Maelstrom

About

Maelstrom is a single player and multiplayer simulation game. It was developed by Gunpowder Games, Inc. and was released on September 20, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Maelstrom" is a simulation game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, including co-op and PvP for up to 2 players. Experience thunderous naval combat in a grimm fantasy world with beautiful visuals and plenty of humor. Sink other players' ships, collect loot, and avoid sea monsters to upgrade and customize your own ship in this immersive game of strategy and skill.

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,823 reviews

gameplay138 positive mentions

grinding41 negative mentions

Unique and fun naval battle royale gameplay that combines strategy and action.
Great graphics and sound design, creating an immersive experience.
No pay-to-win mechanics; players can earn everything through gameplay.

Low player base leads to matches often being filled with bots instead of real players.
Matchmaking can be unbalanced, often pairing new players with much stronger opponents.
Progression can feel grindy, especially at higher levels where upgrades become expensive.

gameplay
306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The gameplay of "Maelstrom" is characterized by its engaging and fast-paced naval combat, blending battle royale mechanics with deep customization options for ships and crews. Players appreciate the variety of ship classes, unique abilities, and strategic elements that enhance the experience, although some express concerns about balance issues and a low player count affecting matchmaking. Overall, the game is praised for its fun mechanics and rewarding gameplay, making it a standout in the genre despite some areas needing improvement.
- “That in itself is a great genre, but Maelstrom ups the game by introducing a huge number of variables that turn the gameplay from a simple battle royale into a very deep and complex skill-based game.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and mostly intuitive.”
- “The gameplay itself is awesome, the ships are all very unique and fun to use.”
- “In addition, the various ships don't really succeed in adding much variety to gameplay.”
- “Dead game, gameplay has potential but due to the awful matchmaking it's just repetitive stomping on bots.”
- “As for the actual mechanics, the gameplay is serviceable and at times actually fun, however when you can describe the game as a MOBA battle royale (except some players can start with a massive lead) and be 100% accurate, I would like to think it is obvious why this game should be a hard pass for almost everyone looking for a game that is balanced and competitive.”
graphics
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful visuals, impressive lighting, and atmospheric design, particularly highlighting the water effects and overall art style. However, some users report performance issues and subpar graphics on higher settings, suggesting that optimization is needed. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered appealing and enjoyable, there are concerns about consistency and performance across different hardware setups.
- “The graphics are fantastic and I didn't experience any major performance issues.”
- “The graphics are sharp and the controls are responsive.”
- “The game runs extremely well, the graphics are well done, the physics are surprisingly good, and the leveling/looting system has you constantly coming back for more.”
- “Even on the highest graphic setting, it looks awful.”
- “Graphics are very blurry, like they've been overly scaled down.”
- “The game cannot detect the optimal graphics settings.”
story
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The game's story aspect is generally viewed as lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative to accompany the gameplay. While there are numerous quests that provide gold and upgrades, the missions often feel repetitive and uninspired, leading to a sense of boredom over time. Some players appreciate the character development and improvements in the story as they progress, but overall, the consensus is that the game would benefit significantly from a more robust and varied storyline.
- “Beautiful game with great gameplay and quest line.”
- “The new content and upgrades to pirate captains is a great improvement as are the various missions and the new undertow ship.”
- “But it gets better throughout the missions and there are quite some interesting and likable characters which improves the story after the beginning.”
- “The story itself feels a bit bland and is starting off pretty boring in my opinion.”
- “If you don't like collecting stuff or repetitive missions/ship battles, then you might be bored after a while.”
- “I can only do 1-3 missions before I get bored with the game.”
grinding
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
7%
87%
The reviews indicate that the game features a significant grinding aspect, particularly for upgrading ships and unlocking content, which can become tedious and repetitive over time. While some players appreciate the potential for growth and customization, many express frustration with the grindy nature of the free-to-play monetization system and the imbalance it creates. However, a few users note that the grinding is less severe compared to similar games, suggesting a mixed experience overall.
- “Game is not grindy at all, and you can even activate the battle pass with in-game currency.”
- “Also, it's not too grindy since your rewards per game are performance-based.”
- “There is a solid progression system, not too generous but not too grindy.”
- “The game is grindy, and upgrading crewmates, getting captains, and upgrading ships costs a ton of gold.”
- “I enjoyed the game for the first couple of hours but then later on as you level up your ship the game really becomes grindy.”
- “So unbearably grindy when upgrades really just change the way your ship works; upgrades aren't really upgrades.”
monetization
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
57%
29%
The monetization system in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its non-invasive nature and fair approach, primarily offering cosmetic items and optional battle passes. However, others criticize it for being grindy and containing predatory microtransactions, leading to perceptions of a cash grab. Overall, while the game is free-to-play and not heavily reliant on in-game purchases, concerns about its long-term viability and player engagement persist.
- “The game isn't heavy into requiring in-game purchases, which is really nice.”
- “No pay to win, monetization is based on skip-the-grind and cosmetics.”
- “There are in-game purchases, but not a single one is necessary, and all are cosmetic only.”
- “Years later the devs come back without saying sorry, throw some fresh paint over it and try to squeeze out more money through new microtransactions.”
- “I get that this is a free-to-play title and you need to earn money, but the way the microtransactions and item management works is just very unsatisfying and not fun to use at all.”
- “Lock your wallet up, and avoid this cash grab of a game.”
optimization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report solid performance and well-optimized graphics, others experience significant issues, particularly during heavy team fights and with certain graphical settings. Some users suggest that performance dips can be mitigated by adjusting specific visual elements, but frustrations with network issues and unbalanced gameplay persist. Despite these challenges, many players find the game enjoyable and believe that further optimization could enhance the experience significantly.
- “The graphics are fantastic and I didn't experience any major performance issues.”
- “Great game, amazing devs. The game runs well and is optimized.”
- “Latentcy is not an issue for the most part and the game is well optimized.”
- “Good game but lacks optimization and player base.”
- “Its yet another multiplayer free-to-play game designed in the style of the 'world of' games with pleasant cartoonish aesthetics and fun arcade ship combat that is ultimately marred by poor optimization and unbalanced gameplay mechanics that will only lead to frustration and rage quitting for many who aren't prepared for it.”
- “I have a system way above the minimum requirements, but sadly changing any of the options from very high to low does not impact the game performance at all.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny moments, hilarious gameplay, and the joy of playing with friends. Many reviews mention the game's ability to create laugh-out-loud situations, particularly during chaotic sea battles and unexpected events. However, some players express disappointment over the low player base, which can limit the multiplayer experience and reduce the overall fun.
- “Many hilarious and epic moments.”
- “Buddies and I were laughing like kids; it's been a while since a game was less stressful and more just simple fun.”
- “I discovered it by accident and right now it's probably the only thing I play... quick matches and fast-paced games allow for good replayability; it's ridiculously funny to play with friends and your skill counts a lot for being able to stay alive and get rid of your enemies!”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
34%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its quality and fitting atmosphere, describing it as "great" and "beyond beautiful," while others criticize the loud intro music that hampers gameplay experience. Sound effects are generally well-received, though some users feel improvements are needed, particularly for cannon sounds. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's unique aesthetic, but initial volume levels can be frustrating for players trying to coordinate with friends.
- “Sound effects and music are also quite good, with some somber, but also more frantic battle music.”
- “The music by itself is worth it.”
- “An excellent fantasy-oriented swashbuckling soundtrack with all of the high energy orchestral drama and melody needed to get you into proper seafarer character.”
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stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with some players reporting no crashes or major glitches, while others experience frequent bugs and performance issues, particularly related to graphics settings. Although there are inconsistencies and occasional crashes, many users appreciate the developers' responsiveness to feedback and ongoing updates. While some find the game buggy, others believe it is manageable and not as problematic as typical early access titles.
- “Great gameplay with reasonable balance despite what others say. I've won with a large variety of ships. The graphics are insanely good, and the game is not bug-ridden like some early betas. The population is also reasonable.”
- “Still buggy; crashes at the end of matches, lagging during matches.”
- “Real bad fps and will crash/lock up all the time; too buggy to recommend at the moment.”
- “The game itself seems very buggy with armor, hull, and damage being very inconsistent.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
16%
15%
Overall, players find the game to have strong replayability due to its fast-paced matches and enjoyable multiplayer experience, particularly when playing with friends. However, some express concerns about the limited content and lack of visual upgrades for ships, which may diminish long-term engagement. Despite these issues, many appreciate the accessibility of unlocking ships and the potential for future expansions to enhance replay value.
- “It's fun and replayable and has a World of Tanks feeling to upgrading, which I like.”
- “I discovered it by accident and right now it's probably the only thing I play... quick matches and fast-paced games allow for good replayability; it's ridiculously funny to play with friends and your skill counts a lot for being able to stay alive and get rid of your enemies!”
- “Great game, well worth its price, loads of replayability!”
- “Can't say anything about late game or replay value.”
- “Content needs more of it; I'd focus on more playable ships and maps/game modes.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its impressive visuals and immersive world-building, enhanced by excellent map design and engaging sea shanties sung by the crew. While the graphics are not groundbreaking, they effectively contribute to creating beautiful moments, particularly with dynamic day and night cycles, resulting in a captivating overall experience.
- “Atmospheric design: the game features impressive visuals and atmospheric world-building, creating an immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere and the map layouts are excellent.”
- “The graphic is pretty good, nothing groundbreaking, but very atmospheric and it can create some beautiful moments, especially with the day and night cycles.”
- “The atmosphere is there, but it feels empty and lacks depth.”
- “While the visuals are appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to engage.”
- “The map design is uninspired, which detracts from the immersive atmosphere.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development has received mixed feedback, with some users finding the art style, particularly in the menu and character design, to be somewhat goofy and detracting from the overall experience.
- “Some of the art looks a little goofy, mainly in the menu, UI, and character design.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
- “I found the characters to be one-dimensional and their arcs predictable.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players feel that the game's main menu evokes a mobile game aesthetic, hinting at a deeper emotional experience that unfolds as they engage with the game further.
- “And this is just touching the surface of what this game has to offer!”