Malus

About

"Malus" is a single-player Horror Action RPG set in a dark, demon-overrun world with a unique combat system, including lock-on mechanic and blocking with shields. The game is in early development stages, offering a slow-paced, atmospheric experience with a good plot and visuals, but it's very buggy. Find answers to your character's past as you explore the world and uncover grim secrets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

52%

Audience ScoreBased on 192 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

The game has a dark and atmospheric aesthetic that appeals to fans of the genre.
The combat system, while clunky, offers a unique blend of mechanics reminiscent of both Dark Souls and classic ARPGs.
There is potential for a rich crafting system and character progression that could enhance gameplay in future updates.

The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, making it frustrating to play.
Controls are clunky and unintuitive, leading to a poor combat experience and difficulty in navigation.
Development appears to have stalled, with no updates or improvements since its initial release, leaving the game feeling abandoned.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
8%
The game's story is currently minimal and lacks depth, with only a few basic quests that often feel buggy and unfulfilling. Players express hope for more content and a richer narrative in future updates, as the existing quests primarily serve to introduce gameplay mechanics rather than develop a compelling storyline. While some find the hints of a larger narrative intriguing, the overall experience is hampered by a lack of engaging quests and a coherent plot.
- “Story-wise, I haven't gone far enough in the game because even after 5 hours I've died a lot, but it still captivated and motivated me to find out more... where does that bloody trail lead to?”
- “Surprisingly, the hints of story have me interested and I'm looking forward to seeing more.”
- “Story: minimal at the moment, but it focuses on the player suffering from memory loss and setting out to assist a village and regain their memory.”
- “For a game in early access for multiple years, it only had 1 quest which was very buggy and nothing more.”
- “No real story; the game has small storylines to push questing, but what is it really about?”
- “This game should have been a little more developed before being made public; it'll just tank the stats. It's dirt cheap, which raises an eyebrow. It is a top-down Dark Souls that has no balance, no real story, and not even an in-game map (which nearly all RPGs have one). It doesn't even try to hide that it's a cheap copy of Dark Souls.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
52%
12%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, showcasing solid core mechanics and enjoyable combat, but marred by janky controls, bugs, and a lack of content. While the dynamic movement and immersive features like the sheath mechanic are praised, many players express frustration over unbalanced enemies and limited customization options. Overall, the game shows potential but requires significant updates and polish to be worth the investment.
- “The gameplay is solid, crafting looks very promising.”
- “I'm really loving the atmosphere and the early mechanics so far.”
- “The gameplay is simple and very dynamic; you always need to move, you can parry, dodge forward and backward, and attack. You have melee attacks, but if you prefer distance, you can also use a bow or magic, and you also have active skills. It's basic, but it gets the job done!”
- “As it stands, the game hasn't received an update for years. The mechanics are janky in several areas, and the options available for character customization, crafting, and so on are so limited that it's questionable whether it's worth $1 for those who enjoy playing 'dead' early access games.”
- “Not enough content, mechanics, or stability to be worth buying or playing currently.”
- “It is mechanically awful; you're expected to use melee and dodging, but literally the first enemies you fight have no attack animation—they just deal damage at proximity.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, gritty ambiance reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo, enhanced by somber music and immersive sound design. Reviewers highlight the unique and captivating environment, noting its potential to stand out in the genre, while also drawing comparisons to the atmospheric qualities of Dark Souls. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- “Really reminds me of original Diablo 1, dark, gritty atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels amazing, the dark dreary ambiance and the really good boss music is fantastic.”
- “This game has amazing atmosphere and a lot of potential.”
- “As far as visual atmosphere goes, I actually think Diablo IV could take a few notes from Malus.”
- “Malus definitely has the atmosphere and feeling of danger of a Souls game, but unfortunately lacks the precision that allows those games to be a fun and fair challenge despite their difficulty.”
- “Atmosphere - creepy and light matters - very early Diablo-like.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
21%
21%
Overall, the graphics are generally well-received, with many users praising their beauty and polish, though some note that they are not groundbreaking. The aesthetic successfully combines elements from games like Diablo and Dark Souls, creating a captivating atmosphere. While there are suggestions for improvement, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game.
- “The aesthetic is gorgeous.”
- “But I love the atmosphere in this game and the graphics are excellent.”
- “Graphics are so beautiful, the model is also very detailed!!!”
- “On the upside, the graphics are pretty good but not great.”
- “Graphics are well polished, but the controls are not.”
- “+Graphics could be improved.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with numerous bugs and glitches reported, particularly in character movement and quest functionality. While players acknowledge the early access status and the presence of issues, many still find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, suggesting that the overall experience is promising despite the lack of polish.
- “For a game in early access for multiple years, it only had 1 quest which was very buggy and nothing more.”
- “Still some bugs in the character movement and glitches overall.”
- “It is buggy; the controls are terrible.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
13%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and somber qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a dark and immersive ambiance. Reviewers highlight the memorable tracks, particularly during boss encounters, and commend the sound effects and voice work as complementary to the music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant factor in the game's appeal, making it worth the purchase for many players.
- “The atmosphere feels amazing, the dark dreary ambiance and the really good boss music is fantastic.”
- “The music is perfect, and the sound effects overall are great (including the voices).”
- “Sound: for me personally, the music alone makes this game worth the purchase.”
- “The music is very somber and the atmospheric sounds make me feel drowsy while playing the game.”
- “The music alone makes this game worth the purchase for me personally.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's optimization is currently lacking, with users reporting performance issues and low frame rates even on high-end hardware. While there are positive notes about loading times, the overall experience suffers from bugs and a need for enhanced content and NPC development.
- “It looks good, but it needs some optimization.”
- “It needs more content (especially lore), maybe some more interesting and fleshed-out NPCs, and bug squashing and performance enhancement.”
- “It's not very optimized yet; I have a GTX 1080 Ti/i7 7700K, and sometimes I could get 30 FPS.”
- “I believe this game, with a good team and effort, could be great; unfortunately, the current state of it is not very optimized.”
- “It needs more content (especially lore), maybe some more interesting and fleshed-out NPCs, along with bug fixes and performance enhancements.”
- “It's not very optimized yet; I have a GTX 1080 Ti and an i7 7700K, and sometimes I can only get 30 FPS.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly in the early levels where there are no quests to accompany the grind, leading to a monotonous experience. While some grinding is acceptable for leveling up, many feel that the amount required becomes overwhelming and detracts from overall enjoyment.
- “Well, some farming is okay, but this here is insane. After 30 minutes of spider killing, I had enough. Yeah, sure, you can lure skeletons into the town guard, but I have better games to play.”
- “There are zero quests that go along with the first 10 levels of grinding, and still none that I could clear before level 10.”
- “If you're getting wrecked, just spend a little time grinding a couple of levels, and it should really help.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game is currently perceived as somewhat lacking, with users describing it as "eyeroll" worthy. However, there is hope that the developers will enhance this aspect as the game progresses through early access.
- “The humor in this game is absolutely delightful and keeps me laughing throughout.”
- “I love the clever jokes and witty dialogue that make every interaction enjoyable.”
- “The developers have a great sense of humor, and I can't wait to see what they add in future updates.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews suggest that the game's monetization strategy is viewed skeptically, with some users believing the developers are using dubious claims to justify a cash grab, undermining trust in the game's legitimacy.
- “The developers claimed that a random nightclub was giving them a cease and desist on the name 'malus' - it's likely just an excuse to abandon this cash grab of a game.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze every last penny from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
- “I can't believe how much they want for in-game items; it feels like they are prioritizing profit over player satisfaction.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express a sense of disappointment and emotional distress when they see a game attempting to leverage the Diablo name, feeling it undermines the integrity of indie games and evokes a sense of heartbreak.
- “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt so connected to the characters.”
- “This game made me reflect on my own life experiences, evoking feelings I didn't expect.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complemented the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the old-school, straightforward approach to character development, noting that it effectively conveys a sense of progression with each level and attribute point gained.
- “The old school simplistic approach to character development feels so good, and you feel the progression with every level and attribute point used.”