Baryon Download (1995 Arcade action Game)

Baryon is a fairly fun, but often frustrating, flying shooter. The graphics are reminiscent of the many great arcade air combat games of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The sound effects and music are good, but the game play itself is too hard.

Baryon's graphics are great and very detailed. The assortment of enemy vehicles, the backgrounds, and the textured landscape are superbly rendered. All of the vehicles--including the player's spacecraft--are small and could stand to be slightly bigger. This minor detail does not detract from the game.

The music and sound are very good in Baryon. The developers apparently spent a good amount of time getting the music and effects just right. The music adds to the game but is very understated. Unless you really listen for it, the music does not really register in your mind. The sound effects are not terribly elaborate, but they are simple without being goofy.

Based on graphics and sound alone, Baryon is a great game. However, games are most criticized for their play, and that is where Baryon falls short.

At many points in the game, there are simply too many enemies on the screen at one time. A player would have to be super-dexterous to weave in and out of the enemies and their missiles. I don't like games that are nearly impossible to defeat, and Baryon is one of those.

I realize that there are the smart bombs to use. I also realize that five continuation credits should go a long way toward defeating any game. Despite these great advantages, there are still portions of Baryon that cannot be traversed without a combination of supreme luck and supreme skill. I don't want to fly through this game with no fear of enemies, but I would like to think that I have at least a small chance of winning.

Baryon is a game that looks great and sounds great . It is simply too bad that it does not also play that way. It is worth your time to pick Baryon up, but anyone with a low frustration tolerance will put it right back down.

Graphics: Very good.

Sound: Understated, well done.

Enjoyment: Frustrating game play.

Replay Value: Weak.

Baryon is a straightforward vertical shooter which features a smooth graphical engine, a short digital sound track and various types of enemies. There are two types of ships, each with its own weapon types, as well as missile upgrades (homing as well as regular, more powerful ones), bombs and shield. The shareware version of Baryon features only one level, but the registered version promises more action-packed levels with more enemy types.

One of the best top-down shooters ever made, but also one of the most unknown due to lack of distribution, Baryon takes you on a cruise through alien-infested territory as you collect power-ups and shoot everything in sight. Gameplay is fast-paced shooting action, presented with attractive graphics and endless variety of enemies. With an assortment of powerups similar to those found in Raiden, your screen can quickly fill up with enemy fire and explosions. Quick manuevering in avoiding fire will be essential to successfully reaching the big bad boss that usually reside at the end of the level.

Baryon may not have the sharper graphics found in today's arcade games, but the action and the powerup bonuses makes it worthwhile and enjoyable. With great gameplay and solid graphics (and even a good soundtrack) that rival the best of commercial shooters, Baryon is a must have for all action fans.

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

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