Bastion is an action game with elements of an RPG. The player takes the role of the Kid, a silent protagonist who has the ability to wield a multitude of weapons that he can use to fight off the many enemies that he encounters throughout the game's many stages. The Kid must avoid taking damage from enemies by blocking attacks with his Bullhead Shield or by dodging them, though he can also take damage from elements of the environment (such as harmful plants) and by literally falling off the map. The Kid can increase his level, which in turn increases his max health and allows him to equip additional passive abilities in the form of Spirits, by gaining experience. Experience can be gained by defeating enemies and by finding Mementos, artifacts left behind by other characters that usually pertain to the story in some way. If Mementos are missed, they can be purchased after the stage in the Lost and Found, provided it has been built at the titular Bastion.
Starting the game[edit]
Bastion's main menu is straightforward; choose the Story option in order to begin the game. Help & Options allows you to change the game's settings, and the Leaderboards are where your score can be viewed for Score Attack Mode. After selecting Story for the first time, you should be presented with only two options: Normal Mode is how the game is meant to be played, giving the Kid only one chance to continue the stage if all of his health has been depleted (though a second chance can be added via a Spirit). If he loses that chance, he will be sent back to the Bastion with all progress from that stage lost. No-Sweat Mode gives the Kid an unlimited number of tries, though you will be locked out of some achievements or trophies in the process. Normal Mode is recommended unless you don't want any kind of challenge.
The game saves automatically after the Kid has returned to the Bastion or traveled to a new location. This is indicated by the spinning gear icon in the corner of the screen. In this case, the Story menu should include the Continue option upon being returned to. In this case, starting a new game will erase this file, as Bastion only allows for a single file to be saved at a time.
Beating the game once adds two additional options to the Story menu: New Game+ allows the player to start a new game in which all of the Kid's items and his level are carried over, and Score Attack Mode tracks the Kid's score for each stage with a cumulative total that can be tracked in the Leaderboards, though only Spirits and Idols are carried over. Starting a new game in either case erases the original file, so decide carefully if you are ready to move on.
HUD[edit]
The screenshot to the right showcases gameplay in Bastion, as well as the game's HUD. This is made up with the following:
- The Kid's health is located in the top-left corner of the screen. This is teal when it has been maxed, and turns yellow when he has taken damage. Taking further damage affects the color of the entire screen, as the borders become red and all other color is lost in order to represent the Kid's damaged state. Restore the Kid's health by picking up blue Health Tonics or stepping over fruits (as can be seen in the image). Picking up Health Tonics with maxed health will allow the Kid to earn 10 experience points. Losing all health will cause the Kid to be defeated, giving you the option to either use a chance if you have one or give up on the stage.
- The Kid's experience is located under the health bar. Defeat enemies and pick up Mementos to gain experience. Filling up this purple bar will allow the Kid to gain a level, in turn allowing him to equip another Spirit.
- The Kid's stock of Health Tonics (which can be used to restore health) and Black Tonics (which can be used for a Secret Skill) is located under his experience. The Kid can only hold three at a time initially, though this maximum is increased by two for each if certain Spirits are equipped for a max total of five. Picking up Health Tonics and Black Tonics with a full stock awards the Kid with 10 experience points.
- The Kid's stock of Fragments is located in the top-right corner of the screen, with Fragments added to the total as the Kid picks them up. Fragments act as the game's currency, allowing the Kid to upgrade his weapons at the Forge and purchase items at the Lost and Found. They can be found by destroying items in the environment or by defeating enemies.
- The Kid's currently-equipped weapons and Secret Skill can be found in the bottom-right of the screen. All three of these can be changed by entering the Arsenal.
The Bastion[edit]
The Bastion acts as the game's hub; this is where the Kid can equip different weapons, Secret Skills, and Spirits, and where he can take on new challenges via the Idols at the Shrine or the vigils at the Memorial. He can also spend Fragments that he finds throughout his travels at the Forge in order to upgrade his weapons, or at the Lost and Found to purchase anything that he has missed as well as some additional items. Accessing the Skyway at the top of the Bastion allows the Kid to fly to new stages and to access the Proving Grounds, challenges meant to test the Kid's proficiency with each weapon. Completing a stage or earning first place in a Proving Grounds removes the Kid's access to it in all modes with the exception of Score Attack Mode, which allows the Kid to replay any stage an unlimited number of times in order to attempt a high score. The Kid can also access his own as well as other characters' Dreams via objects that land in the Bastion as the story progresses. These reveal each character's origin stories in between waves of enemies.