Maya Star
- April 5, 2022
- RetroLamen
Get on SteamIn a magical land ruled by an ancient evil, a prophecy says that salvation will come with the awakening of a new hero. Explore different maps, fight evil creatures and decide the fate of Maya Star.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game improves significantly after the first area, with better level design and enjoyable enemy patterns.
- It features smart quality of life improvements, such as teleportation between waypoints and a helpful map for collectibles.
- The aesthetic, visuals, and sound design are pleasing, creating a welcoming atmosphere for players.
- The first world is poorly designed compared to later areas, leading to a frustrating initial experience.
- Save points are too far apart, causing players to lose significant progress upon death and requiring repetitive traversal.
- Controls and mechanics feel rough, with issues like fixed jump heights and unbalanced boss fights that can lead to frustration.
- graphics14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for their pleasing pixelated aesthetic and lifelike sprite work, creating a welcoming atmosphere that balances stress and relaxation. However, the first zone is criticized for its lackluster visuals and navigation, which feel poorly designed compared to the more vibrant and engaging later areas. Overall, while the aesthetics shine in most parts, the initial experience may leave players wanting more.
“The game has a pleasing aesthetic, visuals, and sound design.”
“I found the pixelated purple aesthetic to be extremely pleasing to the eye, and all the sprite work to be very lifelike.”
“Very good, very pleasing to the eye, the ear, and the hands. Aesthetics are welcoming, and the whole game is somehow both stressful, relaxing, and rage game-y all at the same time.”
“It's like you put a lot of love and character into every zone, except the first one. I mean, it's typical for a game in this genre to get better with the power-ups, but something about the level design was just not good for the first hour, both in terms of visuals and navigation.”
“[First zone] - I think it's just poorly made when compared to other areas. The visuals are boring, navigation is not fun, and the enemies are repetitive.”
“The visuals are lacking in comparison to other areas, making the first zone feel uninspired and unengaging.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for poor platforming mechanics, suggesting a lack of expertise from the developers in utilizing Unity's 3D engine effectively. While the mechanics are generally easy to use, the initial key bindings are noted as uncomfortable.
“Basically, the devs have no idea how to program the mechanics of a platformer and decided to just wing it with Unity's 3D engine.”
“The game mechanics are very easy to use, although I found the initial key bind to be not particularly comfortable.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, particularly in areas beyond the town, where it enhances the overall enjoyment of navigation and gameplay. Players express a strong appreciation for specific soundtracks, such as the one for the castle, indicating that the music significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere.
“I would say every area after the town is a lot more fun to navigate, the backgrounds are better, and the enemy patterns are more enjoyable. On a side note, can you link me the soundtrack for the castle? I really like it.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is perceived as bland and cliché, following the familiar trope of a "chosen one" tasked with saving the world from evil due to an ancient prophecy. Reviewers express that, while they have not completed the game, the narrative lacks originality and depth.
