Baladins Review: A Board Game Inspired Gem | The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Also on: PC (Steam) PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch

Price: $24.99

I love a game that allows me to play it at my own pace, open up different branching dialogue, and incorporates a unique mechanic that makes the game feel fresh. That’s exactly what Baladins delivers. It lets me drive how the story unfolds, offers different ends that I can explore, features a board game inspired map, and incorporates a time loop mechanic that doesn’t feel overwhelming or out of place. And the art is absolutely adorable.

I get to choose from a wide cast of characters, ranging from a dancer to a cook.

The narrative places me in the mythical world of Gatherac. I play as a Baladin, part of a group of heroes who, for the most part, now seem to spend their days running errands for others (that is, until the game really opens up). I get to choose from a wide cast of characters, ranging from a dancer to a cook. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, reflected in the points associated with their stats: Physique, Finesse, Knowledge, Creativity, and Destruction. These stats are used in skill checks, which I’ll touch on in a bit.

I don’t have to journey alone, though. Baladins allows up to four players and even supports online multiplayer. I found that playing with others made the game much more enjoyable, not just from the perspective of having someone to hang out with, but also from a strategic standpoint. For example, my wife picked the Luxomancer, who has a high Knowledge score, so I chose the Dancer, who has a high Physique score. Having a diverse group of characters allows us to think through which challenges each of us should take on to maximize our chances of success.

The game is laid out like a board game. Each character has a limited number of spaces they can travel across the world. On top of that, each character can only take a certain number of actions per turn. Actions are performed at different locations on the map.

There are typically three types of actions: getting or completing a quest, learning a skill, or attempting a skill challenge. Getting or completing a quest requires talking to an NPC at that location. Some quests involve delivering an item or performing a specific task for an NPC.

Learning a skill increases my character’s stat in that particular area. For instance, reading a book in the magical tower increases my Knowledge. Learning skills can also earn me gold, like squashing grapes at the winery.

Then there are skill challenges. These require rolling three six-sided dice to see if I succeed. The harder the challenge, the higher the score required. A very difficult challenge might require a total of 18. This is where stats come into play, since I can add my stat score to my roll. For example, if I need an 18 to succeed on a Physique skill check and I have a 7 in Physique, I only need to roll an 11 or higher to succeed.

This is also where the co-op strategy really shines. There were plenty of times when my wife and I had to decide who should attempt a challenge or which stats we wanted to increase for future turns.

The game allows us to drive the narrative, and I love it for that.

The “openness” of the game is also where it shines. As my wife and I progressed across the board, we began unlocking new areas, along with new quests. Each of these quests has several different endings. We can decide how we want to spend our next few turns: do we see a quest through to the end, or do we venture forward and see what else opens up for us? The game allows us to drive the narrative, and I love it for that.

One aspect I haven’t mentioned yet is the loop mechanic. Each round of play lasts six turns, and on the final turn, a dragon named Colobra appears. He eats any of the items I collected throughout my journey, although I can keep one, and he also consumes time, resetting the entire game. The characters, however, are aware that a time loop is occurring.

Once time resets, all my stats are refreshed, and I can decide if I want to start with a different Baladin. This comes in handy, especially if I unlocked a quest path that requires a character with a certain stat. There’s so much to uncover and do that I didn’t mind starting over. Again, the strength of the game is allowing me to drive the narrative and spend my turns the way I want, and it never felt like I was railroaded into a decision.

Final Grade: A

Baladins is a breath of fresh air. Its board game inspired playstyle, coupled with branching dialogue and open quests, allows me to explore and experience it at my own pace. Adding the ability to play with up to three other people makes it feel like I’m sitting around a board game with friends. The loop mechanic adds an interesting element, refreshing the board every six turns, but it never became troublesome, as the game offers plenty to explore and do. I highly recommend this game for those who love board games and are looking for a new experience with friends during your weekly game night sessions.

Review code provided by StridePR