VIRTUAL BASTION

Why E3 is Still Important

“I’m pleased to announce…” These are the magic words of E3. They stoke excitement and they inspire the imagination. They are the prelude to much of what the audience is there to see. The show’s relevance has been getting called into question with increasing frequency over the years, and it’s understandable. Thanks to the internet the…

Hello Neighbor Alpha 4: Thoughts and Theories

For the last month or so, I have been frequently checking Youtube in the hopes of discovering more updates for the intriguing indie game, Hello Neighbor. If you’re not familiar with this game, allow me to summarize. Simply put, your goal is to sneak into your neighbor’s house and discover what he’s hiding in his…

Ghost of a Tale: A Redwall-Inspired RPG Adventure

In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for me to find enough new games that really interest me. Many of my favorite series have since ended or update quite rarely. Plus, I have grown far pickier over how I spend my money. To continue my quest for new and interesting games, I have been…

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #11

To Internet inhabitants everywhere, welcome to our weekly wrap-up of Virtual Bastion on YouTube! If you’re just joining us, each Friday, we take a look back some of the highlights from the Let’s Plays and playthroughs that we posted during the week. You can click below on the individual videos, or simply head over to our…

What is an RPG without the “R” and the “P”? [Part 1 of 2]

When I decided at the beginning of March that yes, okay, I’d invest in Mass Effect: Andromeda, I thought that it might be fun to play through what I could of the original trilogy before Andromeda was released. But with my gaming time being limited, and with upwards of a several dozen hours, if not…

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #10

Aaaaaah. It’s Friday. That magical day of the week that signals the start of the weekend. Well, for some people anyway. If you’re stuck in front of a computer for the weekend and need a few great gaming videos to pass the time, then you’ve stopped at the right place! It’s time for us to take…

Resonance: Two Favorite Songs to Soothe a Troubled Mind

Upon completing my post from last week in which I referenced the soundtrack to Red Dead Redemption, I immediately had to listen to it again. I remain amazed at just how cohesive and brilliant it is in all its “Old West” mimicry. And, as much as it made me want to roam the prairies of…

A Look Inside Breath of the Wild’s DLC Pack 1

As many of you no doubt know, it was announced some time back that owners of Breath of the Wild could pay a $20 fee for some DLC entitled “Expansion Pass” (which I discussed in a past post). Aside from some bonuses I assume were initially available for anyone who bought the DLC, several additional…

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #9

You know how they say time flies when you’re having fun? Well, that’s certainly true when it comes to our YouTube channel, because we’ve been having loads of fun sharing our Let’s Plays with you! Once again, thanks to all our subscribers for the likes, comments, suggestions, and general goodness. It all goes a long…

Will Red Dead Redemption 2 sound as good, if not better than the first?

Earlier this week, an article popped up on VG247 discussing marked similarities, as pointed out by a NeoGAF member, between the song used in in Red Dead Redempetion 2’s announcement trailer, and a song titled “Apertura” (from The Motorcycle Diaries) by Gustavo Santaolalla. Take a listen below. Santaolalla is a composer with plenty of meaty…

Yooka-Laylee: A Game with Good Intentions

Fans of the Banjo-Kazooie series have long-awaited a true sequel since Banjo-Tooie’s release on the Nintendo 64 in 2000. When Yooka-Laylee was finally announced as a spiritual successor to the much-beloved pair of platformers, I’m sure every Banjo-Kazooie fan jumped for joy. Many people, like myself, hoped that Yooka-Laylee would harken in a new era…

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #8

Greetings and salutations, good people. We’ve reached the end of another week, and that means it’s time to take a trip around Virtual Bastion’s week in YouTube. We certainly do appreciate all the love we’ve received there (and here!) about our new name and look, so a big thank you is due to all you…

Phoenix Wright: Ace Finale!

Well, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Believe it or not, and despite all things Mass Effect: Andromeda, I have been slooooowly winding my way through the final chapter of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a game that I picked up on a whim a few months back. And I’m pleased to report that I made it…

Unreal Engine 4 is Surprisingly Friendly to New Developers

The power of Unreal Engine 4 continues to impress as more and more developers put it through its paces. We seen what the engine could do for some of our favorite games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but what about completely new projects? What can a completely new developer do with it? More…

Four New Zelda: BotW Features the Duck Can’t Live Without

Just because my time with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has come to a close, that doesn’t mean I have stopped thinking about it. This game was an amazing experience, and it introduced a plethora of improvements that have elevated the Zelda franchise to new heights. Below is a list of the…

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #7

Hello, one and all! We hope that you’ve been having a good time exploring our new digs. We’ve been busy sprucing up the place, making sure that everything is just right. So don’t mind our mess…instead just sit back and enjoy the return of our weekly YouTube highlights! (And be sure to follow Virtual Bastion…

A Blissful Pursuit: My Relationship Fighting Games [REVISITED]

The following is a repost of an original article that first appeared here on April 16, 2015. This week saw the release of Mortal Kombat X, the latest title in that ubiquitous fighting saga that, if nothing else, well popularized the phrase “Get over here!” But this week also marks another Mortal Kombat milestone: the 20th…

Time To Go Full Throttle?

DoubleFine fans will still need to wait awhile until the studio is ready to release Psychonauts 2, but those looking for a taste of that wonderfully delightful DoubleFine flair in the meantime are in luck. Another early classic from Tim Schafer’s time at LucasArts has been remastered and released earlier this week! Which excellent piece…

Breath of the Wild: A Review

It is probably safe to say that The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most beloved in video game history. With a history of 30 years and counting, it is only natural, then, that such a series would need to change, either to keep up with improving technology or to prevent itself from…

Spring is Here! Let’s Talk about Games!

Winter is dead. Long live spring! Yup, spring has finally started to settle in around here, so thoughts have naturally turned from staying warm and video games to enjoying the warmer weather…and video games. Alright, so maybe the improved weather doesn’t change all that much after all, but it does have me wanting to see…

Mass Effect: Andromeda — Screenshot Theater

Being over three weeks old now, Mass Effect: Andromeda feels a little like old news. Most people I know who have it have already completed at least one playthrough. Speedy hares they are! I, on the other hand, am the tortoise in this gaming race — slow and steady. And yes, this is a fancy…

Breath of the Wild Finally Comes to a Close

It’s been a, ahem, rather wild month, but I’ve finally completed Breath of the Wild. I feel like a strange emptiness has suddenly opened up in my life after all the many hours I have devoted to this game, but at the same time, I’m also relieved because, honestly, I’m a bit burned out at…

Saturday Video Round Up: Favorite E3 2017 Trailers Part 1

Well, this was certainly exciting, was it not? E3 2017 is a wonderful week for fans of video games as we finally get to see many of our most anticipated titles in action along with a few surprises sprinkled in for good measure. Seeing as I’m pretty much a one man show here, trying to…

Honing My RPG-Skills with Final Fantasy XII

You may recall this past year that I have been discussing with decent regularity my general incompetence when it comes to RPGs. For the longest time, I have been employing the “beat it senseless” method of defeating my foes. When that fails, I proceed to plan B, the “level up a whole bunch and try…

Saturday Video Round Up: June 4 – 10

This weekend marks the start of everyone’s favorite gaming event, E3! Normally, I’d say companies tried to hold back their content but let’s be honest. Companies are trying to outdo each other and be first to the punch, so the E3 trailers have started dropping early! So before we see the reveals and demos this coming week,…

YouTube Highlights, Weekly Edition #14

Have you found yourself wondering, “What videos are currently up on Virtual Bastion’s YouTube Channel?” Wonder no longer, for help has arrived in the form of this very post! Yes, it that’s time of the week where we share a few recent video highlights. And then you click, love, subscribe, and share them across the…

77 Hours Later, and Mass Effect: Andromeda is in the Bag

Actually, 77 and one-half to be precise, but who’s counting? Me, that’s who, because I really can’t believe that I spent anywhere near that time in the world of Mass Effect: Andromeda. But there it is, and now it’s time to talk about it. Where to even begin?! There’s so much to unpack here, but…

Tokyo 42 Looks Pretty Cool

For those who enjoy games with unique art and isometric cameras, Tokyo 42 might just be something worth checking out.

Who Knew Mixing Puzzle Games Could Be So Much Fun?

What would you expect to get when mixing two different puzzle games together? Chaos? An exercise in sheer and utter frustration? A really good excuse to break a controller? How about one of the most surprisingly entertaining party games to come out in the last couple of years? Believe it or not, Puyo Puyo Tetris…

Saturday Video Round Up: May 28 – June 3

Even with E3 right around the corner, new trailers are still popping up all over the place! Welcome to a brand new Video Round Up this week, where the best trailers and videos from the industry have been gathered for your viewing pleasure. Here are just a few of the games waiting for you below….

YouTube Highlights: Weekly Edition #13

Whoever decided that the number “13” was unlucky didn’t know our very exciting YouTube channel. Because here we are, back with our very lucky 13th installment of our weekly YouTube highlights! And we’re very glad you’ve joined us on this lovely Friday for gaming sights and sounds galore. If you like what you see here, we’d…

Red Dead Redemption 2 delayed…and that’s okay

Early last week, Rockstar Games broke the news that this year’s darling Western drama, Red Dead Redemption 2, will be next year’s darling Western drama. Yes, the game has been delayed until Spring 2018. This, in my mind, leads me to think of a possible release in March, but that’s purely a guess. About the…