Official Score
Overall - 75%
75%
Maze Blaze is a solid roguelike that truly makes players feel like an unstoppable tank. While the control scheme and Artifact system is a bit of an acquired taste, the foundation is here for some good ol’ fashioned blasting.
Alien-infested mazes await with the release of Revulo Games’ roguelike action shooter Maze Blaze. Tasked with gunning down anything that moves (a sound philosophy), should players brave its treacherous world?
Maze Blaze Review
As a killing machine, your mission in Maze Blaze is simple: escape the maze.
However, as with many things in life, the devil is most certainly in the details.
A number of twists and turns await at any corner, and players aren’t exactly speed demons either. Sonic the Hedgehog this is not; rather, players must slow down and blast anything that moves. There is a run button and a dash, but make no mistake: things are slow going.That’s not to say that things are lackadaisical; far from it. Rather, each twist and turn provides an intense firefight with different creatures just asking to become Swiss cheese.
The player in Maze Blaze has a fairly clear view of the map at any given time, with different sections assembled as players enter areas. It can be somewhat jarring at first, especially with the isometric perspective paired with mouse and keyboard WASD controls. However, think of the setup as more of an acquired taste.
The key to victory in Maze Blaze is to figure out when to lock one oneself in place. By holding down the right mouse button, players can get a clear line of fire against any and all foes. It really lends the player to feeling like a massive tank warrior.
Along the way players will be able to pick up “items of significant power” known as Artifacts throughout each playthrough; an all-too-familiar concept for roguelike fans. These stick pretty close to the genre, giving players the choice to merge their weapon with the Artifact or consume it.
However, there’s a catch that comes with this system in play; one cannot see what each Artifact does until the second go-around. This results in some guesswork and encourages replayability to give players a chance to get a better feel for its world. We felt like this was a bit unfair and not much of a draw, but some people might like this element. If all else fails, one can also use the quantum die at key points to conjure up a different one.
Outside of the main mode of Maze Blaze, one can also unlock an Endless Mode. There is also a Chaotic Artifact to be had that can be yours by acquiring every possible artifact in the maze. For achievement hunters, there’s also a fair amount to go after.
Maze Blaze is a solid roguelike that truly makes players feel like an unstoppable tank. While the control scheme and Artifact system is a bit of an acquired taste, the foundation is here for some good ol’ fashioned blasting.
