Bastion

Bastion is an action RPG from Supergiant Games that, since its release, has drawn attention mainly for its unusual style of storytelling - a narrator comments in real time on almost every step the player takes, reacting to their decisions and fleshing out the atmosphere of a fallen world. The player, a character known as Kid, makes his way through a shattered landscape where the path literally assembles itself from chunks of ground beneath his feet, fights enemies with various weapons, and gradually collects fragments explaining what brought the world to the ruin known as the Calamity, while an optional system of challenges lets players make the game harder as they see fit.

Hand-painted graphics, a striking isometric viewpoint, and music blending western motifs with electronica gave Bastion an unmistakable visual and audio signature, which helped make it one of the most distinctive indie titles of its generation. The game's success helped Supergiant Games establish itself as a studio capable of pairing strong storytelling with engaging action combat, and opened the door to further games in the same spirit.

On mobile it is a paid game with no ads, controlled with a virtual joystick for movement and buttons for attacking and dodging, or with a gamepad. The action combat demands decent dexterity, so touch controls work well, but more demanding players will appreciate a connected controller, which handles fast combinations of movement and dodging in more intense fights better.

Why play it: For players who want a strong story told in an unusual form by a reactive narrator, paired with engaging action combat.