Originally launched exclusively for the Nintendo Switch in Japan at the end of 2023, publisher Spike Chunsoft has now brought a localized version to the western market within a year. BAKERU, developed by Good-Feel, a Japanese studio known for games like Princess Peach: Showtime and Kirby’s Epic Yarn, offers a unique gaming experience. The vibrant comic book style and captivating narrative of Bakeru combine elements of history, mythology, and Japanese festivals, creating a rich and immersive world that appeals to fans of Japanese culture.
The story follows Bakeru, a raccoon, on a quest to save Japan from malevolent spirits known as Yokai led by Oracle Saitaro. With the help of Sun from the Issun Clan, Bakeru must travel through 47 Japanese prefectures, defeating festival troops and restoring peace to the country. The game features open navigation in three-dimensional spaces, inspired by 3D Super Mario games, but with its own unique mechanics and moves. The colorful and dynamic worlds of modern Japan are filled with contemporary objects and historical elements drawn from traditional tales and festivals.
Challenges and Battles
The gameplay involves exploring vast areas, collecting items, and facing challenges in each of the 47 prefectures. As the adventure progresses, new powerful adversaries are encountered, keeping the gameplay engaging and dynamic. Mini-games break the routine and provide additional challenges, offering diverse mechanics to test the player’s skills. The game starts in Tokushima, where Bakeru must defeat malevolent creatures housed in towers by destroying lanterns and overcoming enemies hiding within.
Combat System and Visuals
The combat system is intuitive, based on using the left and right buttons for attacks and defenses. Players can perform combinations with perfect timing for strong blows or to parry enemy attacks. Bakeru can also transform and inherit powers from opponents, adding depth to the combat mechanics. The visuals are vibrant and colorful, reflecting the modern and traditional aspects of Japanese culture, creating a visually stunning gaming experience.
In terms of presentation and visual production, Bakeru is a very competent game, with good fluidity and well-designed levels, as well as characters. Some effects could be more vibrant, as seen in Okami, which is more consistent in this aspect. However, the visual atmosphere and colorful festivals make the game feel like an animation, cartoon, or comic book. It is a shame that in some moments of intense movements and characters, there is a slight frame rate fluctuation, but nothing that compromises the regular functioning of the game concept.
Bakeru may not be the most remarkable 3D adventure and action game you’ll find, but it’s still a worthy adventure to consider, especially if you’re looking for a lighter, fun and balanced challenge, without major difficulty spikes, but with a good sense of mission and progress, through a vast array of powers that make Bakeru a rewarding title. It’s nice to see a game like this, outside of the traditional characters and series. Even though it sticks to a concept that has been regularly explored, the adventure is quite interesting.
– Cartoon/comic book style
– 3D world building
– Combination of abilities and mechanics
– Alternative powers and transformations
– Variety of enemies
– Japanese traditions
Some segments where the challenge is lower and occasional frame-rate drops add a minor hiccup to an otherwise enjoyable gaming experience.
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