Maize

About

"Maize" is a single-player mystery action game with fantastic mechanics, great graphics, and a phenomenal soundtrack. The game, which describes itself as an "absurd world" filled with sentient corn, offers an immersive and humorous experience with environmental puzzles and a colorful cast of characters. However, optimization is missing and replayability is limited. Explore an abandoned farm and underground research facility while uncovering the intriguing story of what the corn really want.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,696 reviews

humor776 positive mentions

replayability26 negative mentions

Hilarious and absurd storyline that keeps players engaged and entertained.
Beautiful graphics and well-designed environments that enhance the experience.
Quirky characters, especially Vladdy the bear, add charm and humor to the game.

humor
808 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in "Maize" is a polarizing aspect, with many players finding it both quirky and entertaining, while others feel it falls flat or becomes repetitive. The game features a mix of absurdist humor, clever item descriptions, and character interactions, particularly with a sarcastic teddy bear sidekick, which some players found hilarious. However, critiques often mention that the humor can be overly simplistic or juvenile, relying heavily on repetitive insults and gags that may not resonate with all audiences. Overall, the game's comedic style is best appreciated by those who enjoy offbeat, silly humor.
- “This game was hilarious and fun.”
- “The puzzles are challenging but never frustrating, and the quirky characters and absurd humor kept me laughing the whole way through.”
- “The humor is quirky and funny with a few surprise twists that will leave you smiling.”
- “Sometimes the comedy is so painfully unfunny that it completely wraps around to being hysterically stupid.”
- “This is a desperately and relentlessly unfunny game.”
- “Upon actually meeting with a few sentient corn stalks, the dialogue is both cringy and painfully unfunny: hearing them argue about riddles without a shred of charisma makes it tortuous to sit through a three minute dialogue, though it's fitting since the area beyond is where the awful character writing really begins to shine.”
story
712 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The story of "Maize" is characterized by its absurdity and humor, revolving around sentient corn and a quirky narrative that unfolds through collectibles and dialogue. While many players appreciate the comedic elements and unique premise, some find the plot lacking depth and coherence, often describing it as a lighthearted, linear experience with simple puzzles. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy whimsical storytelling and a playful approach to narrative, despite its shortcomings in gameplay complexity.
- “A fantastic short little puzzle game with a rich and funny story about sentient corn.”
- “The story is both intriguing and silly, and the music is wonderful; I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes adventure games with a more ridiculous story side to them.”
- “The story is just beautiful and funny; I really liked it.”
- “Sadly, even when I like adventure games and walking simulators, Maize looks like a half-assed project, simply boring, made outlandish just for being outlandish. The story is boring, nothing surprising, and sadly annoying as hell with NPCs... can't recommend even on sale.”
- “The story is absolutely bizarre! It feels like something out of Monty Python from the get-go, but the actual story beats are good, though the clunky dialogue kills them.”
- “The story is mediocre. Maize is cute, but the characters grow tiresome quickly, and the puzzles are depressingly easy, adding almost nothing to the story.”
gameplay
255 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
78%
6%
The gameplay of "Maize" is characterized as simplistic and linear, primarily involving item collection and placement to progress through the story, reminiscent of a walking simulator or point-and-click adventure. While some players appreciate the humor and narrative elements, many criticize the lack of challenging puzzles and repetitive mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall engagement and value for the price. Overall, it offers a short experience of about 3-4 hours, best suited for those seeking a light, humorous narrative rather than complex gameplay.
- “Super easy gameplay with lots of hints and guidance along the way.”
- “The gameplay is pretty straightforward and the humor and writing were enough to keep me interested and playing.”
- “I really like the balance between gameplay and discovery the devs have achieved here, and this balance should really be the gold standard for walking simulators and light adventure games.”
- “The main gameplay loop has you wandering around a hidden farm lab trying to find objects to use to progress, similar to a point and click adventure except absolutely nothing happens while doing so.”
- “The gameplay is boring and unsatisfying and the story seems like something an edgy twelve-year-old would write.”
- “The gameplay is extremely linear, with no options to allow the players to puzzle things out themselves or even come to their own conclusions.”
graphics
236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
43%
4%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their quality and artistic style, particularly given its 2016 release, with many reviewers noting the beautiful environments and character designs. However, some players experienced graphical glitches and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, which detracted from the overall experience. While the visuals are often described as stunning and immersive, the game's optimization and occasional lag were common points of criticism.
- “The graphics are amazing, and while the puzzles aren't a headscratcher, the narrative tone and the characters in it are so stupid, that it is actually endearing.”
- “The graphics are stunning in their quality and accuracy of the world.”
- “The graphics are nice and the environments are well-designed and look really good.”
- “It also has quite a few graphical glitches, especially with lighting, which kill any attempt at immersion.”
- “The game was also constantly plagued by lag and stuttering, even when I had all graphical settings at low.”
- “Graphics were 10 years behind (even for 2016).”
music
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
45%
6%
The music in the game is generally praised for its originality and atmospheric quality, with standout tracks like "Top Secret" receiving particular acclaim for their catchy and humorous nature. While many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's ambiance, some note that certain tracks can be repetitive or mismatched with the game's tone. Overall, the voice acting and music are highlighted as key strengths, contributing to an engaging and enjoyable experience.
- “Pleasantly weird, original in some ways, well put together and voice acted, atmospheric and artistically lovely punctuated by excellent music.”
- “The voice acting, world, music, and ambience are all masterfully put together.”
- “The music fit nicely with whatever you were doing, and the other sound effects made the experience that much more pleasurable.”
- “The music felt off, as it did not match the tone of the game, but that's a minor nitpick.”
- “The music is really boring and repetitive and has really obvious cuts where the music starts again rather than looping properly.”
- “If I had to say what I did not like, the music would be my first choice.”
replayability
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
45%
49%
Overall, the game suffers from a significant lack of replayability, with most players noting that once the short 3-4 hour experience is completed, there is little incentive to return. The linear progression and absence of achievements or alternative paths contribute to this sentiment, leading many to recommend purchasing it on sale rather than at full price. While the visuals and story may be enjoyable, they do not compensate for the game's brevity and limited replay value.
- “What little replay value it does have stems from trying to get every single one of the game's 75 'folio' items that either add to the story backdrop or are just fun little absurdities.”
- “Even though the replayability (is that a word?) is almost nil, I very much enjoyed playing this game.”
- “Don't expect much replay value out of it; most of the game consists of 'take this item to where you previously saw that thing you couldn't interact with' - but the story's good and the humor works.”
- “Unfortunately, the game is single player and replayability is somewhat short. Once you finish the game and collect the 75 unique items, the game is pretty much done.”
- “Overall, a great game, but I'd recommend getting this on sale for under $10 due to the short playtime and lack of replayability.”
- “You can beat it in 3-4 hours, and there's not much replay value.”
optimization
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
52%
42%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as lag, stuttering, and low frame rates even on high-end systems. Despite some players experiencing acceptable performance, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from its potential enjoyment. Many reviewers expressed disappointment over the lack of fixes from the developers, suggesting that the game's optimization problems are unlikely to be resolved.
- “Better puzzles, cleverer dialogues, and better engine optimization would make this game blossom into a really great experience.”
- “It should also be noted that the optimization of this title is completely on point.”
- “While there seemed to be some optimization issues, the story, dialogue, and attention to detail easily made this one of the best games I've played recently.”
- “Honestly, between the bizarrely poor performance, locked FOV, and progression bug (one of which required me to force a 16:9 resolution and restart the game to get past it, an issue the dev acknowledged and never fixed), it's already a bit of an uphill battle to recommend.”
- “The game was also constantly plagued by lag and stuttering, even when I had all graphical settings at low.”
- “Extremely poor performance; I can run The Witcher 3 on high, but this stutters on medium and freezes constantly.”
atmosphere
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of humor and eeriness, creating a whimsical yet slightly unsettling environment. Players appreciate the stunning visuals, excellent voice acting, and complementary music that enhance the overall experience, making it feel both original and engaging. While the game leans towards a comedic tone, it successfully builds intrigue and a sense of foreboding, drawing players into its quirky world.
- “Pleasantly weird, original in some ways, well put together and voice acted, atmospheric and artistically lovely punctuated by excellent music.”
- “The atmosphere is great, great visuals, great sound that puts you in a relaxing mood.”
- “There's a nice, emotional pull to the game at one point, and the universe, the world, and the atmosphere this game builds up is remarkable, and completely unlike anything else I've ever played.”
- “The story and atmosphere have you thinking it's a horror game at first but it quickly turns more into creepy comedy.”
- “The game is shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere which culminates to a highly entertaining ending that makes 3 hours of humor that I rarely jived with and drawn out exposition worth it.”
- “It's peaceful yet the tension in the atmosphere gives you chills.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many users reporting various bugs and graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Common issues include character getting stuck, crashes, and significant frame rate drops, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. While some players noted that the game remained playable despite these issues, the overall consensus is that stability is a major concern.
- “Realistic and not buggy.”
- “The game is quite bug-free.”
- “Extremely poor performance; I can run The Witcher 3 on high, but this stutters on medium and freezes constantly.”
- “It is buggy as hell, and the frame rate drops are abhorrent.”
- “Doesn't work :( just freezes on the loading screen.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly in the early stages where excessive backtracking and confusion detract from enjoyment. While some players appreciate the quirky elements and humor, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and can become monotonous, requiring walkthroughs to progress. However, there are moments where the experience improves, especially after the initial setup, suggesting that perseverance may lead to a more rewarding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay is more tedious than rewarding, and I could not finish this game without a tutorial.”
- “Well this game, I was hoping for more, it looked promising and it started quite good but the more I played, the more I got bored and the game became tedious rather than fun to play.”
- “This game is one of the most tedious and nonsensical walking simulators I've ever played.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted as a powerful experience, with players describing it as an "emotional rollercoaster" that evokes laughter and tears. The characters and atmosphere contribute to a unique and engaging narrative, despite some criticism of the gameplay and story pacing. Overall, the game successfully creates a memorable emotional journey that resonates with players.
- “The game is great and the characters are really wholesome.”
- “This game is an emotional rollercoaster.”
- “I've never said this seriously before, but I laughed, I cried... and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this fantastic game.”
- “I'm not going to criticize the gameplay because that's clearly not the point of the game, although I think it makes an already boring story even more tedious by implementing a sort of fetch-quest style goose chase for items.”
- “Boring story and gameplay.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the quirky design and commendable writing, others criticize the lack of depth and effective dialogue, noting that significant development only occurs towards the end. Overall, there is recognition of potential, with hopes for improved storytelling and character arcs in future titles.
- “Quirky, excellent character design, beautiful animation, and great writing.”
- “The character development is spot on and there are a few things that you'll be wondering after the playthrough.”
- “What I find hilarious is that they try character development, but when the brilliance of dialogue is at the level I just quoted, it doesn't work at all.”
- “The original storyline lacked the depth and character development found in the movie adaptations.”
- “Only in the end was there some character development.”