Mya of the Desert

About

Mya of the Desert is a single player open world action adventure game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Emergency Entrance Studios and was released on April 24, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Mya of the Desert is a 3D Action/Adventure game where you use earth manipulating powers, or Geomancy, to overcome obstacles, solve puzzles, and defeat foes. Elevate pillars of earth and bend rocks to your will as Mya, a desert wanderer, as she returns life to the world around her!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

stability13 negative mentions

Unique and enjoyable puzzle mechanics centered around geomancy and earth manipulation.
Beautiful, colorful, and atmospheric visuals with charming character design and environments.
Relaxing and engaging experience suitable for fans of puzzle and adventure games, with well-balanced difficulty progression.

Numerous bugs and glitches including clipping into walls, stuck characters, and broken mechanics that can require restarting the game.
Limited game options and settings, lacking controls customization, graphic options, and save system improvements.
Performance issues such as low FPS on some systems and high GPU usage causing PCs to heat up.

gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The gameplay centers on a unique earth manipulation mechanic involving raising pillars from color-coded surfaces, offering fresh puzzle and exploration challenges. However, many users report significant bugs and broken mechanics that hinder playability, with some core features like riding boulders failing unpredictably. While the concept is praised and the difficulty well-balanced, the current technical issues limit the overall experience.
- “The main gameplay hook is using your mana pool to raise pillars of rock from colour-coded patches of floor, walls and ceiling.”
- “Gameplay: 8/10 the balance between control-based difficulty and puzzle-solving difficulty is well maintained, and every challenge you face feels new, and a little harder than the last.”
- “Love the earth manipulation mechanic and the sense of exploration you get out of it with all the temples scattered around!”
- “The mechanic for riding on boulders just straight up doesn't work, so I had to fudge my way through levels by leap-frogging rather than levitating.”
- “Or you'll use the mechanic and the mechanic will fail you. I personally laughed for 2 minutes as I stood on a platform which was supposed to carry me to the other side of the area, and I stayed there, floating above the void and contemplating my life choices.”
- “I cannot recommend the game in its current state as the 2nd temple is currently unbeatable due to broken mechanics.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, such as getting stuck in walls and falling through floors, which frequently disrupt gameplay and force restarts. While the concept and story are appealing, these stability issues significantly hinder the overall experience and enjoyment. Many users see potential but find the current level of instability a major drawback.
- “This game is full of bugs and glitches, continually getting stuck in walls, falling through floors, etc.”
- “Sadly, too many glitches — pulled through walls, ended up falling off map so many times — made it unplayable for me, but what I did manage to play I found fun and something I would definitely play if these glitches were corrected.”
- “Unfortunately, just too buggy to really enjoy at this stage; immersion constantly being broken by getting stuck in walls or not having platforms come out where you're placing them.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The graphics are generally praised for their charming, professional quality and beautiful high-res low-poly style reminiscent of classic games, especially impressive for an indie title. However, some users note the need for improved graphics options and bug fixes to enhance visual performance. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's appeal despite minor technical issues.
- “The graphics, animation, sound effects and music are charming and professional quality.”
- “Graphics: 8/10. The artwork is beautiful; I love the high-res low-poly style, very reminiscent of Nintendo GameCube.”
- “The graphics and art are pretty good for an indie game by a small studio.”
- “It's good but there are a lot of bugs that need to be fixed. Graphics need to be improved, and some mechanics are broken.”
- “Although it's an indie game, the graphic engine draws a lot from your graphics card.”
- “Also, for the love of god, please implement graphic options.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The story is minimal or largely absent, with many users expressing a desire for more narrative content and clearer objectives. While the concept shows potential, the lack of a defined storyline and presentation hinders engagement, though there is hope for future updates to address this.
- “It is a great concept with a nicely developed story, although the objective isn't entirely clear from the start and glitches sometimes make it difficult to play.”
- “I'm excited to see future updates and hopefully some storyline, whether it's delivered in dialogue or clues hidden around the map.”
- “Storyline: pretty well non-existent.”
- “No story so far.”
- “More story would be appreciated.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The music is praised for its charming and professional quality, enhancing the game's atmosphere. However, some users find the repetitive music during long loading times frustrating, especially due to the lack of audio options to limit or mute it.
- “The graphics, animation, sound effects, and music are charming and professional quality.”
- “However, when trying to play the game I never get past the loading screen. The music plays, but after nearly 30 minutes just trying to get into the game I shut it down.”
- “Options do not include any audio limits, so for 15 minutes of loading I had to listen to the same music.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is lighthearted and arises from playful moments like discovering amusing bugs and the nostalgic impulse to interact destructively with the environment, creating a fun and silly experience.
- “Besides, I'm the type of person who will try to destroy everything (you know, the Zelda generation that considers a pot is there to be destroyed because it probably contains something), and I also try to go through everything after noticing the funny bugs.”
- “That's silly but it was a funny moment.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a compelling and immersive atmosphere that effectively draws players in. However, while the setting sparks curiosity about the lore, such as the geomancers, the story remains underdeveloped in the levels played.
- “Great look, atmospheric game.”
- “The game's atmosphere really pulls me in and makes me wonder who the geomancers are/were.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is notably well-optimized, running smoothly with lower CPU usage than typical for most indie titles. Users experience good performance without excessive resource demands.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the game's character design for its charm, highlighting appealing visuals and well-crafted scenery that enhance the overall experience.