Baroque: An Extreme Dungeon RPG for Nintendo Wii Game Reviews

Baroque: An Extreme Dungeon RPG for Nintendo Wii Game Reviews
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Overview

Welcome to the demented world of Baroque. You play a character who wakes up to find that his so-called reality is now a nightmare. The aftermath of a cataclysm referred to as the Blaze has destroyed the once beautiful land. It also morphed all of the remaining survivors into baroques or meta-beings. These wandering baroques are humans that have let their ‘sins’ or other false perceptions alter their physical appearance. The term baroque represents sinful desires and delusional perceptions in the game as well. Meta-Beings are humans that have turned into hideous creatures resembling their uncontrollable ‘baroques.’ Your protagonist has awaken in this dark tormented world with amnesia. He has no apparent recollection of his past or identity. All he holds is an ingrained sense of guilt for a terrible sin that he’s unable to recall. An Archangel appears instructing you to go to the Neuro Tower. Inside the mysterious tower lies the key to saving the world and being forgiven of your sins. Baroque is an extreme dungeon crawler RPG with an engaging storyline filled with gothic and religious symbolism.

Gameplay (4 out of 5)

Baroque skips the customary introductions that other RPG’s display. Players are dropped directly into the action. The Archangel is your only guide around the eerie world. Gamers without patience should be aware that Baroque is a randomized dungeon crawler with embedded goth themes. Every time you die you’re restored without your previous level or items earned. When a player is restored and enters into the tower again there is always a different floor level layout. Enemy positions along with specific item locations change as well. This keeps the gameplay in Baroque very challenging. As you maneuver through the dreary tower you must battle dozens of baroque creatures and collect various items. Every item you find can be used as a weapon against a dangerous meta-being or lurking baroque. Up to 20 of these weapons can be stored. You’re armed with an assortment of guns and swords throughout the game. When attacking enemies players can press the B button to jab the sword or flick the Wii Remote towards the screen for more intense combat. The powerful Angelic Rifle is a great weapon but must be used wisely due to limited bullets.

Graphics & Sound (5 out of 5)

The graphics in Baroque resembles Silent Hill 2 with its bleak horror surroundings. The variety of detailed and inventive monsters completely transport players into the demented world. Like most Wii games Baroque is visually impressive. The animations recreated a cool yet creepy anime vibe. The soundtrack is ambient techno-rock which blends perfectly into the emo tortured soul plot. This game has progressive scan and 16:9 widescreen support to enhance the graphics visually for HD users.

Controls (4 out of 5)

The controls for Baroque are complicated at times. The dual function of the lock-n-load button also as a camera view switch can slow down battles for a novice player. The Wii Remote’s integrated motion control give players the ability to perform smooth combo attacks. Objects can be thrown at an enemy by using the analog stick to aim and hitting the C button. Flicking the Wii Remote in the direction of your opponent while armed with the sword will generate a powerful blow. There are no specific controls to aid in blocking attacks which creates a challenge. For players who prefer standard play the game comes with classic controller support.

Baroque

Overall Rating (4 out of 5)

This is one of the most interesting RPG’s on the Wii console. Not only is it a randomized dungeon crawler but it has a very mysterious plot that slowly unfolds during play. You start off as a character with a dark past who’s in search of answers. As the game progresses you’re given bits of information to help you along in your journey to atonement. The religious and gothic themes in this game make it intriguing. The evolving plot, tower exploration, and enemy sword slashing combat creates entertaining gameplay. Although, gamer patience is required for this complex gothic dungeon crawler it’s worth buying. Any hardcore RPG fan who doesn’t mind the emo theme would love Baroque. It’s truly addictive.