PARTICLE MACE

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PARTICLE MACE is an arcade-style game with a physics-based mechanic, where you defend yourself in a hostile universe by swinging particles into enemies. It features 3 endless modes, 150 missions, local multiplayer deathmatch and co-op, ship unlocks, and leaderboards. The game has intense flashing lights and rapid movement, which may affect players with photosensitivity.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 830 reviews

story32 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

Unique and engaging gameplay that combines physics with arcade action.
Addictive with a variety of missions and unlockable ships that keep players coming back.
Great for local multiplayer, providing fun and competitive experiences with friends.

Can become repetitive over time, especially in single-player mode.
Screen shake effect after kills can be distracting and hinder gameplay.
Lacks online multiplayer options, limiting play to local co-op only.

story
233 mentions
14 % positive mentions
82 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often described as lacking depth, with many players noting that it revolves around surviving in a post-apocalyptic space setting. However, the mission mode, featuring 150 unique challenges, is highly praised for its engaging gameplay and clever mechanics, providing a variety of objectives that keep players entertained and motivated. While some players express a desire for a more developed narrative, the focus on mission-based gameplay offers a satisfying experience that encourages replayability.
- “The story is very complex.”
- “Like I said, your decisions really affect the story, and the better decisions you make, the more story you get.”
- “The mission mode constantly cycles through objectives and conditions to meet and is a blast to work through.”
- “The story was pretty boring in the beginning.”
- “Wish there was a storyline of some sort and proper levels to go through.”
- “There isn't much of a developed story; supposedly everyone is dead and now you're the only survivor in a ship trying to survive.”
gameplay
137 mentions
36 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple yet engaging mechanic that revolves around swinging a mace to interact with space objects, reminiscent of classic arcade games. While the missions are short and varied, providing clever twists and challenges, some players find the overall experience can become monotonous over time due to limited depth and repetitive elements. Despite this, the game is praised for its addictive nature, satisfying controls, and unique mechanics that keep players returning for more.
- “The missions are short and engaging with lots of clever twists on the basic mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is simple but fun.”
- “The mechanics are fun, they are unique and it just feels satisfying to swing the mace around and kill several enemies at once.”
- “Simple mechanical hook executed well but lacking in the depth or complexity to hold players longer than a brief taste of play.”
- “The gameplay is just plain boring and not even the 'challenging' aspect of it makes it more fun.”
- “Gameplay not very enjoyable and quickly boring.”
music
85 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting and engaging soundtrack, often described as calming, addictive, and reminiscent of arcade-style techno. Many players appreciate how the music enhances the gameplay experience, with some noting its dynamic nature that evolves with the game's difficulty. While some find the soundtrack excellent and worth purchasing separately, a few critiques mention that certain tracks can become repetitive or barely noticeable.
- “Finally, I would like to mention that the soundtrack is amazing, the type you will want to listen to while playing other games, very Tron-like if you are into that.”
- “The music enhances the game quite a bit.”
- “The soundtrack (by Nathanial Chambers) is one of the best soundtracks for an arcade style game I have ever heard.”
- “This game is actually pretty good, the 8-bit music might get annoying, since it's a one loud loop.”
- “The soundtrack isn't included with the game.”
- “The music makes you feel like you are in a gaming cafe or arcade, and the sound is awesome!”
graphics
69 mentions
29 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as minimalistic and retro, reminiscent of classic arcade titles like Asteroids, with a mix of vector and pixel art styles. While some reviewers appreciate the simplicity and smoothness of the visuals, others note that they may not be visually impressive by modern standards. Overall, the graphics effectively complement the gameplay, creating an engaging atmosphere despite their simplicity.
- “The controls are great, graphics are gorgeous while keeping the classic Atari look.”
- “With a unique graphics style, this game manages to keep you engaged with its stylized visuals and audio.”
- “Super fun with bright and trippy arcade style graphics.”
- “At first glance, the vector-style and DOS text graphics suggest lameness, and I'd be lying if I said the game doesn't have a low-tech feel to it.”
- “The simple graphics feel like the game was made in the 80's, with an obviously modern physics engine.”
- “Basically, terrible graphics.”
replayability
18 mentions
44 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Particle Mace offers significant replayability through its diverse game modes, challenges, and ship interactions, making it an engaging experience for players. While some users note that the novelty may wear off over time, the game's arcade feel and balanced mechanics keep it addictive and enjoyable. Overall, it is praised for its expansive replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for casual gamers.
- “The different game modes give a lot of replayability.”
- “It has a high replay value as there are several game modes, difficulties, and challenges.”
- “Due to the arcade feel to it, the replayability value is endless, and you get addicted to it very quickly.”
- “If you're just splurging on money, sure, but the novelty of the game somewhat wears off after a while and it is pretty short despite the replayability.”
- “While still very challenging and difficult, the game feels far more playable than classic video games because this game can actually be beat!”
- “The strengths and weaknesses of the different ships (and how they interact with other ships) really seemed to be well balanced somehow and added a lot to replayability.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its simplicity and effectiveness, with players highlighting its funny concepts, witty achievements, and casual language. The combination of amusing visuals and engaging gameplay contributes to a lighthearted experience that keeps players entertained and laughing throughout. Overall, it is regarded as a standout arcade game that successfully blends humor with fun mechanics.
- “Such a simple funny idea, but done so well and easily the single best arcade-style game I've ever played.”
- “What a funny little game.”
- “Combining elements of asteroids and space wars, Particle Mace is a fast arcade experience that'll keep you laughing...and facepalming!”
stability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for being buggy and underdeveloped, with issues such as controller malfunctions and freezing during gameplay. While some users report a smooth experience without noticeable glitches, others struggle with configuration problems and game freezes, particularly when using certain controllers. Overall, stability appears to be a significant concern for many players.
- “There is nothing that irks me; nothing stands out, no glitches (as far as I can tell). It's just a great game.”
- “Buggy and underdeveloped; controllers don't work properly with it.”
- “The controller setup menu is buggy.”
- “As soon as I click 'arcade' to play, the game freezes completely.”
optimization
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, while the game "Particle Mace" is praised for its nostalgic design and engaging gameplay, users report significant optimization issues, particularly on less powerful hardware. Despite its simplicity, the game's performance does not meet expectations, suggesting that it may not be well-optimized for a broader range of systems.
- “However, the complexity of games in today’s age has advanced considerably, and while Particle Mace is a great throwback to the days of old that has been perfected and optimized to near perfection, it is hardly a groundbreaking title.”
- “It's a fairly simple concept, but the game keeps it from getting stale too quickly by gradually introducing variant ships with slightly different performance characteristics, and missions (challenges, really) that provide twists on the core gameplay.”
- “This was on my laptop; however, which is nothing close to a powerhouse, but still suggests some optimization issues.”
- “My only conclusion is that it's poorly optimized.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as quirky and engaging, offering a balance of challenge and relaxation that appeals to a wide audience. Players appreciate the simple yet rewarding graphics and the fitting atmospheric music, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.
- “It's atmospheric, challenging if you want it to be, relaxing if you want it to be, and pretty much has something for everyone.”
- “Honestly, this is a really fun game with great, simple graphics and an amazing atmosphere.”
- “The music is atmospheric and fits nicely.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for forcing ads upon players, particularly when loading the game, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the introduction of ads has disrupted the ability to save progress, leading to significant dissatisfaction among users.
- “Well, unless you don't like saving your progress or have any reasonable expectation of not purchasing ads.”
- “The Steam publisher added ads and broke save functionality.”
- “Outstandingly fun game, but it forces ads on you when you load it up, so I cannot recommend it to anybody.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, with at least half of the 21 achievements requiring significant effort to obtain. Despite this, many still consider the game enjoyable overall.
- “About 13 achievements are able to be earned on your own, 7 achievements earned in co-op (I don't have any friends, stop making me make friends), 1 achievement for doing everything, and out of those 21 achievements, at least half of those achievements require extensive grinding.”
- “So far, 08/03/15, I have a lot of grinding to do before I'm ready to give up.”