Yes, in this Born of Bread review, we can determine that this is the best flour-based RPG since sliced bread. This delightful RPG from WildArts Studio and Dear Villagers is a charming adventure and doesn’t make you feel bloated no matter how many hours you devour.
After a balls-up on the recipe list, Gepetto – sorry, Papa Baker – inadvertently bakes a boy that originates from flour. That sounds dark, but fear not parents looking for a babysitter outside of Netflix and an iPad: this is suitable for kids.
Blessed with the name Loaf, Papa teaches him how to wallop stuff with a ladle, as that’s much more practical than learning how to ride a bike with the old man. Then, during the tutoring session, a group of wrong ‘uns invade the castle where Papa is the resident baker, and the father and son combo are physically expelled from the premises.
With Papa getting fingered for a crime he did not commit, Loaf must befriend some cute lil’ animals and join him in an adventure to free his dad, bash some stuff, fight a jester, and hopefully – hopefully – not get eaten in the process.
The visuals in Born of Bread are beautiful. Each scenario is in 3D, where characters embrace the Paper Mario 2D aesthetic with excellent results. Loaf is free to wander each area, locate some hidden collectables and stuff them into a backpack that serves as his inventory, along with a journal of helpful stuff.
Combat is turn-based and, like Knuckle Sandwich, has a QTE style of play. The common commands are there: attack, defend, special, item, and flee. Loaf and his chums need to press or hold a button in time with the on-screen prompt for each selection. This applies to all defending as well.
Born of Bread doesn’t cover any new ground in these encounters, though it offers considerable options. Basic attacks are free to use, whereas elemental moves cost points. Alas, you’ll rely on the latter attacks, so it’s essential to stock up on consumables to refresh your points or defend successfully to accumulate them that way.
It’s definitely on the easier side of turn-based tactics, and aside from new areas and bosses, combat is a relative breeze. That’s made more accessible when you level up your party by collecting spirits or gaining XP through each battle.
In the first chapter, you’ll befriend a little dragon that grants save points and serve as your hype management as they broadcast your battles to social media. The better timed your actions are, the more followers you will obtain, consequently making Loaf stronger and able to carry more in his trusty Tetris-like backpack.
One more thing worth pointing out in the XP tree is where to spend your skill points. Besides health and resolve points, you can increase your backpack size and add boons. The backpack is tailored to Loaf as he can carry weapons in battle. He doesn’t have the same skill set as his party, so he must have a good loadout available. Boons grant buffs such as enemy info, when’s the best time to block, and other benefits such as health.
Naturally, you’ll get involved in plenty of side quests, and while there isn’t far to travel, backtracking and fighting lower-level enemies that don’t grant much in the way of XP makes Born of Bread a bit of a grind in places. Bear in mind that side quests are optional. The biggest saving grace, however, is the humour.
After completing chapter one, it becomes clear that Born of Bread will take you all over the place and not be tied to one standalone arc. The dialogue made me chuckle – especially what the NPCs say. Your party are too pure. At the start of the game, the guards set the tone with their wit and carefree attitude, which carried through to the rest of the cast as the timing is often on point and well written.
And, of course, this game really does look gorgeous. There’s been a deluge of feel-good, wholesome titles of late. Is society happy once more? At yeast the developers are. Born of Bread baps it out of the park for sheer cuteness, ease of play, and amusing conversations. Muffin compares to this bread-based RPG, so here’s a toast to Loaf (and that quick-fire round of puns fresh out of the oven. I thank you).
Want to pinch a loaf? There’s a demo currently on Steam.
