Any games like Bastion?

[Karoshi]

I'm looking for game recommendations. After having played Bastion and being blown away by that little indie game, I'm dying for similar experiences. The chances are low, but maybe you guys on Escapist can help me out?

More specifically, I am looking for...

- good story (it can be a simple one, but it gotta be engaging)
- old games or indie are fine
- relatively light-hearted?

Already played Journey and Kingdom Hearts, not playing FF series.

 

[-Seraph-]

Well if you liked Bastions gameplay, then I whole heartedly have to recommend the Ys games. It's a lot more fast paced and action packed, but tough and addictive as hell. You just wanna kill everything to keep that experience bonus going and stat boosts.

Their stories are also generally sincere, charming, and simple yet engaging. Kick ass music, epic tough bosses, and a nice mix of rendered sprites with 3d environments. Hard core Zelda as I like to call em.

Ys Origin and Oah in Felghana are both on steam and are relatively cheap. I see em go on deals all the time too. And if you have a PSS or Vita, then I demand you get Ys seven, it's awesome and changes up the formula a bit with a party system that makes the game feel like the mana games if you ever enjoyed those.

I suggest you get Oath in Felghana first though. It's one of the toughest ones apparently, but it's also the most regarded one.

 

[TrevHead]

I have yet to play Oath of Felghana but I totally fell in love with Origin recently.

However from what I understand Oath is lighter on story than Origin which is in turn lighter on story than Bastion. Although Bastion is imo in terms of story and narrative is just about head and shoulders above anything else 2D ive played, even if I found Bastion's combat to be quite lacking.

While more your std Japanese RPG type story, what I like about Ys Origins story is that you have 3 playable characters whose stories are intertwined even if the character you are playing as fights most of the bosses while the other acts in a supporting role who you sometimes come across at various points in the story.

That said Ys Origin is gameplay first and story second even if what it does is entertaining and does make a good alternative for ppl wanting something similar to Bastion.

Recently the best stories in the games i've recently played are:

Neir Gastalt (360) a 3rd person ARPG, the PS3 has its own version but alters the characters, in the 360 version the player is a father saving his sick daughter and with the characters aimed more towards westerners, PS3 it's bro and sis with Japanese looking characters

Enslaved (360/PS3) great take on an old Chinese story with great acting.

Elshaddia (360/PS3) even if the ending is kinda rushed like the devs ran out of money at the end.

Lost Oddyssy (360) Is highly praised for its story, Due its traditional turn based JRPG mechanics I abandoned the game less than half way through but I would say it has a good story.

While not great by any stretch the story in Guardian Heroes XBLA is good for a oldschool beat em up. It has multiple branching stages and the story changes depending on what route the player takes.

For older games with great stories the one that comes to mind atm is the Legacy of Kain series. The PS1 / PC original is a top down Zelda type game like Bastion, You will might have trouble playing it though emulation, I found the PC version crashes at the start of the game, the PS1 (try several emulators) has some graphical artifacts but it isn't gamebreaking in the least.

The series as far as the Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver series was never tied up similar to Half Life but its still worth experiencing especially Soul Reaver 1, imo that series has some of the best stories in any video game

If you like RTS play the Homeworld series.

Also I find the Carpe Fulgur localisations (Recettear, Fortune Summoners) to steam to be quite charming in their own cute way They are oldschool Japanese cute not modern loli with panty shot moe cute which I don't like.

Also the Lunar JRPG series, if you've yet to play FF7, play that.

 

[Norrdicus]

- relatively light-hearted?

*scratches his head*

I personally don't think "light-heartedness" when I think of Bastion. Melancholy was a much bigger emotional theme in that game

 

[BENZOOKA]

Bastion is brilliant. Everything from the style and music to gameplay, which is the most important factor.

Diablo 3 is actually quite a lot like Bastion. Bastion came to mind more than once when playing it. You pick skills and runes, much like you do with weapons in Bastion. Diablo's story is engaging; not light-hearted, but neither was Bastion's. Diablo 3, I'm serious.

 

[Zoe Castillo]

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[mcnally86]

If you can find Legend of Mana. It looks exactly like bastion and you are rebuilding your world. It is a hell of a lot more complex and very awesome weird story that varies how your rebuild the world. If you like bastion its like an early form of its with old school RPG. If you don't have a play station there are emulators if you have the disk.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well a game that plays near the same as Bastion (twin-stick adventure brawler) is "Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light"

Obviously it's more down to earth, a seemingly serious story but Lara keeps things looking bright, the gameplay is like silk and has a bunch more elements to it then Bastion, also you get the game dirt cheap.

 

[Tanis]

Want a World Building game with good graphic and bright, but dark, story...
Why not zo...Dark Cloud 2?

 

[Toilet]

NOX

Top down and an incredibly entertaining Diablo clone except with more emphasis on adventure and no skill tree. Three different stories depending on your class selection before you start the game (go with Wizard first) with a good script and it can be quite funny at times. (Don't get Diablo 3, especially with all the issues it has.)

Nier

A great title but it is a massive downer and really depressing, combat is alright but the story, characters and world is just fantastic and amazing. Bosses are fun as well and the game play can change up from Hack/Slash to Side Scrolling, Top Down Sh'mup, Puzzle and Text Adventure. The soundtrack is amazing as well. The only downside is that the only way to get the true ending is to finish the game once and replay it from midway and collect all the weapons and finish all the sidequests.

Aquaria
A little indie game set in a beautiful underwater world with exploration very similar to Metroid games, a fantastic story with mature themes (from what I have heard, it is still sitting on my Steam list) and it has narration similar to Bastion with a except with a manly man voice it has a smooth silky ladies voice.

Also just to add my opinion on Bastion. It was fun; the story, music and narration really made it stand out from but the actual Hack/Slash gameplay was average and the controls never sat well with me with both the Mouse & Keyboard or Controller. You guys build it up to Game Of The Year All Years level when it was really flavor of the month.