Games that play like Bastion?

[residentleever]

When you check steam's recommendations or google this you get pretty random results, so which games actually play like Bastion? Isometric perspective hack 'n slash/beat 'em up with some crafting and/or skill tree/slots, leveling, some movement focus in combos and dodging (unlike Diablo), hub map with some non-linearity and some open-ended levels (or a more interconnected world), etc. I am not really looking for rogue-lites here, unless they are of the diablo variety where the world randomizes between playthroughs only and not after death.

Some games I've played that are similar but also quite old:
Landstalker - Also a platformer and a Zelda-like
Solstice - A puzzle platformer which takes place in one big dungeon
Super Mario RPG - RPG battle encounters and party-based, a platformer outside of battle, some mini-games
Mystic Towers - Like Solstice
Light Crusader - Puzzle platformer/hack 'n slash hybrid structured like Diablo 1

[Kargor]

There's also "Transistor" -- but I didn't even finish that one and gave it a thumb down. Other people like it, though.
The company has moved to completely different games after that, as far as I can tell.

Also, where does Bastion have "open ended levels"? And, of course, the more details from Bastion you put on your "must have" list, the fewer games you'll be able to play... go out and look for something else.

[residentleever]

I haven't beaten the game yet but some levels have been shaped like a cross where you can choose your path through them. Others are straightforward

That's what I'm doing with this thread. ;)

[セイブレム]

I believe "Hades" could be what you are looking for. Being a "rogue-like" (yeah I saw that you are not looking for one) it keeps a lot of your progress, has improvable trinket system, skill system, different weaponry with own skill trees, fun dialogues, Hub management, etc

It is made by the same studio.

Both games (Hades and Bastion) feel alike to me.

[residentleever]

Yeah I'll probably try it at some point even though I'm really not into those generally. Someone also mentioned those isometric Lara Croft games which I'd like to try soon. Though I think they're level-based without the home base and more linear.

[Kargor]

Yeah. at least the first Lara game (I don't know the second one) doesn't have a hub. I don't specifically remember "crafting" either, but that seems to be very broad term these days if Bastion counts as "crafting".

If that's important for you, Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection comes to mind. Although it's not isometric, I suppose, and it's not something I'd have described as "like Bastion" -- no narrator or anything. You do get a bit of a hub world with 2 towns and the airstrip, but you're not building that. An no crafting either, but do you really call Bastion's "put this material into your weapon to upgrade" crafting? With that, Zwei probably has food crafting since you're combining 10 food for a new one :-) It's a dungeon crawler.

[residentleever]

Well, you use found materials to upgrade the weapons so it's a basic form.

The narration doesn't affect gameplay, and that's what I'm looking at here. Anyway that Zwei game looks pretty fun, thanks.

[GuudBooi]

I think Hades is exactly what you are searching for, i know that the definition of roguelite may scare you but actually the game feels very story driven with lots of sidequest and stuff to unlock, upgrades, power ups, etc...
Also characters there are top notch, and the dialogue system will blow your mind.

[residentleever]

It doesn't scare me, I'm just not interested in rogue-likes unless you can keep the same layout throughout a playthrough so you can practice the same thing you died at.

[GuudBooi]

Originally posted by residentleever:

It doesn't scare me, I'm just not interested in rogue-likes unless you can keep the same layout throughout a playthrough so you can practice the same thing you died at.

Hmmmm in Hades you can't keep the layout of the map, but you practice what power up to get with the others, and how to fight bosses etc... I would still recommend Hades to you if you liked Bastion because how the weapons works is very similiar in movement to bastion although in Hades you can be faster, also the game has a very strong narrative side with quests and dialogue

[Rage]

Hades. I hate rogue(ish) games in general. It's one of two I've actually enjoyed though. The gameplay feels like a literal upgraded version of Bastion. No joke. The Lara Croft ones are pretty good though especially if you have a friend. Haven't finished the second one, but I've gone through the first a couple times.

[Enferian]

I am late on the reply, but maybe you can try Victor Vran

https://store.steampowered.com/app/345180/Victor_Vran_ARPG/

The story is not as good as Bastion's, as it is more generic. The playstyle however and many other elements are quite similar imo. (e.g dodge)

Your weapon defines 3 of your skills and you can switch between 2 weapons when in combat. You also have 2 demon powers (spells) similar to Secret skills, but they are completely independant of the weapon you use.

You have some cards to equip that give passive bonuses (similar to Bastion's spirits). There are also some Hexes that you can activate to make the game harder (similar to Bastion's Idols.

Weapons can be upgraded, but not the same way as Bastion. You can increase their stats (e.g. increased chance for critical hit) or add 1 more stat, but you can't add more functionality to them (like make Calamity cannon's rockets seek out foes).

There are however several legendary weapons that often add such functionality. For example there are some swords that can reflect projectiles that you hit with a certain skill, or some revolvers that fire piercing bullets, or a hammer that pulls targets towards you with a certain skill etc.

Finally there are some cards that add functionality to a weapon. For example there is a card that makes some sword attacks give health regeneration when you critically hit.

[Shockwaves]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/257850/Hyper_Light_Drifter/

Hyper Light Drifter is pretty similar. It plays closer to SNES Zelda's and is way more open world and complex than Bastion, but the overall indie action RPG vibe with a bunch of weapons is there. It's not for everyone and can be pretty vague at first, but ends up becoming an amazing game once you start to piece together the story and upgrade your character. It's best played with a controller, as well. Keyboard and mouse is really clunky with that game.