GSY Offline - What is Baldo like a year and a half after its release? (EN)
19#baldotheguardianowls
Changes from players' feedback
- The game now saves each time you enter a new room/area.
- Baldo can now run for a longer period and the fruits and potions that affect stamina have become more effective.
- There's a completely new map system. The maps now clearly indicate the exact position of the player as well as the details concerning the location itself (entrance door and the different connections in the dungeon for example). it has become easier navigate through the different locations as a result. Outside of dungeons, the new map now includes 1:1 streets and paths, the name of the places, the main NPCs and pinpoints to interact with for the main quest.
- More fast travel points have been added including the dungeons. It is also easier to spot ‘Minisio’ the NPC who sells the maps of the areas.
- There is no more instant kill/Game Over after you fall from a high position. If you fall, now Baldo respawns from the point you fell (outside) and from the door you entered (in dungeons). That said, if the fall is too big, you can still die.
- Baldo now walks through water faster than before.
- Text size has been increased and it’s possible to zoom in when playing in handheld mode.
- The characters still don't talk but they can now make noises.
- New Cutscenes have been added to give hints and clues.
- Loading times have been improved.
- The combat system has been simplified to make the game more accessible. First, Baldo now moves a step forward at each sword swing, which allows him to get closer to the enemy instead of standing still. Moreover you can't be killed in just one hit. Then, Baldo can now run away from enemies more easily and his foes are now a lot less aggressive. Last but not least, rolling now helps to evade most of the direct attacks.
New additional modes
- In-game hud tutorial/instructions (optional from the pause menu) have been added.
- An Assisted mode can be activated/deactivated anytime into the game from the pause menu. It makes the game a lot easier as it adds many extra way points on the map. Minisio (the Map Seller) is also easier to find in each area. Assisted mode also has an automatic recovery system (for hearts and orbs). If a player gets hit, the hearts don’t get removed instantly but flash for a while. If you don’t get hit again, they will be recovered automatically, if you get another hit while they are flashing you’ll lose them (so you'll need either a potion or some food to get it back). A small amount of Orbs will be restored after a while to avoid searching/buying them all over the world.
The free DLCs
- Naps Team decided to develop two free DLCs, both of them being much more accessible than the main story. They can be played completely separately and they use different save slots.
- The Three Fairies is a simple seven-hour-long adventure that introduces Baldo's world and mechanics. It features four dungeons, the two main ones can be completed in any order and the final one is more complicated, closer to the Baldo The Guardian Owls experience.
- The Elemental Temples is focused on dungeons, exploration and puzzles. It is meant to be reminiscent of the Zelda: A Link to the Past dungeons.