
Baldo: The Guardian Owls got off to a rough start when it arrived on the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms.
We ended up delaying our review and waiting until a hotfix was released. Unfortunately, even after the first patch - we still encountered quite a lot of problems. The Italian developer Naps Team has now released yet another patch. It's simply titled "Hotfix 2" and apparently resolves all remaining "known" bugs and glitches.
Unfortunately, it seems many other bugs are still lurking about in the game - with a number of other game-crashing glitches still being reported by the player base, like the one below:
In our Nintendo Life review we summed up Baldo: The Guardian Owls as a beautiful looking Ghibli-esque adventure that draws you in with its wonderful art style and atmosphere and then beats you into submission with its bewildering gameplay.
How have you found Baldo yourself so far - encountered any issues? Tell us down in the comments below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 39
This game is an utter disaster. Buy Eastward instead.
I was always a bit suspicious of the hype for this game, but I can't say I expected a disaster like this.
Will the patch stop me from continuously yawning every time I play it?
On Xbox series X w/ hotfix 2. Still on my second progression halting bug. No point in playing till it’s fixed. I’ve gone off to play other games for now…
This had Mighty No. 9 hype… and similar letdown :/
Can it fix it from just being a bad game?
I wait for a new review after they patched up the game.
I got this when it released, but didn’t try it out as my backlog is just growing beyond scope…. Then I saw the comments and reviews, so still haven’t messed with it. Visual wise, I really dig it, and I’m hoping that patches and fixes can turn this around into a good game, but maybe that’s a pipe dream? Is the base of the game beyond being able to correct? I hope that’s not the case….
Still waiting to play Cyberpunk for largely the same reason… I got it on sale a few months back, but still haven’t bothered with it as I’m waiting for it to be patched into a hopefully flawless state. That I have faith will happen, as Witcher 3 started rougher than its final state - all open world rpgs do - and CDPR has good, respectable, and caring developers… despite having crap managers/producers forcing horrendous deadlines and pushing out unfinished work….
I still want it, but I'll wait until it's worth playing. If I have to wait half a year, I will.
How's about you review it in its original state first. Then come back a few weeks/months later with an adjusted score if you wish. The fact game is bad when it's first released or you think the art style is pretty is no excuse to hold off a review.
@Dm9982 Unfortunately I think this game's problems go beyond mere bug fixes. There is a lot wrong with the fundamental design that would probably actually require further development time and extensive playtesting and attention to the feedback. The visuals and audio are about the only good things here. It's hard to explain because loads of people, many of whom haven't played it, jump on you and start shouting that you just need to "get good" to deal with the obtuse puzzles and janky combat. But the problem is that these things just result in boredom and frustration with needlessly drawn out sections caused by bad design. If I could get a refund I would, but that's not an option. There's some clear talent here but I personally think they should pull it from the store and put a lot more development time in.
I had high hopes for this game. I preordered eastward but for some reason Something told me to hold off on baldo.
I’ll scoop it on sale after they finish it with patches
May get this on sale but for now I had better other games to get through.
@Dm9982 The September patch from a few days ago seems to have gotten Cyberpunk to an acceptable state. It’s not quite the game many of us expected, but you can now play a decently bug fixed version of what came out at launch.
Definitely worth diving into for a few hours to experience.
Bummer, I so wanted this game.
The only thing positive about this game is the Ghibli graphics. Even Nintendo got fooled into promoting this game in their Direct.
The developer should spent a couple of years polishing the game - not just the bugs but the gameplay as well. It's just stupid to release a game and getting bad reviews then frantically patching it up when the damage has already been done.
Honestly it seems like the gameplay itself is just not great so no amount of fixing bugs makes this a game I wish to play.
@Baker1000 It depends what you mean with "great"...it surely isn't bad like many say...
I'm enjoying it, so 🤷🏻♂️
I could honestly live with the high difficulty if the UI itself wasn't pitching in constantly to get you killed. Having to COMPLETELY STOP in order to select and use secondary/healing items in situations where repeated split-second reactions are required and the spaces you're fighting in are often restrictive and/or choked with junk that Baldo tends to get hung up on is frankly infuriating and unfair. The Spider Boss in Secova Prison was where I called it quits after wasting probably 10 hours exploring and gathering items I hoped might be easier to use than the stupid, makes-you-walk-at-a-snail's-pace Flame. None of them worked. I stopped playing two weeks ago and haven't looked back. Bug fixes can't address Baldo's worst problems because they're design-based. In the end, the rewards, such as they are, aren't worth the effort and frustration, at least for me personally.
@Whitestrider I'm going off of Nintendo Life's own review which does paint a picture that it is actually bad. And I'd rather not spend my money and time to find out how accurate that is, personally.
Hopefully the developer resolves all the major issues eventually and we can go back and enjoy it. Might be a while.
@Baker1000 I don't know how many times I disagreed with NintendoLife's reviews...not that this is a masterpiece or anything like that, but don't always trust reviews blindly, you have to play a game to be sure it's decent or not. For me, without the bugs, this is a 6/10 game. It could have been a 8/10 game, if only the developers gave you more hints on where to go and what to do, and if the map was a bit more useful.
@AtlanteanMan the spider boss is tough, but not impossible, you just have to learn its attack pattern and have a lot of patience. And if you are not sure of what strategy to use just watch a walkthrough on YouTube, it can be really useful.
@HollowSpectre They already have reviewed it.
@Warioware that’s kind of what I’m afraid of… but I’ve seen other games change drastically from their original intended release, so maybe there’s hope. Difficulty and such I don’t mind, but the “obtuse puzzle design and running into hard walls without a guide” that I kept hearing about didn’t sound particularly fun, or some of the control issues, and a friend of mine said there’s a blatant “lies or miswording” on a few hints and he couldn’t tell if it was poor translation or intended design….
@justintabs yeah that’s what I’ve heard, and it’s gotten me eager to try it. Right now I’m just debating on waiting until the next Gen patch releases or not. Leaning towards waiting just to experience the best possible version of it, plus Diablo 2R releases next week and I’m stoked as hell for that, as I played it for the majority of 2001-2006… And ever since Fallout 3, I’ve gotten use to waiting a year or so to play an open world rpg, did the same with Witcher 3. 😂 Glad to see CDPR is getting it there though, I knew they would. Any company in today’s world that packs in a map, a thank you, and everything else they tossed in at no extra charge with Witcher 3 deserves praise and a second chance. They could have easily done what 98% of the companies do and just give you a box with insert and the cart/disk, but they even included all that extra stuff on the Switch version. I don’t regret double dipping on Witcher 3, or purchasing CP2077 before it was fully fixed.
@Dm9982 to be blunt a lot of the puzzles seem to play out like a bad point and click game where you are reduced to just clicking everything on the screen. Also there is some inconsistency with objects in that you can move a type of object in one room but not another so it becomes a guessing game or try everything affair. Not difficult, just laborious.
I think it needs redevelopment. If they do some of that then I will give it another go.
Hey NintendoLife, your review is SO wrong!
The game is pretty rough but far to be a BAD game.
The real problem are the bugs, but the developers worked, and still work, for that.
However, the two hotfixes improved the game's playability (and removed the horror red "GAME OVER" advice, now there is a cool "skull" transition).
I can't understand why so many reviews talk about "bad puzzles" (they AREN'T bad! They ask your reasoning! If you want easy puzzles, play something made for children)
The combat system isn't perfect, but perfectly usable.
Again, if you only want to "press B" all the time, you can't play Baldo, you should play Diablo.
In Baldo you must study enemies pattern and weaknesses, and push on that.
BALDO isn't a game for all the people. But this DOESN'T MEAN that Baldo is a game that deserves 4/10.
My personal vote to the game is 7-8/10. When the game will be cleaned from some small problem, it will be a full 8 for me.
P.s. this isn't the first time NINTENDOLIFE reviews are completely wrong. For example the really good BATTLE AXE got a 5/10. "Too short". Holy fu**, it is an ARCADE GAME! So ALL the shooters (R-Type, Raiden, etc.) deserve a bad vote??? C'MON!
@Warioware
"loads of people, many of whom haven't played it, jump on you and start shouting that you just need to get good"
I'm playing it with great pleasure. More than 40 hours.
I say to you: YOU aren't capable to play it
"to deal with the obtuse puzzles"
OBTUSE? Do you want easy puzzles? WHY THE HELL??? I like reasoning on them, playing without haste, but reasoning. For me Baldo shrines (minigames of moving statues) and zone puzzles, are perfectly fine.
"and janky combat."
the combat system isn't refined. But consider two things:
1-the combat IS NOT the main thing in Baldo. When you explore the map, rarely you encounter some enemies. In the dungeons that changes, that's ok.
2-Baldo IS NOT Diablo, you shouldn't go against a lizard like a mad man, you must learn his weaknesses, his patterns,
you have to put yourself in an advantageous position.
Said that, YES, Naps could've done a better combat system (and a better UI interface related to combat) but "as is"it DO NOT break the game.
"But the problem is that these things just result in boredom and frustration"
1 - boredom? It's a PLEASURE to explore a so wonderful world.
2 - frustration? Read what I wrote before.
And the game ISN'T all that frustrating. If you die, the game puts you extremely close to the death. It encourages you to try again, to study a method.
About "Aracna", the prison boss, you can beat it in different ways. On youtube I seen people killed it with fire+web tactic.
I killed it using the common "small bags of dust" that you can find around or buy at the shops.
BALDO IS A GAME THAT DESERVES TIME, you must THINK, and TRY.
You aren't playing at "Bayonetta", LOL!
If you want a quick and easy game, then play a quick and easy game. But DON'T say that Baldo is trash because it's not true.
@Outlander999 could not have said it better!!!!! THIS!!!!!!
Also you post a tweet that the user says in a reply tweet that it’s not a game breaking bug! Why use the tweet then?
@Joe-b try it it’s amazing!
@Outlander999 Fair enough if you're enjoying it, unfortunately I have a different opinion. I play games to have fun and to me Baldo simply isn't fun. I didn't actually find it all that hard, just annoying and boring. There was simply nothing about it that made me want to continue playing it when I have other games that are significantly more fun to me. And, sorry, but I disagree - having to push every needlessly labelled object in a room just to find the one that hides a ladder under it is not a well-made puzzle, it is obtuse busywork that also happens to be lacking in fun. I'm glad you're enjoying it, but I am not wrong in what I said, it is simply a matter of opinion. And it seems that there are plenty of others out there and on here who share my views looking at user reviews and critic reviews. Personally I just couldn't get any enjoyment out of it and feel like I wasted my money.
@AtlanteanMan are you serious that boss was tough but easily beatable go to the library to get a tip on how to beat it...
@Outlander999 absolutely spot on thank you ... I think people got comfortable with hack and slash games too much
@Warioware did you notice the scratch on the floor for the boxes that should be moved?
@pgerhard Wow, late reply. Yes I did see it in at least one case as I recall but not in many others.
Apparently, an expansion pack with a new adventure is planned for later this year. Baldo fans rejoyce!
I like the game. I have had a few problems with the game. No one list about the bobo pit key missing. I am at Bobo pit to get the green Globe and missing one key to the room with the green globe. Need this bug fixed to finishing playing the game.
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