Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: Bastion's a fun little action-role-playing game that I took a shine to at last year's Penny Arcade Expo. I watched you play some of it here at E3 Expo 2011 on my insistence, and you seemed like you had fun. What did you think of it?
David Wolinsky, Contributing Editor: Well, I wasn't just acting for your benefit. I'd never heard of the game before happening upon it earlier today, and I was pleasantly impressed. It's bursting with charming visuals and a really approachable play style -- reminiscent of isometric action-RPG games I associate more with the Game Boy era, not 2011. What really pushed it over the edge for me was the running, Clint Eastwood-esque narrator who gives the blow-by-blow of every move you make. The demo hints at a lot more depth in the hours after it leaves off (you're introduced to a hub world and the ability to build shops), which only whet my appetite that much more for the full-on game.
Ryan Scott: Yeah, that narrative style is really what makes it special. It's actually hard to say much about what the game is actually about, as developer SuperGiant Games has played this game pretty close to the vest (I'm pretty sure you played the same chunk I played at PAX!). What did you think of Bastion's combat mechanics?
David Wolinsky Oh, I thought they were fantastic. Very barebones, but with just enough complexity to allow you to carve out your own strategy. Even though at one point I accidentally swapped out my mighty hammer for a second bow, it made me appreciate how two different weapons in the same class control differently. Mind you, each weapon is mapped to a single button -- but having to button-mash for my hammer and then hold and charge for my bow is a nice move. It's not like in Gauntlet: You can't just blast the buttons, assuming you'll sink anything around you. As you saw, I died a few times. So it looks very whimsical, but it's also unexpectedly challenging. How can you not fall in love with that?
Ryan Scott: Did you get a sense of what's in store in terms of weapon upgrades and shops? I saw that you did a little bit of shopping here and there.
David Wolinsky: Not too much. Just basic, obligatory stuff like imbuing weapons with more strength or an increased firing rate. Nothing revolutionary, sure -- but it's easy enough to get overwhelmed by the enemies here, so every little bit helps. I think the shopping feature was included as a small respite before diving into the end of the demo (and what I assume is the unfolding of the game's bigger world).
Ryan Scott: How do you think that awesome, gravelly voiced, hard-livin' narrator would end this preview?
David Wolinsky: The same way I would: With a shot of whiskey!
