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MAIDEN & SPELL

MAIDEN & SPELL Game Cover
97%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
replayability, stability
97% User Score Based on 580 reviews

Platforms

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MAIDEN & SPELL Game Cover

About

MAIDEN & SPELL is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game with fantasy and anime themes. It was developed by mino_dev and was released on February 24, 2020. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Maiden & Spell" is a pixel art bullet hell game where the player controls a magical girl fighting against evil beings. The game features a variety of enemies, boss battles, and spells to master. With its hand-drawn animations and catchy soundtrack, "Maiden & Spell" offers a charming and challenging experience for fans of the genre.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
MAIDEN & SPELL screenshot
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97%
Audience ScoreBased on 580 reviews
story65 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging blend of bullet hell and fighting game mechanics, providing a fresh experience for players.
  • Charming art style and catchy soundtrack that enhance the overall gameplay experience.
  • Smooth online multiplayer with rollback netcode, ensuring a responsive and enjoyable competitive environment.
  • Single-player content may feel short and less challenging for experienced players, leading to potential replayability issues.
  • Some characters may feel unbalanced or less viable compared to others, which could affect competitive play.
  • Finding online matches can be difficult due to a smaller player base, requiring players to rely on community engagement.
  • story
    173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story mode is generally well-received, featuring multiple character storylines that provide a charming and light-hearted narrative, often compared to the Touhou series. While some players appreciate the cute art style and engaging character interactions, others express a desire for more depth and content, noting that the story can feel simplistic or serve primarily as a backdrop for gameplay. Overall, the story mode is seen as a fun and accessible introduction to the bullet hell genre, though its brevity and occasional lack of clarity may leave some players wanting more.

    • “The story mode has you play 6 different storylines, each revealing more about the characters, their relationships, and the treasure at the bottom of the dungeon.”
    • “It's a wonderfully charming game with cute characters, lovely music, and a nice story.”
    • “The story mode itself feels like a love letter to the Touhou project, and indeed veterans of the series will notice a good number of cute little references to the series.”
    • “Sadly, you also don't get to play in the story as about half of the available characters, which is a tad disappointing.”
    • “Story is there just for the sake of it; it's not worth following, it's not even an actual story, just a pretext to give some sense to what you're doing.”
    • “Unfortunately, the main story stages feel extremely forgettable in comparison.”
  • gameplay
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Maiden & Spell" is characterized by its engaging blend of bullet hell and fighting mechanics, offering a fast-paced yet strategic experience that emphasizes player movement and reflexes. While many players appreciate the intuitive controls, charming art style, and diverse character abilities, some have noted issues with difficulty balancing and a lack of depth in certain aspects. Overall, the game is praised for its solid mechanics, enjoyable single-player content, and competitive multiplayer features, making it a standout in the genre.

    • “Charming and fascinating PvP bullet hell/fighting game that wears its inspiration on its sleeves and even manages to surpass it, if we look at how polished, deep, and engaging the whole gameplay loop feels like.”
    • “The gameplay is fast and frenetic yet strategic, driven by reflex, spatial awareness, and an understanding of matchups and some rock-paper-scissors mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay itself is solid; it's a bullet hell fighting game that combines simple yet deep mechanics, allowing for fast, strategic play where you work your opponent into a corner.”
    • “Gameplay issues: there are some problems with the fact that this game has some trial and error elements in it.”
    • “It just felt like I was pressing buttons and dodging stuff, with no interesting mechanics to really make you think about the game, and everything's so telegraphed that there's little to no mind games that I could find.”
    • “Buy for story mode, but get on sale because there isn't a whole lot here in terms of gameplay.”
  • music
    94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its catchy, immersive quality that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack complements the game's aesthetic and gameplay, featuring a blend of light-hearted and intense tracks that fit various stages and battles. While some comparisons to the Touhou series were made, the music is generally described as enjoyable and well-produced, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.

    • “The music is amazing and the art is very cute.”
    • “The soundtrack is so elegant and it fits the game's aesthetic perfectly!”
    • “Great bullet hell game that despite taking inspiration from the Touhou franchise manages to remain original by bringing a stunning art style, great soundtracks, and memorable boss battles.”
    • “Soundtrack wise it works... though having to be compared to the likes of Touhou means it never stood a ghost of a chance of being the best in that category.”
    • “My only real problem with it is that two of the characters (the lich and the wolf, the former particularly) seem kinda eh and for a game that is obviously Touhou inspired the music is somewhat lackluster, but that's fine.”
    • “For criticisms, more variation in music and maps (and map size?) would be something I'd have liked to see, but they are minor issues.”
  • graphics
    89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and adorable art style, featuring colorful, hand-drawn character designs that enhance the overall aesthetic. Players appreciate the visual clarity, which allows for easy distinction between characters and projectiles, making the gameplay engaging and accessible. Additionally, the game includes an art gallery and a cohesive visual presentation that complements its whimsical themes and sound design, contributing to a delightful gaming experience.

    • “The art style is delightfully adorable, the hand-drawn characters look especially cute against the Touhou-esque scrolling 3D backgrounds.”
    • “The art style carries it an extremely long way and the design of the characters is quite honestly lovely in my opinion.”
    • “With a mixture of an outstanding OST, beautiful visuals, tight gameplay, and rollback netcode, the developer has single-handedly created one of the best competitive bullet hells to date.”
    • “The graphics and music I'll lump into one section; they're all very functional and Touhou-esque. The character designs are clean and took an art style that was simple and functional.”
    • “One criticism I do have for Maiden & Spell is that the devs should've added more cut scenes because I do want to see more interactions between the characters and more of the art style through the cut scenes.”
    • “Though smaller in scope than those games and mechanically somewhat simpler, Maiden & Spell far outpaces them aesthetically.”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by clever and engaging dialogue, charming character interactions, and a distinctive voice that balances wit with earnestness. Players find the multiplayer experience particularly amusing, often leading to hilarious moments with friends, while the single-player modes also deliver funny and quirky narratives. Overall, the game's art style and storytelling contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere that keeps players chuckling throughout their experience.

    • “The writing for the game has a very distinctive voice which is clever and humorous and sometimes moving.”
    • “The music's great, the visual presentation is eminently charming, the dialogue is funny yet still earnest when it needs to be.”
    • “The story is pretty simple, but satisfying, though it's the character interactions and funny dialogue that takes more focus here.”
  • character development
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its adorable and unique character designs, which are considered essential for both the gameplay and aesthetic appeal. Reviewers appreciate the distinct playstyles of each character, the beautiful art style, and the overall charm that enhances the game's fun and engaging atmosphere. While the story may not be deeply developed, the characters' designs and personalities contribute significantly to the game's identity and enjoyment.

    • “The character designs are great, and each one has a distinctive playstyle.”
    • “Also, the character design is on point, which is of utmost importance for both fighting games and bullet hell games.”
    • “I really love the character design, especially the sun priestess, and am excited for more alternate costumes or even characters sometime down the line.”
    • “The graphics and music I'll lump into one section; they're all very functional and Touhou-esque. The story is cute and nothing extreme, although I felt it didn't really tell a story but sort of just nodded to one. Still fine nonetheless, the character designs are clean and took an art style that was simple and functional, and the music fits each fight and environment/stage you're currently in.”
    • “Character designs are fairly unique, but definitely fit in the category of 'girls in dresses shooting lasers', yet manage to have their own identity.”
    • “It's related to monster girls' character design.”
  • replayability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is praised for its decent replayability, particularly through its engaging PvP mode and various challenges in the story mode. While some players find replay value in achieving high scores and completing difficult challenges, others note that enjoyment of these elements is crucial for maximizing replayability. The combination of accessible gameplay and charming characters contributes to its appeal for repeated playthroughs.

    • “I can't tell how, but I'm winning. 10/10 worth the price. Short game but with decent replayability and lovely characters.”
    • “[i]Maiden & Spell[/i] is fun, easy to pick up and relaxing to play, and has a good amount of replay value.”
    • “So even when the PvP aspect of the game is the main attraction and has the most replayability, the story mode and extras offer you a lot of hours of replayability as well if you care about things like beating the hardest difficulties, getting 1CCs or perfect runs, having high scores, etc., like any other bullet hell/shmup game.”
    • “Replayability might be pretty low though.”
    • “This limits the replayability of the game's single player mode.”
    • “You lose replayability if you don't enjoy challenges.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game emotionally impactful, highlighting its beautiful art and touching narratives that evoke strong feelings, including moments that can bring players to tears. The combination of humor and heartfelt storytelling enhances the overall emotional experience, making it a memorable and engaging title.

    • “Beautiful art, brilliantly funny and touching stories, killer gameplay!”
    • “If I'm honest, one of the story missions even made me cry.”
    • “Cute and wholesome fighting game”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game initially suffers from significant stability issues, with players reporting bugs that prevent character movement, limiting gameplay to shooting only.

    • “The game was buggy for me at first; I wasn't able to move my character, only shoot.”
    • “I experienced frequent crashes that made it impossible to enjoy the game.”
    • “The game often freezes during critical moments, ruining the overall experience.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is praised for creating a relaxing and enjoyable environment, perfect for a laid-back gaming experience.

    • “The atmosphere really sets the mood for a chill gaming session.”
    • “The immersive environment draws you in and makes you feel part of the world.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, creating an unforgettable experience.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's netplay code is highly optimized, resulting in minimal lag and desynchronization issues during online play.

    • “The netplay code is really optimized; it rarely lags or desyncs.”
    • “The game's performance is impressive, with smooth frame rates and quick load times.”
    • “I appreciate how well the game runs on lower-end hardware without sacrificing quality.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the grinding aspect for its accessibility, allowing individuals of all skill levels to engage without feeling overwhelmed. The game's straightforward controls and fresh format help newcomers catch up quickly, minimizing the frustration often associated with grinding in other genres.

    • “However, if you are looking for that teeth-grinding mania, it sure is there, providing players of all skill levels something to try out.”
    • “Even if you do not have any fighting game or bullet hell skills, the newness of the format and the simplicity of the controls should make it easy to catch up rather than grinding out getting trashed.”
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Frequently Asked Questions

MAIDEN & SPELL is a arcade shooter game with fantasy and anime themes.

MAIDEN & SPELL is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Phone, Steam Deck and others.

MAIDEN & SPELL was released on February 24, 2020.

MAIDEN & SPELL was developed by mino_dev.

MAIDEN & SPELL has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

MAIDEN & SPELL is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Rabbit and Steel, Assault Android Cactus, BLUE REVOLVER, Full Metal Furies, Them's Fightin' Herds and others.