Bastion is an action/adventure game by indie developer Supergiant Games. It’s single-player and comes with controller support. You’ll be playing through a beautiful world that literally comes to life as you walk through it.

There are 21 different areas in the game, all gorgeously hand-painted. As you fight your way through them you’ll discover lots of new weapons. You’ll be able to select two weapons at a time, plus a special ability. You can upgrade your character through drinking potions at the tavern and find special items to upgrade your weapons.

In ‘normal mode’ you’ll have a limited number of lives to get through each level so try and stay away from the badies or from falling off as much as possible. Hitting the Space Bar is used for the dodge/roll ability and it’s very useful in tight situations.

Bastion Levels

The Rippling Walls
Items: Cael Hammer, Fang Repeater, Crystal Barrette & Bullhead Shield

Wharf District
Items: Breaker’s Bow, Something Stringy, Whirl Wind, Something Heavy & Dancing Shot

Bastion
Buildings: Arsenal, Distillery, Forge, Memorial, Lost-and-Found & Shrine

The Workmen Ward
Items: War Machete, Squirt Lure, Something Sharp & Ragged Hood

The Melting Pot
Items: Something Nasty, Ancient Spices & Trip Mine

The Sundown Path
Items: Bronze Spyglass, Hand Grenade & Something Burnt

The Hanging Gardens
Items: Ura Sigil
Survivors: Zulf

Pyth Orchard
Items: Plush Pyth & Something Coarse

Cinderbrick Fort
Items: Scarp Musket & Marshal’s Badge

Langston River
Items: None

Prosper Bluff
Items: Hidebound Journal
Survivors: Zia the Singer

The Wild Outskirts
Items: Dueling Pistols, Something Greasy & Something Foul

Jawson Bog
Items: None

Roathus Lagoon
Items: Sneaky Decoy, Brusher’s Pike, Something Nasty & Something Pointy

Point Lemaign
Items: Army Carbine, Something Sharp, Something Fancy & Zulf’s Note

Colford Cauldron
Items: Flame Bellows, Something Heavy, Pecker Nest & Something Pointy

Mount Zand
Items: Something Greasy, Galleon Mortar & Fine Gramophone

Burstone Quarry
Items: Something Stringy, Something Coarse & Harp Guitar

Urzendra Gate
Items: Something Fancy & Something Wrong

Zulten’s Hollow
Items: Calamity Cannon, Something Burnt, Something Foul Something Wrong & Child’s Drawing

The Tazal Terminals
Items: Hop-Scotch & Battering Ram

 

Bastion Weapons

Army Carbine (Upgrades with Something Fancy)

The Army Carbine is a high damage, ranged weapon that is fairly inaccurate except from point-blank range. The longer you hold down the attack button the more accurate and powerful the shot will be. Holding down the attack button for exactly half strength will produce a Power Shot.

Battering Ram (Can’t be Upgraded)

The Battering Ram is only acquired on the final level of the game and their are no upgrades for it. It’s a powerful weapon but requires two hands to use. This means you can’t roll and you can’t move while blocking. The Battering Ram has an AOE attack, as well as attacking a single target. It can also be used for defensive blocking.

Breaker’s Bow (Upgrades with Something Stringy)

The Breaker’s Bow is one of my favorite weapons. It’s easy to use, accurate and powerful. As you hold down the button the attack power increases. Upgrades include increasing damage, reducing draw speed and increasing the number of penetrations.

Brusher’s Pike (Upgrades with Something Pointy)

This Pike is a good melee weapon to keep the enemies at bay as it has pretty good range. It can also be thrown to kill enemies at a distance. Upgrades include increasing damage and critical hit damage, causing knockback or stun and reducing throw reload speed.

Bullhead Shield (No Upgrades)

You’ll pick up the Bullhead Shield from the Saloon in the Rippling Walls area. It’s an indestructible shield that blocks attacks from one direction. If you bring up the shield just as an enemy attacks you’ll counter-attack, causing major damage to the enemy.

Cael Hammer (Upgrades with Something Heavy)

The Cael Hammer is the first melee weapon you’ll find. It’s slow and cumbersome but deals a lot of damage. The Cael Hammer will deal more damage if you’re standing still while attacking. Upgrades include increased damage, stun and ignoring armor.

Calamity Cannon (Upgrades with Something Wrong)

The Cannon is a ranged weapon that has poor accuracy but causes area damage. Upgrades include faster charge up speed, larger blast radius and rockets that seek out foes.

Dueling Pistols (Upgrades with Something Greasy)

The pistols are found in the Wild Outskirts. A rather challenging area. They fire very quickly but will need to be reloaded after a certain number of shots. Upgrades include increased ammo capacity, faster reload, crippling foes, knockback and extra damage.

Fang Repeater (Upgrades with Something Nasty)

The Fang Repeater is found in the beginning of the game. It’s a rapid-fire weapon with limited ammo capacity. The downside is that you can’t fire the Fang Repeater while moving, otherwise it’s a very good gun. Upgrades include increased ammo capacity, increased damage and reduced reload speed.

Flame Bellows (Upgrades with Something Foul)

A powerful flame assault weapon the spews out fire and does damage over time. Some of the upgrades include extra damage, faster fuel generation and wider flame spread.

Galleon Mortar (Upgrades with Something Burnt)

The Galleon Mortar fires out explosive bombs with a wide area of damage. Upgrades include larger blast radius, faster aiming speed and increased damage.

Scrap Musket (Upgrade with Something Coarse)

The Scrap Musket is a short ranged weapon that shoots out shells in a wide spread. You can choose to upgrade by increasing the range and reducing the spread or increasing the spread and reducing the range. Other upgrades include increasing the knockback and faster reloads.

War Machete (Upgrades with Something Sharp)

The War Machete is one of my favorite weapons and has a fast attack with a short range. You can also hold down the attack button to throw the machete. Uprades include increasing the critical hit damage, critical hit chance and attack speed.

 

Proving Grounds

Breaker Barracks (Breaker’s Bow)

This is one of the easiest proving grounds and can apparently be completed without any upgrades to the Breaker’s Bow. First place is won with 5 shots or less. The easiest way to defeat this challenge is upgrades to damage and increasing the number of penetrations. Shoot from left to right. You should be able to take out all of the balloons in a row. Move down to the next row and shoot again.

Trapper Shingle (Fang Repeater)

You’ll definitely need some upgrades to win first prize in this challenge. Upgrading the Fang Repeater with extra ammo and Tracking Critters will help you to get through the course quickly. To win first place you’ll need to destroy 64 targets.

Windbag Ranch (War Machete)

As soon as you pick up the War Machete you’ll have to kill all of the enemies as quickly as possible. To win first place you need to kill all of the enemies in under 60 seconds. The turrets and carts can be killed by throwing the machete from a distance. Try to kill the squirts as quickly as possible before they scatter as some of them will run away from you. Some upgrades to help with this challenge are the Keen Edge, Combat Handle, Alloy Tip and Reinforced Spine.

Bullhead Court (Bullhead Shield)

This proving ground requires good timing. You’ll need to counter-attack all of the enemies by pressing the defend button just as they’re about to attack. To win first prize you can only be hit once. The large windbag at the end is difficult to counter as he’s so quick. To lure him off the edge stand next to the edge and roll out of the way just as he rushes towards you.

The Scrap Yard (Cael Hammer)

For this challenge you’ll need to destroy 100 objects within 27 seconds. You’ll need to completely upgrade your hammer for this one and even then it will come down to the last few seconds. Try to hit multiple objects with each swing and keep moving.

Zulwood Grove (Scarp Musket)

This is one of the easier challenges if you have the Werewolf Whisky which does extra damage and knockback if you have less than 33% health. To win first prize you need to knock all of the balloons off the island in 15 shots or less. Have the Werewolf Whisky activated at the Distillery and then jump off the island until the whisky is activated. Shoot the balloons off the island in groups and try to keep them together.

Slinger Range (Dueling Pistols)

For this challenge you’ll need to shoot the targets as quickly as possible. Upgrad the Dueling Pistols with Sealed Cylinders, High-Caliber Chambers and Hunting Barrels to make this challenge easier. You’ll need 700 points to score first place but should be able to get around 70 points for each target you shoot.

Camp Duancy (Brusher’s Pike)

For this challenge you’ll need to destroy all of the enemies that are
blocking your path and activate all of the levers. It may take a few runs
to work out the best path through. Only both with the enemies that are in
your way and leave the rest. You’ll need to complete the challenge in
under 60 seconds for first prize. Upgrading the Brusher’s Pike with things
like the Hollowed Shaft and Hunting Grip will make this challenge easier

Trigger Hill (Army Carbine)

You have 35 seconds to kill all of the enemies. This is one of the easier
challenges especially if you upgrade the Army Carbine with faster aiming
time.

Grady Incinerator (Flame Bellows)

The Flame Bellows is a fun weapon to use but this proving ground is fairly
tricky. Upgrades such as Volatile Fuel, Napalm Reservoir and Cooling
Intake will make it easier. You need to destroy 72 Peckers before the 30
second timer runs out.

Boundless Bay (Galleon Mortar)

This challenge requires you to kill a bunch of Squirts that are roaming a
small island. Time your shots so that you can take out large groups of
them with a single shot. Upgrading to Burstone Bombs and Sharpnel Charges
will make it easier. First prize is won with a score of 80 or more.

Mancer Observatory (Calamity Cannon)

Gasfellas are attacking the observatory and your job is to protect all 7
of the conductor structures. All 7 structures must still be standing at
the end of the mission to win first prize. Upgrading the Calamity Cannon
to give it extra splash damage will make this proving ground easier. You
can take upgrades such as Incendiary Fuel Cell and Blast Generator.

Bastion was developed by Supergiant Games and released on the 20th of July
2011. It sold over 3 million copies across all platforms over the
following 4 years. It’s available on Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox
360, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.

The game takes place on a floating world that is constructed as you walk
around on it. After the first few levels you’ll find the Bastion, where
you can make your home, construct buildings, test new weapons and level up
your character.

Bastion is an enjoyable game that has won a number of awards including
being nominated at the Independent Games Festival in 2011 for Visual Art
and Excellence in Audio.