That bit where...

While things are a bit slow, I'm gonna do a little mini feature called "That bit where...". It'll be me explaining some of my favourite moments in video games, both past and present. I'd like a little reader participation here too, so leave a comment if you've got a better moment from the same game, or suggestions for moments from other games. Also let me know if there's something you'd like me to write about or review, and I'll see what I can do.

LOOK OUT: SPOILERS

Obviously since I'm talking about specific moments within video games, I won't be avoiding any spoilers, so steer clear if you don't want to know what happens in the game.



The first game I'll do this for is one of my favourite games of last year, and you've heard me talk about it loads before, but it won't stop me keep writing about:

Bastion
"Then The Kid hears something he ain't heard in a long time...how's it go again? ...yeah, that's the one."

For me, the outstanding moment in Bastion, a game filled with outstanding moments, was when you visit Prosper Bluff.

"Some people just yearn to see the things they're told they can't...and that's why you go to Prosper Bluff."

You're there to try and find a piece of the core of the Bastion, a place where people can come in times of trouble, in order to make it whole again after The Calamity shook apart the world.

You follow what appears to be an old mining cart rail track, fighting off swarming, vulture-like birds, all just waiting to peck apart your body. Among them are much larger birds, who pick their moment and then swoop down on you. There are buttons to open the gates closing off your route, but pressing them causes parts of the world to collapse into nothingness. Things are bad, but all the while, just off in the distance you can hear this old, hypnotic wartime song, being sung by an unseen girl with an enchanting voice.

When you reach the girl, Zia, you may not have found a piece of the core, but you've found something just as precious: another survivor of The Calamity.

The song, combined with the setting and atmosphere sent shivers down my spine the first time I played it. If you haven't played the game before, I'd highly advise you buying the soundtrack edition if you're into music at all, because it is phenomenal. The soundtrack is also available for download here (the song from Prosper Bluff is 'Build That Wall (Zia's theme)', and you can get the game either on Steam or XBLA. Finally, you can find my review here.

Thanks for reading, and again, leave a comment if you like.