has leapt (from almost nowhere) on to the App Store and in particular on to the iPad.

It's a welcome surprise as it doesn't simply demand players to stick with the control system

of the first two releases (though it is still available), opting instead for an intuitive

semi-auto fire tap and drag system instead. The only question that remains is, does it

still feel like Bastion?

For those unfamiliar with the title, you play the role of 'The Kid', a capable warrior adept

in the use of weapons ranging from hulking two-handed hammers to mines, grenades, samurai

swords, and akimbo-pistols. It's an eclectic range, but you'll appreciate the variety as

you encounter the mysterious floating-world's vicious inhabitants. Whether you're fighting

a gloop spewing Scumbag, a fire-spewing Pyth bull, or the always frustratingly armored

Lunkheads, you'll be able to dodge, hit, shoot and maybe even fire off a special attack or

two to keep ahead of the curve.

While you could play the game using a virtualized version of the original controls (stick-based

movement with an arrangement of buttons to dodge, shoot, and so on), the iPad version

boasts its own smart-control system. Tap or double tap and you'll respectively walk or

dodge in that direction. Hold down and drag and The Kid will chase after your finger.

In either case you'll start attacking hostiles automatically as soon as they're in range.

This may sound cheap, but as it is you still need to avoid attacks while positioning yourself

up for counter-strikes and power-shots, balancing things out.

Traveling through the world of Bastion is a unique experience all on its own as it forms

itself from broken fragments as you move about. As you do so your actions are narrated by

the friendly elder 'Rucks', giving the game an almost story-book like feel as new areas

are constructed before your very eyes.

This actually becomes a core aspect of the game as you attempt to recreate the world

by collecting crystals, granting access to stores that invite experimentation by changing

The Kid's weapon load-out; modifying passive boosts; reforging weapons for new effects;

and even remembering the fallen victims of the calamity that surrounds you.

Bastion for the iPad is a wonderful adaption of an outstanding action title and one that

feels at home on the App Store thanks to its control modifications. Purists may balk at

the reduction of challenge, but Bastion's beauty is not in the difficulty, but in unfolding

its delicate story, one skway at a time.