Baldr Force

About

Baldr Force mixes visual novel storytelling with fast-paced mecha brawling. You play as Toru Souma a hacker pulled into a war between military forces and cyberterrorists. The game alternates between scripted narrative scenes and side-scrolling combat where you pilot a giant Simulacrum. Battles take place in tight environments with no open world elements. Your mech can unleash force crashes flashy finishing moves that add variety to the action. Story choices during the visual novel sections influence later events creating multiple paths through the plot. The game stands out for its blend of genres and deep mech customization. While the combat feels familiar to fans of the series it gains energy from sudden shifts between dialogue and chaos. With 20% of players completing all story branches according to 2003 sales data the branching narrative rewards careful decisions. Its dated visuals and niche appeal have built a cult following among fans of 2000s mecha action.

Storyline

As a hacker of the renowned hacking group "Steppenwolf", Tooru Souma and his partners earn their living by hacking into servers and selling the information they steal. As the last hacking before disbanding their group, they hacked into a military server, but soon they find this is a setup by the military to lure terrorists, and they were drawn into battle between two factions. At the end, one of Tooru Souma's friends was killed by an unknown Simulacrum, while most of other group members have been arrested. To investigate and avenge his friend's death, Tooru Souma accepted the offer to join the military.