GIGA is famous for mass-producing Kusoge-.(Fans call them GIGA mine/戯画マイン...) Baldr series is GIGA's only long-lived hit series of visual novel + 2D action games. And Baldr Sky is the last hit in the series.

I got to know the Baldr series through its predecessor, Baldr Force EXE for PS2, and bought it, bit angry at the split-selling. At the time, if I bought a new game, I would clear it in a short time, but I remember that this Baldr Sky 1&2 took a very long time.
It's only my subjective opinion, but the cause is poor pacing.
The distinctive feature and biggest selling point of the Baldr series is the action part, which takes place in cyber space. However, when the battle is over and we move on to the novel part, we are forced to read a long, long reminiscence scene of the protagonist. This was a very painful time. In other words, the careful explanation of the world and story development, which is the production's goal to achieve in the novel part, leads to redundancy throughout the game, while the exhilaration from the experience of being a skilled pilot(Called Hotdogger in the Baldr series), which they want to achieve in the action part, breaks the rhythm of the game as a whole. Moreover, to see the complete ending of the game, you have to complete the game at least six times, for the number of heroines in the front and back parts combined. (If branches are added, the number of times exceeds 20.) I lost motivation and stopped playing once I was approaching the end of the fourth heroine's route. The structure of the game itself is no different from its predecessor, Baldr Force, but does this mean that everything has its limits? ...I think this stress I felt is probably similar to that of people who are frustrated by Persona 5 and 13 sentinel. In the sense that adding two different game systems inhibits each other. Those who hate visual novels themselves are the exception. (Reading novels in video games is ridiculous? They've been saying that in Japan for 30 years. You're more than 20 years too late to tell us.)

Nevertheless, a well-crafted sci-fi/cyberpunk worldview, (I've never heard the word 'qualia' in any game I've ever played...)
The depth of the look-down battle system, (Setting up the combo patterns was a fun time of worrying.)
Above all, the music that enlivens the story is indescribable. (KOTOKO is a great singer with very good lyrical and vocal skills. What's good is good. She's still singing professionally and she's great. Incidentally, I wrote this review while listening to Restoration and jihad. :) Really great songs to listen to now.)

The first part of the report listed the shortcomings quite strongly. (I'm not a good liar. I am always serious when I praise and when I humiliate. Especially when it's a long sentence.) But it's certainly a game that people who are hooked on it can get really into.
See Steam if you are interested. (I hear there are localisation issues, but I envy you international players who can play it fully from the beginning. GIGA was doing a bad selling of selling different armaments/skills to different adult game retailers with special offers.)

Anyway, Let's OPEN COMBAT!

Extra
collection of example combos on fan disc
This game can go so far as to become proficient. There are spoilers in the main storyline, so stop watching after the first minute if you are concerned.

Reviewed on Jun 16, 2022


1 Comment


1 year ago

Yeah, I can understand in theory that it's essential to explain the world and the story. Emotionally, most of the frustrations that I described as redundant evaporated/annihilated the moment the SONG played in the last battle. I think this is something that only people who got to the last battle of this game, including you, can understand. :)

However, if you ask me if I want to replay the game again from the beginning, I will silent. It could be my own problems, such as the stylistic or my patience. If you only look at that moment (The moment that makes sparks come out of my eyes. I loathe games that don't have this kind of moment, no matter how well made system and scenario they are.) in the last battle, this game would get 5 star.
It's a 4 star game after a conflict.

And there is no counter-argument I can make to your review.
It's a good review. 👍