Bakeru is a creative and fun action platformer that serves as an enormous celebration of Japanese culture and legends. It’s got a pleasant story, stellar visual style, and unique gameplay, and I recommend it to anyone who’s intrigued.
BAKERU
Developer: Good-Feel
Price: $40
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed) and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a Switch code for review
Japanese culture and mythology have appealed to me since I was a teenager, which is likely why Bakeru immediately nabbed my attention. A game that has you travel across a fictional and mystical version of the nation as a shapeshifting tanuki drummer is an already cool concept, but it helps that the title is a blast to play all around.
Combat in the game has the titular character using taiko drumsticks to smack away masked foes that are spreading a devious festival around Japan. Each of the two sticks is assigned to one of the shoulder buttons, giving input the feeling of controlling the two sides of Bakeru’s body. It’s strangely satisfying to whack the goofy-looking baddies with these sticks, and even more satisfying to collect the oodles of gold they drop to purchase items and upgrades with.
The best item is a speed boost that lasts for a level, though I do wish this was straight-up offered as a permanent upgrade rather than something you buy per stage. Still, it’s a great feeling to collect and spend loads of gold while walloping foes.
“The characters and world are filled to the brim with seemingly endless charm, while the story has plenty of silly moments as you journey across Japan.“
There’s quite a variety of different sorts of gameplay in Bakeru, which helps keep the game from getting stale. There are lots of the usual platforming stages, then out of nowhere, Star Fox-esque spaceship shooter levels, Mario Kart-esque racing stages, and enormous kaiju vs. mech battles. I was constantly surprised and delighted by the breadth of diverse gameplay styles in Bakeru, which speaks to the ingenuity of Good-Feel.
Another very appealing part of Bakeru is the many collectibles to find that fill out the world and its vibes. You can collect pieces of trivia that provide you with random snippets about Japan, all of which I found to be remarkably interesting and, at times, very funny. Then, there are souvenirs for each district/level you’re in, which are neat little objects that represent all these different parts of the country. These things give the game an extra layer of replayability while also giving players some amusing information.
Bakeru’s art style is incredibly colorful and pleasant to look at. The characters and world are filled to the brim with seemingly endless charm, while the story has plenty of silly moments as you journey across Japan. Whether you’re traveling around in a flying teapot or infiltrating a cruise ship filled with living water balloons and lanterns, there’s always a wacky new concept popping up at every turn. It’s the best kind of bizarre, and there’s truly nothing quite like it.
The Final Word
Bakeru is a rather unique title that showcases Japan and its culture in a colorful and exciting way that would appeal to anyone. If you’re a fan of Mystical Ninja Goemon, Japanese mythology, or just distinct games in general, then Bakeru is worth your time and attention.
MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
