Back in September of this year, you may recall us mentioning that a new compilation based on Sting's post-apocalyptic series Baroque was on the way for Nintendo Switch, titled Baroque-Ya.
The collection, which includes four games in total (Baroque Original Version, Baroque Syndrome, Baroque Shooting: Reversed, and Baroque ~Become a Meta-Being~ Revive), is scheduled to release next month in Japan, on December 18th, and has, so far, not been announced for a proper English localization. However, as spotted by Gosokkyu earlier this week, Sting has apparently revealed (rather quietly) that at least two of these titles will make their way to the West — just not the ones you were probably hoping for.
While the dungeon crawler Baroque Original Version and prequel visual novel Baroque Syndrome, arguabvly the "meat" of the collection, both seem to still be coming exclusively to Japan, the remaining two games, Baroque Shooting: Reversed (a new take on the 2000 shoot 'em up) and Baroque ~Become a Meta-Being~ Revive (a Frogger-esque mobile game), have both been confirmed to be releasing in the West, on December 17th.
When you consider that both of these games have considerably less text than the other two titles in the collection, it's definitely understandable why these ones, in particular, were selected for the localization treatment, but we still can't help but cross our fingers that the rest of the collection may one day see a release overseas, either standalone or altogether.
Baroque Shooting: Reversed is priced at $14.99, while Baroque ~Become a Meta-Being~ Revive is being offered for $4.99.
Here's a brief description of each:
Baroque Shooting: Reversed
A shoot ’em up set in the world of the RPG “BAROQUE” returns as “REVERSED”, now available on Nintendo Switch™.
The story takes place in the Neuro Tower, a mysterious structure overrun by countless enemies. You must fight through them using the items you acquire along the way to reach the final boss that awaits in the deepest depths.
This release adds a variety of new features (Revamped Status Display, Great Heat Gallery, Title Wallpaper Switch Feature, Continue Feature, Additional BGM). It offers plenty to enjoy for both newcomers and those who played the original extensively.
Baroque ~Become a Meta-Being~ Revive
In this game, you play as Grue, one of the minor enemies that appear in BAROQUE.
Use jumps and quick movements in all directions to see how far you can progress through the dungeon known as the Neuro Tower.
Will you take cautious steps forward, or leap boldly ahead? With simple controls, anyone can enjoy the challenge.
You’ll also encounter many familiar characters from the original game, such as Moon and Kato.
By using the rewards you earn based on the distance you travel, you can obtain various types of Grue, such as the "Muscle Grue" and the "Jellyfish Grue." You can also change your appearance to the Grue you’ve obtained and play as them.
In addition to the Original Mode, where you test how far you can go without making a mistake, a brand-new Countdown Mode has been added.
In this mode, the challenge is to see how far you can go within 60 seconds. You can revive as many times as you want during the time limit, and the rewards you earn differ from those in Original Mode.A new camera option, Another View, has also been added—switch from the top-down Normal View to a dynamic, close-up perspective from behind Grue for a more immersive experience.
Other improvements include interface adjustments and the ability to restart instantly with a single button press, making the game smoother and more enjoyable to play.
Are you tempted to give these games a try? Let us know your thoughts below!