January 18, 2023
Zoroarts

Makis Adventure

Makis Adventure is a solo-developed game that really shows how much care and effort can go into a title. Though it was a two-hour adventure, I loved every minute, and can't wait for future Zoroarts projects.

79%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, stability

85% User Score Based on 68 reviews

Critic Score 65%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

Makis Adventure is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with fantasy and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Zoroarts and was released on January 18, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Makis Adventure is an Action- Platformer with shark demons. Fight, dash, swim and bite your way through 3 different dungeons. Let the inner shark out! Face many different opponents and defeat powerful bosses.

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 68 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game features a fun and unique shark transformation mechanic that adds variety to gameplay.
The pixel art and character design are charming, creating an enjoyable visual experience.
The game offers a mix of puzzles and action, with a variety of mini-games that enhance the overall fun.

Combat feels simplistic and lacks depth, with bosses being relatively easy to defeat.
The game is quite short and linear, lacking the interconnected map design typical of Metroidvania games.
There are several bugs and issues with controller support that can hinder the gameplay experience.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The game's story is described as simple and basic, primarily revolving around a single act of collecting three items and defeating a villain, which can be completed in about two hours. While the narrative lacks depth, it features enjoyable character dialogue and impressive voice acting, complemented by visually appealing cutscenes. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus.
- “Maki's adventure is a lovingly crafted metroidvania; it's more linear than open world exploration, but it's mixed in with a healthy dose of backtracking and character missions that have you exploring the different islands.”
- “The story isn't anything with much depth, pretty basic (so far), but the dialog banter between characters is fun.”
- “Cool, but also simple story with voice acting and cool graphic cutscenes.”
- “The story and level design is all over the place.”
- “The game seems to be an adventure game but not heavy on the story.”
- “The story isn't anything with much depth, pretty basic (so far) but the dialog banter between characters is fun.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics of the game are described as colorful and appealing, featuring a charming 2D pixel art style for levels and a refreshing 3D pixel art style for the overmap. However, some reviewers criticize the visuals as basic and lacking personality, suggesting that the game would benefit from improved artwork. Overall, while the graphics have their strengths, they are seen as the game's primary asset amidst other shortcomings.
- “Cool, but also simple story with voice acting and cool graphic cutscenes.”
- “Colourful and appealing graphics.”
- “Makis Adventure is so far a funny little platformer with light Metroidvania, souls-like, and riddle inspirations, featuring a charming 2D pixel art style for levels/dungeons and a refreshing 3D pixel art style for traveling through the overmap.”
- “Sadly, this is the only thing the game really has going for it, as the visuals are basic without any personality and the audio is a joke.”
- “The artwork is not the greatest, and I think the game would benefit greatly from a good artist.”
- “Sadly, this is the only thing the game really has going for it, as the visuals are basic without any personality and the audio is a joke.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as wonderful and emotionally impactful, reminiscent of modern action exploration games. However, others criticize it for being inconsistent and basic, noting that the use of various composers results in a disjointed overall soundtrack.
- “Wonderful music.”
- “Music is also amazing, feels like something out of a modern action exploration game and really touched me.”
- “Judging by the end credits, the developer used soundtracks from different composers, creating an OST that lacks any consistency.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The gameplay features fluid and polished mechanics, with enjoyable core metroidvania elements, despite some ideas feeling experimental and the combat being underdeveloped. Players appreciate the incorporation of nostalgic references from classic games like DuckTales and Donkey Kong Country, enhancing the overall experience. The unique shark mechanic adds a fun twist to the gameplay.
- “This is apparent with the similar game mechanics and movement that feel fluid and polished.”
- “The shark mechanic's quite nice!”
- “Playing this game, I found some gameplay references to DuckTales (pogo), Donkey Kong Country (minecarts, collectibles), and Souls (stamina and i-frames); it's a joy!”
- “While a vast majority of its gameplay ideas feel slapped together and experimental, the core metroidvania elements of this one-man indie remain enjoyable – even if combat is a complete afterthought.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant downside, particularly when it comes to achieving 100% completion, as some achievements require extensive effort. While the main game experience is enjoyable and not overly challenging, the grind for certain achievements, especially those related to side activities like fishing, can be frustrating and time-consuming.
- “The main downside is how hard and grindy it would be to get all of the achievements.”
- “I beat the game pretty much 100%, exploring all areas and doing all side quests (apart from the fishing minigame & the ridiculously grindy achievements) and even then it only took me one sitting of about 2 hours.”
- “I didn't want a super hard and grindy game, and it fulfilled my expectations perfectly.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with players noting that while the combat can feel frustrating and unfair at times, particularly with boss mechanics, there are moments that evoke strong feelings and engagement. Overall, the emotional impact is tied to the highs and lows of the combat experience.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is highly optimized, running smoothly and exhibiting a polished performance.
- “It runs smoothly and is incredibly polished.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers appreciate the character development primarily for its charming and imaginative design of NPCs, highlighting their cuteness and creativity.
- “Character design is probably my favorite; all the NPCs you meet are really cute and creative.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find "Makis Adventure" to be a humorous platformer that blends elements of metroidvania, souls-like, and puzzle genres, all presented in a charming pixel art style. The game's lighthearted tone and comedic elements contribute to its overall appeal, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “Makis Adventure is a funny little platformer with light Metroidvania, Souls-like, and riddle inspirations, featuring a charming 2D pixel art style for levels and dungeons, along with a refreshing 3D pixel art style for traveling through the overmap.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences occasional clunkiness and bugs, but given that it is primarily a one-developer project, the developer is responsive and addresses issues promptly.
- “From time to time, it's a little clunky and buggy, but this game is basically a one-developer project that seems to take care of bugs ASAP.”