Good-Really feel places out a Nintendo-esque recreation that isn’t really revealed by Nintendo.
The online game developer Good-Really feel has been round for practically 20 years and for many of that point, they’ve labored carefully with Nintendo on video games akin to Kirby’s Epic Yarn and Yoshi’s Woolly World. That’s continued to today with the discharge of Princess Peach Showtime earlier in 2024. However earlier than Good-Really feel was fashioned, the founders of the corporate labored at Konami, particularly the Ganbare Goemon collection (for extra on this, try our historical past of Good-Really feel). They considerably revisited these Goemon roots with their self-funded recreation Bakeru, which first got here out in Japan a 12 months in the past however is now popping out worldwide courtesy of writer Spike-Chunsoft. Bakeru shouldn’t be a Goemon recreation, even when the principle character and total setting could be very evocative of the identical Japanese mythology that fueled Goemon’s world. What Bakeru is is an gratifying if simplistic journey that could be closest in play model to Kirby and the Forgotten Land. It’s an excessively cute recreation that I want was a bit of extra bold but it surely’s nonetheless a enjoyable and assorted experience that reveals off how expert Good-Really feel is at making Nintendo-esque video games.
Set in what’s dubbed “Fairy Story Japan,” the whimsical story units the heroic Bakeru preventing towards the evil Oracle Saitaro as he tries to take over Japan together with his bizarre pageant. You journey round Japanese prefectures in a linear order, going by means of greater than 50 phases. A lot of the phases are set in 3D landscapes the place you observe a comparatively easy path to battle enemies, discover collectables, and most significantly, destroy not less than three pageant lanterns so you may get the vile partiers out of the world.
A lot of the gameplay appears like a beat-’em-up, as you make use of Bakeru’s drum to beat the tar out of teams of enemies. That is accomplished by hitting the left and proper triggers to chain drum combos and execute a handful of chargeable particular assaults. It’s also possible to dodge roll and block, however exterior of some particular situations, you will discover a number of success by simply bouncing round with the triggers. The fight does slowly evolve over time, helped out by the brand new additions to the Western launch of the Hurricane and Spinning Prime assaults (although I didn’t play the Japanese launch so I can’t completely examine the earlier than/after). Particular transformations are additionally unlocked as you progress, usually from defeating bosses. These both tie into stage puzzles or simply make you tremendous highly effective. It’s all very cute, and I undoubtedly cackled as a few of them have been unleashed for the primary time, however they principally make a simple recreation even simpler and it doesn’t matter what, at a sure level although, you’re simply mashing buttons by means of comparatively nice environments.
Each few ranges you undergo some kind of particular stage, whether or not it’s a race or perhaps a 3D shooter. It’s in these moments that I stored wishing for Bakeru to be extra just like the previous Goemon video games, as a result of that’s the place I used to be reminded of the chaotic vitality of Mystical Ninja’s novel diversions. Bakeru shouldn’t be completely a Goemon recreation like they have been within the ‘90s, and that’s wonderful. I’m simply attempting to level-set for all of you. That chaotic vitality got here out to me in full power within the collectables. You’ll find three hidden objects in every stage which might be cute and generally humorous, however the most effective bit in all of Bakeru is the 5 collectable bits of trivia present in every stage. You primarily want to search out 5 items of golden poop that then spit out a random truth at you. It serves no higher function, however you’ll be able to revisit all of the trivia in a menu if you want. Hestu and the Koroks can be proud.
Bakeru is an gratifying romp that persistently delivers lighthearted motion with a number of attraction even when it will get a bit of repetitive the deeper you get into it. Good-Really feel clearly realized lots from working with Nintendo as a result of this recreation deserves to be talked about in the identical breath as Nintendo’s lighter fare. This isn’t fairly the Goemon religious successor I felt I used to be promised, however Bakeru remains to be an excellent time (particularly for youthful gamers) and I hope that Good-Really feel each continues working with Nintendo and continues to work on initiatives like this.
