Mahou Arms
- April 28, 2020
- Dischan Media
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Mahou Arms" is a frantic anime-style arena fighting game. Choose from a variety of magical girls, each with unique abilities, and battle it out in fast-paced matches. Customize your loadout and strategies to outmaneuver and overwhelm your opponents. With vibrant graphics and intense action, it's a must-play for fans of the genre.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has great potential with engaging combat mechanics and beautiful character designs.
- The art style and presentation, including comic-style cutscenes, are visually appealing.
- The gameplay is smooth and reminiscent of other successful action games like Nier: Automata and Devil May Cry.
- Currently, the game has very limited content with only a few missions and enemy types, making it feel repetitive.
- The combat lacks depth and variety, with enemies being damage sponges and not providing enough challenge.
- There are technical issues, such as awkward animations and sound effects that do not match the impact of attacks.
- story74 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is currently limited, featuring only two main missions and a side mission, with much of the narrative conveyed through visually appealing comic-style cutscenes. While the premise involving an alien invasion and a magical girl protagonist shows potential, many players feel that the storytelling lacks depth and clarity, leaving them wanting more content and better explanations of the plot. Overall, the artistic presentation is praised, but the brevity and repetitiveness of the missions detract from the overall narrative experience.
“The game has great potential for the story, lore, and music.”
“Dialogue is natural, the story is done through a cool comic/manga panel style, and there are actually a few extra activities in the game that probably have an absurd amount of effort put into them; like insanely absurd amounts of quality.”
“The story of the game made into comic-styled cut scenes is great, but I feel they could be greatly improved with a little voice acting or maybe some in-game transition which breaks down the chapter so that the chapter won't feel too long and serve as a short break for the player.”
“After years of development, the game has only 3 missions.”
“There is a bit of a story, but it's pretty short at the moment and not much is really explained.”
“- there is no real story to speak of, only a couple of comic panels that don't explain nearly enough to understand the situation at large, and some decent text dialogue between very few characters.”
- graphics63 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their high quality, unique art style, and professional-level detail, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful aesthetics and smooth visuals. The comic-book inspired cutscenes and character designs add to the overall appeal, although some users noted issues with optimization and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the visuals are considered the standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's personality and immersive experience.
“The visuals are nice, and the character designs are top notch.”
“The artwork is probably the main highlight of this game, followed by its smooth gameplay.”
“The art work is amazing; I just really love it.”
“While I believe the game has promise in its combat mechanics, art style, and 18+ content, there hasn't been a substantial update in a long time.”
“Actually quite nice, the color palette is a bit drab, but it's got a decent art style.”
“It clearly was going for a certain aesthetic which I think it nailed.”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging combat mechanics and fluidity, drawing comparisons to titles like Nier: Automata and Devil May Cry. However, players have noted that the current state of the game lacks depth, with limited content and missing mechanics, suggesting that it needs further development to reach its full potential. Overall, while the foundation is promising, many recommend waiting for more substantial updates before diving in.
“The gameplay is so engaging, I love it.”
“The combat mechanics are nice and feel incredible.”
“The gameplay is great; you really feel in control at all times.”
“It seems like more focus is being put on the h-patch aspects of the game than the actual gameplay.”
“Characters are missing entire combat mechanics, and overall there isn't much to do save for playing around with some basic tier mobs in the few modes and one decently fleshed out chapter with a boss.”
“Despite the mechanical difficulties above, combat never felt challenging or interesting.”
- music26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as "sensational" and "stellar," enhancing the overall experience. However, some players criticize the lack of variety and absence of battle themes, which detracts from the combat experience. Overall, while the music and sound design are generally well-received, improvements in combat music variety are desired to elevate the gameplay further.
“Its clear that the people behind this game are extremely talented; the designs, the combat animations, and the OST are sensational.”
“The music and art style are beautiful, but the gameplay currently is meh.”
“Character design is very good, world design seems pretty solid from the couple of missions available, and the soundtrack and general audio design is excellent.”
“Music is pretty bad and they don't even have battle themes for the battles.”
“The lack of good music during combat makes the combat go from being a 10/10 banger to a 7/10.”
“Audio is good, but the mixing could use a few changes, as the sound effects are really loud compared to the music.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while some players find it runs well and is accessible even on lower-end systems, others highlight significant areas needing improvement, such as combat mechanics and performance fixes. Many users express a desire for more updates to address these optimization issues and enhance the overall experience.
“Compared to other AAA games, the game is actually optimized and runs well.”
“I recommend buying it to support the devs. A very well-optimized game that even a potato can run.”
“Graphics look great, although optimization is something that still needs more work.”
“My only problem so far is that it needs more optimization.”
“No attack customizations, no tutorial, and very poor optimizations.”
“It definitely needs some optimization and more content.”
- character development8 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its gorgeous art direction and top-notch design, showcasing a strong personality that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the fluid combat system and the captivating visuals, which are complemented by excellent audio design. The attention to detail in character rendering and storytelling contributes to a rich and immersive gameplay experience.
“This is a game with personality; the visuals, the sound, and the character design all scream that a lot of love was poured into this game.”
“Character design is very good, world design seems pretty solid from the couple of missions available, and the soundtrack and general audio design is excellent.”
“Character designs are absolutely gorgeous, and those designs are well rendered (at least for the two characters so far...)”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is currently in early access and, while it has some bugs, it remains highly playable without any major game-breaking issues reported. Overall, users find it stable enough for enjoyable gameplay.
“The game isn't bug-free, but it is very playable and there is nothing game-breaking that I am aware of.”
“In the early access stage, it is still a little buggy, but it works well.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I experienced several glitches that disrupted my gameplay.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heart-wrenching story and melancholic soundtracks, which contribute to a deeply engaging experience. However, some players found the gameplay to be cheesy and the camera mechanics disorienting, detracting from the overall emotional impact.
“Cheesy gameplay, melancholic soundtracks, and most importantly, the heart-wrenching story were the perfect ingredients for gaming success.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a moody and immersive original soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, though some players feel it doesn't seamlessly integrate with the combat elements.
“The one thing I will say is that I'm a stickler for a good OST, and the music in the game is more atmospheric than anything, creating a unique ambiance that doesn't quite gel with combat entirely.”
“Especially the one in level 2, which is very moody and atmospheric.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to the excessive number of mandatory enemies that require significant time to defeat, leading to a sense of monotony. While some acknowledge the necessity of combat for progression, they suggest that reducing the frequency or difficulty of encounters could enhance the overall experience.
“There are way too many mandatory enemies to kill, and they can take quite a while to defeat, making things feel tedious at times. I understand that bypassing combat would make the game pointless, but it would be nice if they toned things down a bit.”
“The grinding in this game feels excessive; it often turns enjoyable gameplay into a chore. I find myself spending more time fighting the same enemies than actually progressing.”
“I appreciate a challenge, but the amount of grinding required to level up is overwhelming. It detracts from the overall experience and makes the game feel more like a job than fun.”
