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Baroque (Sony PlayStation 2, 2008)
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$99.95
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- Buy It NowBAROQUE PS2 GAME ATLUS BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALED
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As a new RPG from Atlus, Baroque will seem a bit odd to some gamers looking for a more traditional console experience. On the other hand, this update of a Sega Saturn (and later, PlayStation) import hearkens back to the days of classic PC rogue-like dungeon games, which is a good thing. I won't go into the story much here except to day you're a young man who wakes up in a strange world, there's an otherworldly tower/dungeon in the distance and yup, you're tasked with reaching its very depths. As a fan of the original import, I had to snap this remix/remake up just to see how well it turned out. Controls are simple to pick up and the game can be played from a first or third-person viewpoint, a nice touch for those who want to see things up close and personal. As in other rogue-likes, the game randomizes each floor of the tower along with weapons, items, armor and potions, making each trip a fresh experience. You'll also come across traps or other status affecting objects scattered throughout the tower, some of which can be helpful in a pinch. In a tricky touch, your character has Health Points (HP) protected by slowly draining Vitality (VT). The only ways to regain VT are by consuming certain items or by finding a random healing tile. Merely wandering about aimlessly is a very bad idea, as it's impossible to predict what's on a particular floor and there's nothing worse than watching first your VT then HP drain away as you're surrounded by monsters a few steps from a restore point. You'll die a lot if you're careless (and sometimes if you're not), but unlike other games, dying can actually advance the plot, allowing you to enjoy the overall story even more. Granted, it's hard to recommend dying frequently in any game for the sake of a few more cut scenes, but given the difficulty of some enemies and bosses, you'll have little choice. As you play however, you'll learn which weapons and armor work for which enemies, adjusting your tactics accordingly. Yes, there are hundreds of unique items to find and thankfully, your avatar changes accordingly when new or old gear is equipped. Visually, The game's use of a gloomy color palette combined with stylized freakish looking creatures works quite well. The intentionally limited draw distance and hazy filter over everything give the game a dreamlike (well, nightmarish) quality as effective as in the PS2 Shin Megami Tensei games. Actually, developer Sting isn't going for graphic flashiness here. What works best is the overall atmosphere and the wide range of twisted characters, some of which are actually helpful during your adventure. For all the nasty looking enemies and intentionally dreary environments, the pacing can seem a bit too languid at times, especially when playing in first-person mode. This is definitely a nod to the original game's pacing, but gamers more used to rapid-fire action RPGs may find this one too slow. The sound design is decent yet minimalist. A bunch of American voice talent does an OK job with the English translation, but you'll probably remember the fantastic music and truly frightening sound effects a lot more. Overall, this is a highly original take on a highly familiar genre and what works here works well more often than not. While definitely not for younger players, I'd recommend Baroque for any RPG fan looking for a real challenge along with an occasionally fright here and there. There's also a Wii version available, but I'll get to that one in the future.Read full review
This game is big on atmosphere. The story is told largely from a retrospective viewpoint, as you try to piece together why the world has fallen apart. The game is easy learn without the manual. If face not reading the manual maybe better, at least story-wise, as you will be learning the facts only when you character does. The game-play is mostly dungeon-crawling with some simple rpg-like equipment/inventory management. Resource management mostly matters because can't go back to the previous dungeon level once you move forward.
An under-rated game that is not truly appreciated in the current state of gaming, Baroque is not your typical dungeon-crawler. While some peeople may be turned off because of the oft-times brutal challenges and overall difficulty, persistent and determined gamers will find a worthy, unique title that will remain an underground hit for years to come.
A good game but difficult.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
its a great game by atlus good gameplay and graphics and also custimization and story are good. but they dont explain things in game very well but its not hard to learn. if you like persona 3 then try this game that is also by atlus
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