If you ask me, there can never be too many action-RPGs. So, when an indie start-up comes along — one made up of ex-Command & Conquer veterans and a former GameSpot Editor-In-Chief no less — to offer its take on the genre, my face lights up like a child’s on Christmas morning.
My latest action-RPG crush is Supergiant Games‘ newly-unveiled Bastion, a game that promises to pull players into its colorful, hand-painted universe and have them build “civilization’s last refuge” after a cataclysmic event known as the Calamity splinters the world into a chain of floating islands. Players will roam the floating islands in search of supplies and survivors to construct their safe haven, slaying nasty monsters, customizing gear, and sipping on “specially-brewed spirits” to develop powerful abilities along the way, while a narrator dynamically reacts to and narrates player actions as they occur in real time.
“Our goal with Bastion is to hit players’ emotional chords in unexpected ways, in addition to delivering highly responsive gameplay that rewards finesse and experimentation,” said game industry veteran Greg Kasavin, Supergiant Games’ Creative Director. “We’re pushing to make it so that players become absorbed in the game’s distinctive setting and narrative tone from the first moments.”
Bastion‘s development is currently scheduled to wrap up by summer 2011, at which point it will be digitally distributed on PC and console platforms. Check out the official trailer below and the first screenshots here for a glimpse of the game’s lush visuals and intriguing narrative style.
Matt Litten is the full-time editor and owner of VGBlogger.com. He is responsible for maintaining the day to day operation of the site, editing all staff content before it is published, and contributing regular news, reviews, previews and other articles.
Matt landed his first gig in the video game review business writing for the now-defunct website BonusStage.com. After the sad and untimely close of BonusStage, the former staff went on to found VGBlogger.com. After a short stint as US Site Manager for AceGamez, Matt assumed full ownership over VGBlogger, and to this day he is dedicated to making it one of the top video game blogs in all the blogosphere.
Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary! 
