Bastion, similar to Limbo of all things, doesn't even have a traditional introduction. You don't hit "start" and watch a cut-scene for a few minutes -- you're immediately in control of "the kid" as he's lying in bed. But then you get up, and the Narrator that's been talking starts describing your own actions. As you explore and see how the world is created in front of you, the Narrator states as much. The Narrator points out your first weapon moments before you see it, and reflects on how you grab some loot which you can use later to enhance your arsenal. He even speaks of your victory against your first opponent. It's a pretty neat, and distinct, use of such a storytelling device.
Which is its main goal: to deliver story critical information without breaking into lengthy cut-scenes with long winded exposition ("In the days of yore within the valley of the shadow thus came the Calamity" type of stuff). Creative director Greg Kasavin points out that it's not play-by-play commentary -- the Narrator doesn't speak every time you hit an enemy or open a door. He provides context and information when needed; when you first encounter the Squirts, the Narrator points out how they're creatures that likely came from the mines below after "the Calamity" (a mysterious event that makes the world the way it is -- all floaty and scattered). The Narrator tutors gently without outright saying, "press this button to evade." Note that the footage above is straight from Bastion's beginning, and the Narrator is a bit more verbose as he delivers both exposition and information about basic gameplay mechanics. He will still be around to explain important story elements later on, but he won't be quite as talkative (in fact, you actually meet him later on as well).
But what is he actually narrating? A pretty action-heavy action-RPG. There's a bit of Diablo, to be obvious, in that you move a single character around an isometric perspective to fight baddies. But it's not just about simply going up to monsters and hitting things for money. Kasavin notes that the team is going for the pure responsiveness and feel of an SNES-era game, such as how the kid can quickly roll-and-evade, or block-and-counter. Boss battles against giant thugs aren't about just parking in front and spamming the attack button -- they're about moving around the stage and alternating between swinging, shooting, blocking, and countering. Bastion feels simple enough for repetitive button-mashing, but players who use skill with the kid's multiple weapons (which, to date, include hammers, crossbows, rifles, and revolvers) and abilities should be able to appreciate the game as well.
In addition to focusing on fighting fools and taking their money, Bastion messes around with that gameplay formula and even the very environment you fight on. You might find yourself on a small floating barge while shooting at towers from afar. As you'll notice in the above footage, the actual real estate the kid walks on gets generated in front of him. Don't mistake this for random dungeon generation -- the world is hand-crafted, but it's presented in that distinct "construction before your eyes" method. But just as easily, that very same ground can be smashed away by strong foes, giving you another thing to worry about when moving around during a hectic battle. Or, you might find yourself panicking and running while the ground conversely falls apart -- which certainly happens once the kid picks up a "core" at the end of a dungeon. 
Click the image above to check out all Bastion screens.
Which leads to the Bastion itself: a fledgling town (screenshot above) that resembles the one in Actraiser. The kid collects cores from different parts of the post-Calamity world, and each core restores another aspect of the Bastion. Create a weapon shop, and you can then go change and enhance your weapons at the Bastion. Construct a distillery, and you have a new source of potions and powers. I only see the basic foundation of the Bastion, and a few ideas for how it gets built up over time, but it already looks pretty neat in being a town hub that you actually help start and develop over time.
Supergiant Games is aiming to have Bastion out by next summer on the major consoles (I played it on a PC, but as you can see from the video, it's gamepad-friendly), so there's quite a lot left to finish and play. Kasavin comments that some sort of co-op mode is being prototyped; the most he can say is that the second player isn't going to be the same kid with a palette swap. Besides that, there are more areas to paint-and-create in Bastion's distinct style, more weapons and enemies to tune, and more narration to be recorded. Until then, I'm just going to keep imagining how cool it would be to have a smooth gravelly voice narrating my daily life.
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