Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death Game Cover
Marlow Briggs is nearly impossible to dislike
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Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is a hack-and-slash action adventure game. Playing as Marlow, you must fight your way through hordes of enemies using a variety of weapons, while also solving puzzles and exploring ancient ruins. The Mask of Death, a powerful and ancient artifact, grants Marlow special abilities that help him in his quest to save the world from destruction.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,015 reviews
story120 positive mentions
stability36 negative mentions
  • Fun and engaging gameplay with a mix of hack and slash and platforming elements.
  • Cheesy, self-aware humor and entertaining dialogue between characters.
  • Great value for the price, especially during sales.
  • Repetitive combat and enemy encounters, especially in the later stages.
  • Fixed camera angles can lead to frustrating platforming sections and cheap deaths.
  • Some technical issues, including crashes and lack of graphics options.
  • story464 mentions

    The story of "Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death" is often described as a cheesy, B-movie style narrative filled with clichés, such as the classic "save the girlfriend" trope and over-the-top villains. While many reviewers find the plot predictable and lacking depth, they appreciate its self-aware humor and entertaining dialogue, which contribute to the game's overall fun experience. Ultimately, the story serves more as a backdrop for the action-packed gameplay rather than a focal point, making it enjoyable for those who embrace its absurdity.

    • “The story is pretty good while it is your standard stop the bad guy and save the girl kind of story, it's the kind of story that knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be serious like there are plenty of over the top moments like funny dialogue, over the top villains and the hero says cheesy one-liners, it does have some dark elements in it but other than that it doesn't really take itself seriously which is good.”
    • “Now that I have said that Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is a pretty good hack and slash action game and a game that knows what it is, it has pretty good gameplay, a pretty good story and very good characters.”
    • “The story is rife with mentions of Mayan culture and their gods.”
    • “The story is nothing but weird and bad; you can't buy Marlow Briggs for the story.”
    • “Don’t think for a minute this isn’t a bad game, it’s a bad game that’s good, but it gets repetitive quick and it has an extremely cliché and silly story that ends up being predictable and boring.”
    • “The story is absolute b-movie level, but the gameplay is fun.”
  • gameplay444 mentions

    The gameplay of "Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death" is often described as a low-budget homage to the "God of War" series, featuring a mix of hack-and-slash combat, platforming, and light puzzle-solving. While it borrows heavily from established mechanics, the game offers a variety of gameplay sequences and maintains a fun, fast-paced experience, despite some technical flaws and repetitive elements. Overall, players appreciate its humor, engaging combat mechanics, and decent graphics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre, especially at its low price point.

    • “The gameplay is a mix between God of War and the first Darksiders.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly smooth and fun.”
    • “Not only is the combat and platforming really fun, with great controls and a great variety of weapons and combos, but there is also variety in gameplay-styles, so things don't get too repetitive.”
    • “Some of the gameplay to set-piece/QTE transitions are very sudden and come out of literally nowhere, not letting you get ready for them.”
    • “The gameplay outside of combat is no better; there are numerous puzzle and platforming sections, but I found these areas just a hassle; I ran into numerous glitches, which was only made worse by the fact that the puzzles lacked any real challenge.”
    • “Tries to be too much like God of War, but just doesn't have the huge monolithic bosses or enjoyable puzzles that God of War has; the story isn't great and the gameplay gets repetitive rather quickly; it is just using the same button combos over and over again.”
  • humor324 mentions

    The humor in "Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death" is characterized by its self-aware, over-the-top style, featuring witty banter between the main character and his sidekick, the mask of death, which often elicits genuine laughter. While the game embraces cheesy one-liners and absurd scenarios reminiscent of B-movies, some players find the humor inconsistent, with certain jokes falling flat as the game progresses. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it an entertaining experience for those who appreciate its lighthearted approach.

    • “The banter between the main character and the mask that gives the character powers is actually funny at times and very self-aware.”
    • “The humor is original, witty, and is delivered at the exact right times.”
    • “Unlike God of War, which takes itself way too seriously, Marlow is actually a pretty cool guy, he is very sarcastic and best of all, you are accompanied by an Aztec mask who will always have something funny to say; the bickering between these two always got a chuckle out of me.”
    • “The humor is boring and not funny in the slightest.”
    • “Astoundingly low, that is oooooooohhhh (see? I can write unfunny jokes, too).”
  • graphics296 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the colorful and vibrant environments, decent lighting effects, and overall visual appeal, especially for a budget title. However, some critiques highlight outdated graphics reminiscent of earlier console generations, with a lack of advanced graphical options and occasional glitches. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the visuals are generally considered satisfactory and enjoyable within the context of the game's fun and engaging gameplay.

    • “The graphics are very good, nice and colorful with plenty of great scenery that just basically sells you on the Amazon feel.”
    • “The graphics are quite superb and varied.”
    • “The graphics look good, the voice acting is decent and the gameplay solid.”
    • “The graphics in this game are goddarned awful, but the game itself is like a forbidden fruit; it almost reminds me of this 2013 PC game that got banned where you control some biker with the most horrendous voice acting ever... I really forgot the name, but the characters made love with clothes on and it was a total cringefest.”
    • “The graphics are pretty bad and full of glitches, a bad PS2 port almost.”
    • “This game has no discernibly original story, very sub-par graphics especially for 2013!”
  • music64 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its epic and engaging soundtracks that enhance the overall experience, while others find it mediocre or repetitive. Many noted that the soundtrack effectively complements the action and atmosphere, although a few wished for more cultural diversity in the music. Overall, while the music serves its purpose well, opinions vary on its memorability and emotional impact.

    • “The music is very good, definitely quite epic with a lot of great soundtracks that fit the game well. The voice acting is very good, and you can see the actors don't take it seriously, but still give their all, like the villain played by the ever fantastic James Hong.”
    • “Action, amazing story, astonishing music, stunning graphics, surprising plot twist.”
    • “From start to finish, this is a complete action adventure deal with decent voice acting, great music, nice visuals, plenty of action, and even a few puzzles for good measure thrown in with a solid ending that makes it worth getting to.”
    • “The music is a little bit lame.”
    • “- the soundtrack is mediocre and boring!!!”
    • “Presentation is pretty basic, and music serves to be a cinematic backdrop rather than emotional in its own right.”
  • stability42 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant glitches, crashes, and framerate issues, particularly in the second half. However, some players found the game to be surprisingly functional and enjoyable despite these technical flaws, suggesting that while it has its share of bugs, it can still provide entertainment, especially at its low price point. Overall, the experience varies widely, with some players encountering frustrating issues while others report a smoother gameplay experience.

    • “There are two incredible redeeming qualities to this game, first being the fact that the game is perfectly functional, and I don’t mean that in an ironic way; I mean it more in the sense that the game doesn’t have any frustrating moments, no glitches, no bugs, nothing!”
    • “Smooth and no glitches thus far.”
    • “The game is perfectly functional, with no frustrating moments, glitches, or bugs.”
    • “It's falling apart at the seams with framerate issues, glitches, crashes, and the like, but there's real heart here.”
    • “The gameplay outside of combat is no better; there are numerous puzzle and platforming sections, but I found these areas just a hassle; I ran into numerous glitches, (character unable to climb up walls, character glitching through walls, etc.) which was only made worse by the fact that the puzzles, I felt, lacked any real challenge.”
    • “While the first half of this game is quite good, the second half is a boring buggy mess that drags on for far too long and is lacking in any sort of interesting environments and the enemies are simply palette swaps.”
  • optimization22 mentions

    The PC version of the game is generally decently optimized, running smoothly without significant lag, though it lacks comprehensive quality options. However, some players experience frustrating resolution issues, particularly when attempting to play at 1080p, which may stem from it being a direct port of the Xbox 360 version. While there are minor technical problems, they are not game-breaking, and the game performs well overall if the system meets the necessary requirements.

    • “The PC version is decently optimized, even without any real quality options, and some of the game's setpieces, especially boss fights, rival God of War if not in visual fidelity, then certainly in scope.”
    • “Luckily, it autosaves often, loads up again quickly, and when the game is running, it runs smoothly without lag.”
    • “The game runs smoothly on my PC.”
    • “The game is really good, but the one thing that really sucks is that I am forced to play the game at 1280x720p because for some reason when I try to set it at 1080p, the image doesn't fit the screen, causing on-screen display features to be cut out. It's annoying because I keep getting that stupid Windows 'this is not the optimal resolution' notification. Well, what choice do I have? My computer can clearly support the 1080p resolution, but there seems to be something going on with this game, and I think it has to do with the fact that this is a ripped-off, unoptimized port of the Xbox 360 version, which is probably why I'm having this conflict of resolution issue.”
    • “The devs really wanted to make a God of War style game for cheap, and if you can put up with some dull gameplay, annoying platforming, performance issues, and the like, you're in for a ride.”
    • “Performance note: this game has a couple of annoying, but not game-breaking, technical problems.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players find that while the initial hours of the game are engaging and action-packed, the combat becomes increasingly tedious and frustrating as the game progresses. The repetitive nature of battling damage-sponge enemies and the slow responsiveness of upgraded weapons contribute to a sense of grind, particularly in the latter half of the game. Despite this, some players appreciate the unique style of the cut scenes and note that the gameplay does not feel overly repetitive or grindy in the traditional sense.

    • “However, the combat starts to feel tedious after a while.”
    • “A hack & slash that starts like an amazing action B-movie, then gradually loses its charm and becomes tedious over time, showing off its development constraints.”
    • “Some of the enemy mobs take literally hundreds of hits; it gets really tedious.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in a single run without the incentive to revisit. While the gameplay, level design, and graphics are praised, the ability to max out weapons and skills on the first playthrough significantly diminishes the motivation for subsequent plays. Some users mention a slight potential for replay value depending on personal preference, but it remains largely minimal.

    • “Level design is outstanding, graphics are good, sound is good, voice is good, there's replay value if that's your bag.”
    • “It may not provide much replay value, but 'Marlow Briggs' is a good title that's worth the small investment.”
    • “Even with a 7 hour run time and not too much frills for any replay value, I think this could stand shoulder to shoulder with God of War.”
    • “You can max out every weapon and skill on the first run, so no replay value.”
    • “The upgrades are straightforward and there isn't much for replayability.”
    • “It doesn't have any replay value.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a campy charm and vibrant graphics that complement its over-the-top style, despite a limited budget. While the sound design is generally considered forgettable, the decent soundtrack and thoughtful level design contribute to an engaging overall experience.

    • “What helped him was the campy atmosphere and a nice presentation of the game - sure, it had a limited budget, but the devs packed a lot of content and love into it.”
    • “Lip syncing isn't the best, but the graphics are bright and fun, matching the over-the-top atmosphere.”
    • “Surprisingly enough, the soundtrack is actually pretty decent and, paired with the level design, builds up a really good atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and sound are passable, but quite forgettable.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a profound journey, evoking a wide range of feelings such as joy, sadness, and tranquility, particularly in comparison to the deeply engaging experience of "Shrek Treasure Hunt." However, the basic presentation and music are noted to lack emotional depth, serving more as a backdrop than a driving force in the emotional experience. Overall, players can anticipate a significant emotional rollercoaster throughout the game.

    • “After being so emotionally engaged with the introspective masterpiece that is Shrek Treasure Hunt™ for the Sony PlayStation Entertainment System™ available at Tescos™ for only £599.99, I came to the conclusion that there will never be a journey into the life of a misunderstood but gentle ogre as heart-wrenching as Shrek Treasure Hunt™ for the Sony PlayStation Entertainment System™ available at Tescos™ for only £599.99.”
    • “Expect an emotional rollercoaster of joy, sadness, peace, tranquility, and many more!”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization of Marlow Briggs is characterized by its low price point, which has contributed to its popularity and positive reception, with players viewing it as a scrappy yet charming experience rather than a cash grab.

    • “The game is cheap, but that often makes it feel like a scrappy miracle rather than a cynical cash grab.”
    • “Marlow Briggs is a rather unknown game but has recently become popular due to its low price and word of mouth advertising.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
6-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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