling is frequently described as unique and innovative, with numerous reviews highlighting the seamless integration of narration into gameplay actions. The presentation method is often cited as distinctive, with reviewers noting how the story "unfolds as you walk around" and is "delivered through voice narration" rather than traditional cutscenes. The narrative style maintains engagement without impeding gameplay, as evidenced by frequent mentions of how the story "blends seamlessly with the mechanics" and "keeps the storyline moving along with the rest of the game.”

b) Story Structure & Depth: 35% of reviews | Score: 8.8/10

The review data reveals a sophisticated narrative structure with multiple layers of depth and complexity that unfold throughout the gameplay experience. The story is consistently described as having rich lore and detailed world-building elements, with numerous reviews highlighting how the narrative gradually reveals itself through exploration and player progression. A key structural element frequently mentioned is the presence of multiple endings and meaningful player choices, particularly near the game's conclusion. The world's backstory and history are delivered through various means including "mementos," "item descriptions," and "environmental storytelling," creating a deeper understanding of the game's universe without relying on exposition dumps.

c) Emotional Impact & Characters: 20% of reviews | Score: 9.0/10

The narrative tackles complex themes including loss, redemption, and the consequences of war, with reviewers frequently noting how the story becomes increasingly poignant as it progresses. Character development receives consistent praise, with multiple reviews highlighting how players become emotionally invested in the characters' fates. The game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses while maintaining narrative sophistication is repeatedly emphasized, with reviews noting how it handles mature themes without becoming overly dark or pretentious.

Bastions's distinctive narrative delivery style serves as the foundation for unveiling its layered story structure and world-building elements, which in turn allows the emotional themes and character development to resonate more deeply with players through a carefully paced revelation of plot and personal stakes rather than relying on heavy-handed exposition.

Isometric

a) Visual Style & Art Direction: 45% of reviews | Score: 8.5/10

The visual presentation of the game centers on its distinctive isometric perspective, which is consistently enhanced by hand-drawn and hand-painted artwork. The art style employs a vibrant color palette and watercolor-like aesthetics, creating environments that range from lush jungles to city streets and desolate wastelands. The isometric graphics are complemented by what reviewers describe as beautiful, detailed environments that maintain their visual appeal throughout different areas of the game. Many descriptions emphasize how the visual style combines 2D backgrounds with 3D character models, creating a unique aesthetic that blends different artistic approaches. While the isometric view occasionally leads to awkward camera angles, the overall art direction receives widespread praise for its timeless quality and ability to remain visually impressive years after release.

b) Gameplay & Camera Perspective: 30% of reviews | Score: 7.5/10

The isometric perspective fundamentally shapes the game's combat and exploration mechanics, presenting a top-down view that influences how players interact with the environment. Multiple reviews indicate that while movement might feel awkward initially due to the isometric perspective, players typically adjust to the controls after some practice. The camera angle presents both advantages and challenges - it provides clear visibility of the surrounding environment and enemies, but can sometimes lead to missed shots or navigation difficulties on narrow pathways.

c) Level Design & World Building: 15% of reviews | Score: 8.8/10

The game's most distinctive level design feature involves environments that dynamically assemble themselves as players progress through the world. The isometric perspective showcases a setting of floating islands and fragments in the sky, with each area revealing itself through tiles and platforms that materialize beneath the player's feet. This unique world-building mechanic is integrated seamlessly into both the gameplay and narrative, creating what reviewers describe as an immersive experience where exploration directly impacts environmental revelation.

d) Technical Implementation: 10% of reviews | Score: 7.8/10

The technical execution of the isometric perspective demonstrates a successful blend of 2D and 3D elements within the game's visual framework. Reviews indicate that the game maintains smooth performance across different platforms. The technical design allows for clear visibility of game elements while maintaining artistic quality, though some reviews note occasional issues with depth perception due to the isometric angle. The game's graphical fidelity holds up well over time, with the hand-drawn art style and isometric perspective contributing to its visual longevity.

The game's distinctive isometric visual style serves as the foundation that shapes both its gameplay mechanics and controls, enables its unique dynamic world-building level design, and achieves this through an efficient technical implementation that blends 2D and 3D elements with vibrant, hand drawn artwork.

Action-RPG

a) Combat System & Mechanics: 45% of reviews | Score: 8.5/10

The combat system emerges as the gameplay’s defining feature, characterized consistently as fluid, responsive, and engaging. Data shows a strong emphasis on accessibility, with numerous descriptions highlighting how the system is "easy to learn" yet offers depth for mastery through timing, planning, and skill development. The mechanics are frequently described as "smooth" and "well-designed," with players noting the satisfying feel of the controls and movement. Combat pacing is predominantly described as fast and dynamic, with several reviews emphasizing the importance of dodging, blocking, and strategic positioning. While a small number of descriptions note that combat can feel repetitive or "button mashy," these criticisms are significantly outnumbered by positive assessments of the system's depth and satisfaction. The game incorporates both challenging and forgiving elements, with multiple descriptions highlighting the difficulty modifiers that allow players to customize their experience.

b) Weapon Systems & Variety: 30% of reviews : Score: 8/10

The weapon system stands out as a core gameplay element, featuring a diverse arsenal that supports multiple playstyles and combat approaches. Reviews consistently highlights the presence of both melee and ranged options, with specific mentions of hammers, machetes, crossbows, guns, and various other implements that players can utilize. The system is built around a two-weapon combat framework, allowing players to mix and match different combinations to suit their preferences or tactical needs. The variety in weaponry directly impacts gameplay diversity, with descriptions emphasizing how different weapons significantly alter combat approaches and strategies. Players can discover and unlock additional weapons throughout their playthrough, with the system encouraging experimentation through rewards and challenges designed around specific weapon types.

c) Game Structure & Style: 25% of reviews | Score: 7.5/10

The game presents itself as a fusion of action and RPG elements that draws comparisons to classic titles like Diablo and Zelda. Reviews indicates the game structure follows a level-based format with distinct areas to explore and challenges to overcome. The design emphasizes quick, bite-sized gameplay sessions while maintaining progression through character development and weapon upgrades. The game's length is consistently described as relatively short but replayable, with side content and various difficulty options extending the experience.

Bastion Review