Baldo: The Guardian Owls

 Switch
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 75 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 75
  3. Negative: 32 out of 75
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  1. D-Ric-Mo
    Sep 4, 2021
    6
    Man, this is a tough one. How can there be so much to love about a game AND so much to hate at the same time?? On the one hand, gorgeous artstyle, a huge world to explore, plenty of challenging puzzles, quirky characters and side quests... On the other hand... Boy can this game be frustrating - in a bad way. I know that Zelda and many other games in the action/adventure RPG vein have aMan, this is a tough one. How can there be so much to love about a game AND so much to hate at the same time?? On the one hand, gorgeous artstyle, a huge world to explore, plenty of challenging puzzles, quirky characters and side quests... On the other hand... Boy can this game be frustrating - in a bad way. I know that Zelda and many other games in the action/adventure RPG vein have a tendency to over explain and handhold... Which is very annoying to seasoned gamers. But this game goes the complete opposite direction and gives you little to no help AT ALL... To the point where it feels needlessly opaque... Like they are purposefully trying to confuse you as to what to do next. I feel like there is a healthy balance to be found here, but this game misses it entirely IMO. Also, the "rules" of the world are not clearly defined... Sometimes you can jump off a small ledge onto the ground below and be just fine... Other small ledges? Instant game over... Which isn't a huge deal, since you start right back where you were. Not a huge amount of progress lost. But the frequent "game over" screens because of silly things got very irritating VERY fast. At this point, I've played just about every Zelda game, plus loads of imitators in this genre... And I can't think of another game that has gotten on my nerves this quickly. So why am I giving it a 6 and not a 2 or a 3? That's the weird thing... The parts that it does well, it does SO well that I can't stop playing … Expand
  2. ProducerSK
    Aug 31, 2021
    6
    I have this game and pay for it and i like it, but here are lot of bugs and confused places...like in Prison Room with three skeletons i am not able finish this and sometimes i am not able go inside the cages, I think the problem is with the camera too and some other mechanics in game, next the main and sidequest are confused i read all but still confused where to go on map? The map isI have this game and pay for it and i like it, but here are lot of bugs and confused places...like in Prison Room with three skeletons i am not able finish this and sometimes i am not able go inside the cages, I think the problem is with the camera too and some other mechanics in game, next the main and sidequest are confused i read all but still confused where to go on map? The map is very bad the orientation there...The combat style is not good, i am not sure if this difficulty in this game is normal or is too much for players i read many comments from players about this issues, many enemies just hit you 2 times and you died, i spend in game i think 12 hours and i am stuck in that Savoca Prison...i have Nintendo Switch hope you guys release patch for us soon ...… Expand
  3. DIGPLAY
    Aug 31, 2021
    5
    This game has a beautiful art design, graphics and a enjoyable soundtrack, but unfortunately its the only things with a huge quality in this game.
    User interface is poor, complicated and weird.
    The quests is confused. You cant count with the map because we dont have it inside of dungeons and in the city, the map dont help very well and you cant choose the quest that you want to see in    This game has a beautiful art design, graphics and a enjoyable soundtrack, but unfortunately its the only things with a huge quality in this game.
    User interface is poor, complicated and weird.
    The quests is confused.
    You cant count with the map because we dont have it inside of dungeons and in the city, the map dont help very well and you cant choose the quest that you want to see in the minimap.
    The gameplay is too much punitive unnecessarily. You will be anger with the quantity of 'GAME OVER' screen that you will receive, A LOT OF TIMES because the platforms dont have a 'invisible wall' to avoid the player to fall in a hole, water or wathever.
    Lack of tutorial to learn the basic mecanics is a problem too.
    Anyway, Baldo is a beautiful game that need a HUGE polish in the UI and gameplay. I hope the NAPS team fix this problems.    … Expand
  4. hogamer33
    Sep 1, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all I would like to express my good feeling for the Baldo The Guardian Owls. Love the game's puzzles, character's design and sound track. Unfortunately there were quite many bugs and errors in this game and spoiled the mood of the gamers. It's quite frustrating and disappointing in the middle of gaming. And worst you may not complete the games due to major bugs. Here are the bugs issues in my Nintendo switch for Baldo The Guardian Owls:
    Major Bug Issues: Owl Bomb Quest NOT able to complete : Major bug that lever was not correct. I have received the lever for the sewers and fixed it by the blacksmith. But it kept prompting me that I did not have the right lever. (Major bug)
    Major / Minor Bug Issues:
    Save games: Sometimes Coins and Energy Orbs will become zero: I will have to restart again to get back my original coins and energy orbs.
    Kidoge Village Side Quest : Not able to locate the 2nd Chicken at Laddina's Farm
    Savoca Prison Puzzle: There are invisible walls to lure the skeleton enter the 3 cages (Need to hold item to bypass the bugs and able to get into the cages)
    Savoca Prison Treasure: There is an invisible wall to get the treasure. (Need to hold some items to bypass the bugs and be able to get into the cages)
    Moiro's Carnival: Not able to get the treasure chest after completing the tasks.
    Bobo Temple: Invisible hole near the entrance, once Boldo falls down I have to use Song of the Wind to escape or restart the game.These were my own findings but I believe I have some more issues from the gamer's community. My personal view for Baldo The Guardian Owls is quite high potential to be the top game with awards. Sadly if not with the major and many minor bugs issues, unfriendly map viewing, and items control used experiences. Would like to suggest hiring a game tester to play the games before launching the game since it already took so long to produce, why not make it complete without major/minor bug issues. Looking forward for the new patch update for the solution. I hope it will not spoil the save games and I have to replay the whole game again : (    … Expand
  5. yand
    Oct 10, 2021
    6
    Прошёл Baldo: The Guardian Owls за 63 часа.
    За красивой картинкой скрывается абсолютный клон ранних Зельд, максимально недружественный к игрокам. Все элементы геймплея до боли знакомы, но не доведены до ума. В игру сложно начать играть и также сложно её не бросить. Постоянно приходится догадываться, что делать дальше, как это пройти, куда идти, зачем это вообще и пригодится ли потом.    Прошёл Baldo: The Guardian Owls за 63 часа.
    За красивой картинкой скрывается абсолютный клон ранних Зельд, максимально недружественный к игрокам. Все элементы геймплея до боли знакомы, но не доведены до ума. В игру сложно начать играть и также сложно её не бросить. Постоянно приходится догадываться, что делать дальше, как это пройти, куда идти, зачем это вообще и пригодится ли потом. Разрабы добавили подсказки по каждому заданию, которые можно получить за деньги в городской библиотеке. Я ими редко пользовался, в итоге десяток заданий так и не выполнил, полные комплекты оружия и брони не собрал. Да оно и не требуется для прохождения.
    Если мало жизней, рядовые враги практически всегда могут убить героя, даже если вы знаете их слабые места. Так как трёх сердец жизней на старте и до половины игры крайне мало, умирать будете каждые две минуты. В игре приличные боссы, кроме финального, со многими из них придётся повозиться.
    В общем, Baldo получилась очень неоднозначной. На каждый плюс полтора минуса. Странное повествование, неадекватная сложность, затянутые подземелья, неочевидные решения. А ещё полностью слитая концовка. Разработчики старались, но опыта на всю игру им не хватило. Тем не менее, поставлю ей 6 из 10.    … Expand
  6. Kwar
    Sep 2, 2021
    7
    Ok so I LOVE this game. The music. The art. The owls! The challenge too. It would be an automatic 10, but yes the bugs. I had a bug at the beginning of the game about 2 hours in and I had to start a brand new game. And there's more. I'm stuck somewhere else now much further into the game from a horrible bug. Please developers take the time to play through your game before you release it.Ok so I LOVE this game. The music. The art. The owls! The challenge too. It would be an automatic 10, but yes the bugs. I had a bug at the beginning of the game about 2 hours in and I had to start a brand new game. And there's more. I'm stuck somewhere else now much further into the game from a horrible bug. Please developers take the time to play through your game before you release it. Cause this game is that good. I shouldn't be the one testing it for y'all. Such a shame. So 7. Not 10. But should be a 10 IMO. I love it.… Expand
  7. Kaiwibot
    Dec 5, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Struggled though the whole buggy game and probably have an ulcer now out of frustration. It seemed like a game with such huge potential if they had just taken more time to iron out all the kinks. I loved the look of the game and the characters. The cat town was adorable and a lot of the side quests were fun but the difficult and buggy dungeons and combat made it difficult to enjoy especially after paying such well designed dungeon games like Zelda. Then after all the hard work and 50+ hours THAT was the ending? He was sleeping the whole time?! Feel like we must all be getting trolled. I couldn’t help but just laugh about how truly horrible that ending was. Why not just have us back in the little owl village being congratulated by all the cute owls for defeating the villain? Anything would have been better than that ending.… Expand
  8. Asdrubbale
    Oct 3, 2021
    6
    After reading too many absurdly negative reviews and playing this game for about 20 hours, I feel the need to write what I think. Although it had some objective flaws such as disabling bugs at release, the game was fixed in the following days. However, these defects cannot prevent a positive evaluation of a title with refined artistic expression and complex and sometimes difficultAfter reading too many absurdly negative reviews and playing this game for about 20 hours, I feel the need to write what I think. Although it had some objective flaws such as disabling bugs at release, the game was fixed in the following days. However, these defects cannot prevent a positive evaluation of a title with refined artistic expression and complex and sometimes difficult gameplay. This game represents an act of love, more evident towards the Ghibli studio and Zelda, but also towards the entire world of video games of the past.… Expand
  9. Sam195
    Sep 8, 2021
    5
    After a couple of days of really hating this game and feeling sad for what this game could have bin, I began to see this game in a different light.

    The movement and controll of your character is horrible. The Enemies are unfair and relentless. The puzzles are difficult, confusing and sometimes make no sense at all. The map is completely useless. The UI is not very practical and also looks    After a couple of days of really hating this game and feeling sad for what this game could have bin, I began to see this game in a different light.

    The movement and controll of your character is horrible. The Enemies are unfair and relentless. The puzzles are difficult, confusing and sometimes make no sense at all. The map is completely useless. The UI is not very practical and also looks to be designed to work against the player. Basically every mechanic in this game is broken and unfair in it's design. It is like they're doing everything they can to prevent you from having fun.

    And yet I'm having tons of fun playing this game. Room after room. Getting lost, backtracking and dying, lot's of dying and then some more dying. I frustratingly curse this hellish game and it's untalented programmer to hell, while my girlfriend laugh's her ass off everytime something unfair is happening to me.

    From time to time everything clicks together in my mind. I get calm and focused and turn into Neo from the matrix with spidersenses. Flawless I kill every annoying unfair and unpredictable enemy in the room or solve that unsolveble puzzle. I feel awesome!!!! Untill i go into the next room to be struck down again.. But that is part of the fun.

    The fantastic music and the beautiful environment sounds and looks amazing. There is some real talent here. I want to press on, see how ridiculously bad or unfair it can get, already feeling proud of my gaming bragging rights yet to achieve. I love to hate this game and love to beat it! Opening a door and dying right away is stupidly hilarious. Getting five Hindi after twenty tries emptying a room is infuriating and fun at the same time. It's just funny to put in a tremendous amount of effort to achieve anything in this game and getting the lamest reward possible. It is a struggle and the reward is only in my mind.

    As of now this product is not finished. Bugs are plenty. But Team Craps is working on it, patching and taping things up as we go along. 15 years of development and then they release an unfinished product. Why this is the new trend in gaming is beyond me. But we'll keep rewarding developers for unpolished and unfinished work, even make excuses for their bad work. If you like torture and great atmosphere like me, you will have fun to!    … Expand
  10. Kraid96
    Sep 22, 2021
    7
    Baldo is a 90s style game like no longer seen around. it has some flaws regarding the combat system (woody and unbalanced), but the fights are not very present and the game overs do not punish. each death is therefore similar to a respawn in the immediate vicinity. the map is not of good visualization but it is difficult to get lost in that world as it is very small. otherwise an adventureBaldo is a 90s style game like no longer seen around. it has some flaws regarding the combat system (woody and unbalanced), but the fights are not very present and the game overs do not punish. each death is therefore similar to a respawn in the immediate vicinity. the map is not of good visualization but it is difficult to get lost in that world as it is very small. otherwise an adventure very similar to that of 2D Zelda awaits you, full of puzzles and mysteries that will always make you want to play.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. Hey Poor Player
    Feb 14, 2022
    70
    Baldo: The Guardian Owls may have had a rocky launch, but the issues have been cleaned up to such a degree that the low scores earned months prior don’t necessarily apply anymore. I’d recommend caution before jumping into it, however — even in a perfectly playable state, Baldo: The Guardian Owls is still a polarizing title. If you love cozy aesthetics with design choices that feel more suited for the 90s – 00s, Baldo: The Guardian Owls should definitely be on your Wishlist. If not, well… in the worst case, I’ve found it to be a fantastic cure for my insomnia.
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  2. Switch Player
    Oct 4, 2021
    70
    Baldo is a mixed bag of delights and disappointments. I don’t think it will ever become the game it should have been, but for those willing to overlook or approach with an open mind, there’s a decent game here.
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  3. Everyeye.it
    Sep 14, 2021
    55
    Ultimately it is difficult to promote Baldo, his flaws are obvious and even assuming that all the technical problems are solved by future patches, it would remain the heart of a frustrating and badly balanced experience.
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