Bakeru Review – A Modern 3D Platformer That Revives Nostalgic Fun

Introduction to Bakeru

The general inquiry of whether a title will ever see an official Western release has largely subsided in recent years as the gaming market has grown. Yet, some titles slip through the cracks, much to the chagrin of the dedicated few. One such project is the Good-Feel-developed Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!!

Initially released in Japan in November 2023, there was no guarantee that this 3D platformer, also seen as a spiritual successor to Konami’s Goemon series, would ever greet English audiences. So, everyone was pretty caught off guard when Spike Chunsoft announced a localization out of nowhere, especially with a close release date and PC port to boot.

Having last played Goemon around 15 years ago or so, I remember basically nothing about it. As a result, I had practically no expectations for this vibrant adventure, now simply known as Bakeru in the West. This complete lack of preconceptions birthed genuine delight-filled surprise, as Bakeru is undeniably one of the best 3D platformers in modern memory.

Story and Character Dynamics

Bakeru follows the titular protagonist as he’s tasked with freeing Japan from Oracle Saitaro’s rule. This premise is the backbone of the narrative, and it never grows much more than this simple goal. At first, Bakeru travels the country, unwittingly gaining essential items known as Henge Licenses from the heroes throughout this fairy tale depiction of Japan. This journey then grows in scale as he gains access to an airship and has to save certain individuals who can cease Oracle Saitaro’s schemes once and for all.

Bakeru himself is a somewhat reluctant hero who’s essentially forced into this role, but he goes along without too much complaint; he’s relatively likable even if his personality isn’t all too prominent. The various heroes he encounters and the allies he makes are all fairly one-note in their traits and intentions, so there isn’t much depth to peruse on that front, necessarily. Still, they accomplish their respective jobs of pushing the justifications of the plot forward, and that’s not why anyone is playing this.

Gameplay Mechanics and Combat

Regarding the meat and potatoes here, Bakeru can best be described as a methodical combat-oriented 3D platformer. The structure is immensely familiar; players traverse numerous stages littered with collectibles, enemies, and obstacles of various kinds. The stages are usually vast, with plenty of layers stemming from verticality and optional pathways, and you will be able to discover plenty of secrets by going the extra mile. Despite how long the stages can end, progression is always fulfilling and addictive; this is probably the most fun I’ve had with a 3D platformer in perhaps a decade. The variety of environments also keeps matters fresh and memorable. Then, collectibles are divided into three avenues: Souvenirs, Trivia, and occasionally, Tanuki, but we’ll dive into these more a bit later.

While it stumbles with making the most of its combat ideas, the overall execution is absolutely brilliant.

Bakeru is quite agile, with standard jumps and even a side hop reminiscent of Mario Sunshine. When considering run speed, which is activated manually, you always have to take momentum into account, especially in scenarios with timed hazards. The gameplay feel here is intuitive and immensely satisfying to practice, notably in the later stages when the feats become more demanding to perform. Where Bakeru differs from the norm, though, is its fighting focus.

You have two drumsticks individually operated with L and R, and hitting them one after the other creates a rhythmic combo that deals damage swiftly. Admittedly, you’re only really advised to do this against bosses or particularly large foes, but this is to the pacing’s benefit. The combat never overtook the platforming’s presence because enemies were equally frail and threatening, thanks to their large numbers. They’re more akin to lite walls that sometimes impede progress for maybe a minute or two at most.

Boss Battles and Minigames

The crowds of enemies may seem like an issue at a mention, but they’re far from irritating. As you progress, Bakeru automatically learns new combat techniques ideal for simultaneously damaging multiple enemies, the most prominent being a shockwave charged from the air that affects a vast radius. Further, Bakeru can transform into the heroes for a limited time when he earns their Henge licenses. Save for the first, these licenses are combat-focused and are diverse in their applications. The transformations are also pretty brief, so you can’t spam them all willy-nilly, even if the gauge currency needed to morph is often dropped.

In essence, the fights and platforming go hand in hand excellently. This success is genuinely impressive due to combative focuses in platformers tending to be mixed in practice. Still, one of my few nitpicks with this topic is how you learn these new moves out of nowhere when starting a new stage; there’s no narrative or environmental cohesion to any of it. You’re just informed and move on without batting an eye, really. Yet, I doubt many players will ponder this.

The varied stage design is complemented by addictive battles that make each feat of progression noteworthy.

My other critique is the lack of necessity for the Henge licenses. While the first transformation, which makes Bakeru miniature for select pathways, is used strongly in moderation, the others, being solely meant for fights, blur their usages. I would have much-preferred puzzles using the toolkits of these powers or even combat challenges where you’re locked to a singular one. At the same time, I partially appreciate how Bakeru doesn’t overly rely on this transformation gimmick to establish itself. The default combat maneuvers and progression work more than well enough; I mainly wish more of a balance was struck between these gameplay identities.

On the other hand, Bakeru features boss battles, and they’re all exceptionally well-designed. While lacking difficulty, you do have to pay genuine attention to the movesets and react accordingly. They accomplish their jobs more than adequately, and you even have full-on kaiju-esque bosses at select points that change the pacing terrifically. And speaking of, one last general stage type I’ve neglected to mention is the minigames.

Once in a while, Bakeru rides inside a robotic dog that can perform various tasks, such as riding the water or flying. These usually control fairly intuitively and are never all that challenging; they’re moreso around to spice up the gameplay loop. Although your performance does determine the number of souvenirs you earn at the end, so that’s worth noting.

Collectibles and Exploration

Since the stages can be rather long, especially if you’re taking your time to search for collectibles, these minigame scenarios and the boss battles were likely implemented to prevent burnout from doing the same general tasks back to back. And considering how I never dreaded them and usually found myself moderately entertained, I’d say they worked out.

One last collective topic worth perusing is the aforementioned collectibles. Almost every stage has five pieces of Trivia communicated by a golden poop and three Souvenirs to gather. These can be easily glossed over, yet if you take your time exploring, these collectibles feel natural to find. They’re where the methodical descriptor of this adventure ties into the most. The Trivia, in particular, is a tad interesting since it imparts random bits of knowledge, such as Japanese mythology, lore, and random biological tidbits. You’ll definitely learn your fair share of thought-provoking minutiae.

Bakeru is undeniably one of the best 3D platformers in modern memory.

Summatively, the Trivia and Souvenirs are always satisfying to discover, but the Tanuki collectibles are the only area where I found my patience tested. The Tanuki are only unlocked mid-way through the game and become present in previously cleared stages. Plus, they’re the type of collectible that is more precisely hidden than the more detectable Souvenirs and Trivia.

Consequentially, they feel like a chore to find in old levels and even in the later ones; the prospect of replaying if you’ve missed them isn’t exactly inviting if you’ve obtained everything else since you’re scavenging for a single oddity. Still, they’re optional, so you don’t have to worry about them.

Performance and Visuals

Regarding framerate, Bakeru was usually pretty stable in my experience, though there are noticeable drops in exceptionally crowded scenarios. Honestly, It never bothered me and it didn’t impact my gameplay, but if you’re more sensitive to framerate issues, you’re likely better off checking out the PC version.

Final Thoughts on Bakeru

3D platformers have been thriving more than ever in recent years, yet notable successes like Bakeru should not be undermined. While it stumbles with making the most of its combat ideas, the overall execution is absolutely brilliant, crafting a multi-faceted must-play platformer that contains every strength a collectathon fan would desire. The varied stage design is complemented by addictive battles that make each feat of progression noteworthy and significant. Regardless of how much of a fan of this genre you consider yourself to be, this Bakeru should be your new gaming priority.