Baroque ROM Description

The esoteric dungeon crawler Baroque crawled westward in 2008, 10 years after its Japan-only debut. This remake brought the surreal PS2 title overseas at last. While cryptic and flawed, its avant-garde storytelling fascinates. Just be prepared for convoluted mechanics and hardcore challenge.

In a post-apocalyptic world, an amnesiac hero is tasked with descending a supernatural tower. Only by reaching the bottom can he atone for unnamed sins and heal humanity. But monstrous beings and death awaits at every turn. Dying resets progress, warping him back outside the tower.

Baroque immediately baffles players, offering no explanations or introductions. Vague dialogue and undefined terms require manual reading to comprehend. Even critical plot points like the protagonist’s guilt go unexplained. This intentional obtuseness may frustrate some. Yet as the looping story slowly unravels across deaths and replays, a compelling weight emerges.

Within the tower, Baroque plays like punishing first-person dungeon crawlers of old. Weak melee and clumsy controls make fighting hazardous. Players must shrewdly use restorative items and limited inventory space. Dying means restarting levels stripped of progress. But the looping structure and cryptic narrative create intense intrigue that outweighs archaic design.

Visually, Baroque shows its age despite remade assets. Dated graphics, lifeless NPCs, and awkward cameras dismay. Yet the eerie soundtrack perfectly suits the somber mood.

In all, Baroque is a niche experience demanding supreme patience. But its melancholic story and hopeless tone will haunt those who persevering through obscurity. Its distinct style offers a refreshing break from modern gaming tropes.

Filename Size Type
Baroque (USA) 1.86 G Redump - 7z
Baroque (Japan) 2.3 G Redump - 7z
Baroque (Europe) 1.74 G Redump - 7z
Baroque (Europe) 1.83 G CHD Format
Baroque (Japan) 2.42 G CHD Format
Baroque (USA) 1.96 G CHD Format

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