Baroque (ps2: 2008): Reviews

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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Baroque


7.4

based on 6 reviews
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How did we calculate this?

based on 5 votes
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Cheat Code Central

Official Website

Baroque is a dungeon-crawling action RPG in which you awaken to find the world in ruin, your heart beset with unexplained guilt. A cataclysm has destroyed the cities and empires of men and disfigured the spirit of humanity. In this nightmare, it falls to you to descend a mysterious tower in search of absolution. Battle merciless foes through treacherous dungeons, scour for new items to aid you in your travels, and unlock the secrets of a devastated land. You will find death in the depths, yet learn that death is not the end of the story; in the twisted world of Baroque, it is only the beginning. With its many ever-changing levels, each teeming with perverse monsters and tormented souls, the world of Baroque is a frightening and unforgiving realm. Take part in a unique story progression system in which the end of your life only serves to drive the adventure forward. Each time your character dies, more secrets about the forsaken world are revealed! The player has full control over how he shapes his character and how he plays the game. Find and equip a vast assortment of weapons and items, some with a variety of uses. Acquire powerful stat-boosting parasites and combine them to multiply their potency. Only the resourceful will survive! [Atlus USA]

PUBLISHER:	Atlus USA
DEVELOPER:	Sting
GENRE(S):	Role-Playing Game
PLAYERS:	1
ESRB RATING:	T (Teen)
RELEASE DATE:	April 8, 2008

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

RPG Fan

The gameplay can be cheap, but it does have a good degree of challenge. Technical aspects are weak, but there is some style going for it.

Games Radar

Baroque is obviously one of the most hardcore RPGs you're ver going to find, a real level-grinder.

GameSpot

A fiendishly difficult, randomly generated dungeon crawler that at times can be an incredible work of interactive fiction, and at other times, a muddled mess.

Cheat Code Central

A fairly uninteresting story along with badly written characters won't encourage you to play this to the end. Still, fans of dungeon crawlers will likely find something here to like.

IGN

Baroque is unique in concept but lacking in fun. The idea that you have to die in order to put the pieces of your life together is interesting and could work, but you still have to give the player a sense of direction and accomplishment.

PSX Extreme

Without a sense of direction or a goal, you never feel as if you’re working towards something, and the entire quest almost seems arbitrary.

The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Grimm gave it a7:
It's true that Baroque is definitely not a game for anyone. If you're a type of person who likes to speed through your video games or are only looking for action, then this is NOT the game for you. If you are also a person who likes to use cheat codes, this game is also NOT for you. The game itself can be quite useful if you look at it with an open mind and low expectations. The twist that death does not end your game is a bonus. People who look for cheats so that they can't die in their games, like in GTA, have no need to fear death in this game, for it's never really game over. The storyline itself is quite interesting, and appeals to those who enjoy a Gothic/apocalyptic atmosphere. The downfalls to this game are: 1. Constant Depletion. ~Some people, like myself, get annoyed with games that have your characters attributes constantly dropping. In this game, your vitality lvls with always be depleting, which is why it is essential to collect and consume items like flesh or hearts. When your vitality reaches 0, then your health starts to deplete as well. For some people, the constant threat of death, or just the fact that some gamers keep dying, can be quite annoying regardless of the fact that death is actually important. And because of the fact that death is important, there aren't any cheat codes to prevent loss of vitality or health. 2. Graphics ~Though it could be worse, the graphics aren't entirely up to par. For some, this can be overlooked. But for many gamers this seems to be an important part of their gaming experience. 3. Dungeons/Repetitive game play ~For those of you who actually took time to research this game before purchase, will have discovered that this entire game revolves around dungeon exploration, or to be more precise, descending of the Neuro Tower. If you are a person who DOES NOT enjoy repetitive game play and/or dungeon based games, then this is not the game for you, don't spend your money. Although the dungeons themselves are constantly changing, the actual way you play (shooting, slashing, eating items, ect.) will remain the same. To be more optimistic, the game makes up for this flaw by making tons of items, weapons, and armor for you to experiment with to help change your game play somewhat. But even then, sometimes numerous items may not be enough for some gamers. 4. Please Read Rating Label!!! ~ This game is rated T for teens, as in 13 or older. Please don't let little babies who like dancing around on their Wii fits buy this game! I mean, the graphics may not be awesome, but they certainly are good enough to keep the horror like theme going, from all the monsters you fight to just the NPCs you talk to. If your kids are easily frightened and never watch horror movies, then I seriously doubt they would enjoy this game. I mean, seriously, didn't you people take time to look at the games description? Or the pictures on the back? I think that this game is pretty cool, but I'm also older than 5 year olds and I have no issues with horror themed things. So please consider your child's or your own squeamishness. Though there isn't really any blood in the game, so if that makes you feel better, then your welcome. I recommend this only to hard core RPG fans, goth/horror lovers, NOT 5 year olds, and very patient individuals.

Irysa gave it a9:
Before I being to comment on the actual game itself, I'd like to say that the majority of these reviews are completely looking at the game the wrong way. This is not a combo crazy action game, this is not a typical JRPG. It's a Post Apocalyptic Roguelike, more akin to the likes of Nethack and Shiren the Wanderer than Final Fantasy or Devil May Cry. I believe reviewers have gone the wrong way about it entirely, as this is honestly a landmark in terms of Roguelike advancement. Baroque is the only, I repeat, THE ONLY (bar the original), Roguelike to preform in a real time system. A better comparison of the system would be something similar to Phantasy Star Online. It's gameplay is most certainly not for everyone, but Atlus labeled this as a hardcore game for a reason. The high amount of randomness and variety give the game a strong lasting appeal, and do require you to use much of your resources to advance. The game is designed around the death of the player. You are SUPPOSED to die, it's not a punishment. Graphically, Baroque is certainly lacking, but makes up for it with Art direction. The music is much akin to something out of say, Shin Megami Tensei. I enjoy it enough to purchase the soundtrack. If you enjoy Roguelikes, I highly recommend this game.

Demon C. gave it a5:
This one is very disappointing. First off the graphics are not great, very washy textures, it all reminds me of a PSX game, and not later PS2 standard. The voice acting is pretty good, but again, not better than on a PSX. The game itself is an action RPG, and the camera is a big problem, as it's never where it should be. This is extremely annoying when you're in a fight, as you often lose sight of the enemy. I only played it for 30 minutes, then I had to put it away. Perhaps it gets better later on.

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