Baroque Review - 8/10

BAROQUE REVIEW BY JOFRA01

Baroque is an attempt to create a survival horror RPG. By combining some of the post apocalyptic themes of Shin Megami Tensei with some of the visual and audio style of the Silent Hill games, Sting has created an extraordinarily unique game, although its gameplay is definitely bound to put people off. The game is a remake of the PS1 and Sega Saturn game Baroque.

Story:
Baroque is such a unique game in itself that the story isn't handed to you on a platter but rather you have to find out the story yourself which is quite a difficult and devious process with the reason being is that each time you die while playing the game more mysteries are unraveled and you start to understand what exactly happened.


This is the image on the cover of the Wii Game

What is known though is that In the near future, a massive heat wave has wiped out most of humanity and essentially destroyed the world, leaving only ruins and strange mutated creatures. One of the only things left is the Neuro Tower, a gigantic building which may hold the key to understanding why the world has been destroyed. Although you awaken with no memory, it's up to you to explore the tower and uncover the mystery.


It is unknown whether the Archangel wants to help or kill you in the game

Gameplay:
The gameplay is quite well done seeing that the game is a Rogue like Dungeon Crawler. The game doesn't heavily rely on motion sensoring but rather just uses the Nunchuk and WiiMote Buttons instead. The WiiMote motion sensoring is only used for special attacks when you simply waggle the WiiMote but for a game like this the controls fit in well quite perfectly.


Surrounded by many enemies sometimes means death, which is sometimes a good thing

When going through the randomly generated dungeon sometimes you will find it extremely easy but other times it will be quite a difficult process and you won't last long. The game does contain leveling up and many items that can be put to use but each time you die you go back outside to the town back at level 1 and with no items and then you have to go back through the dungeon again which will be completely different.


Who are you?

Graphics:
The graphics of the game aren't revolutionary or anything but rather more like PS2 graphics but there are some great visuals and the characters are well designed, in a strange way, and the enemies are also weird looking. The environment is basically a dungeon which is randomly generated each time you venture into it and a small little desolate town where other characters are for you to talk to but not much else.


Being watched sometimes makes you feel nervous

Sound:
The game contains really good music that is well composed but also contains voice acting for the characters. The way in which the developers have made good use of the voice acting is that when your talking to the characters, such as the Coffin Man, they don't really make any sense to you and talk about death and other similar things in a confusing jumbled way.


The graphics are truly improved from the PS1 and Sega Saturn version

Replay Value:
The game probably won't have any replay value as you are always continually going through the dungeons which might get boring after a while seeing how you have to die in certain areas and certain ways to discover more of the story and what is happening.


This is you the Hero, or enemy to some, as apparently you caused what happened

Conclusion:
When game reviewers reviewed this game they all complained about the same thing and gave it around the same score for the style of the game that Baroque is which was fairly undeserved as it showed that many game reviewers didn't understand what a Rogue like dungeon crawler was. My final comments on this game are if you like Rogue like games import this or wait for it to come out in Australia and if you don't like Rogue games it is very unlikely you will like this game.


This is where you start back off everytime you die

Story: 9/10
The way in which you have to die to learn more of the story is well done.

Gameplay: 8/10
Not much use of WiiMote shaking or anything but still plays really well with great gameplay style.

Graphics: 7/10
Graphics similar to PS2 games but that rest of the game makes up for it.

Sound: 9/10
The music and voice acting with the weird dialog makes the game both enjoyable and confusing.

Replay Value: 6/10
The game apparently has different endings which would be the only reason you would play it through again.

OVERALL: 8/10

Submitted by jofra01 15/06/2008 194 18

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More Info:

Baroque

Other Reviews:

• jofra01 Review 8/10 by jofra01

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