Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan

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Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan is a nostalgic 2D action-adventure game set in the ancient Mayan civilization. As Sydney Hunter, players solve puzzles, explore temples, and battle mythical creatures to break the curse and save the village. With its classic pixel art style and engaging gameplay, Curse of the Mayan offers a thrilling adventure for both new and old school gamers.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 86 reviews

graphics12 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan offers a nostalgic retro-style adventure with engaging graphics and sound effects that capture the essence of classic games.
The game features solid level design with multiple paths, encouraging exploration and providing a fun challenge without being overly punishing.
Controls are generally responsive, and the game successfully combines elements of platforming and Metroidvania, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from frustrating design choices, such as fixed keyboard controls that cannot be remapped and inconsistent enemy respawn mechanics, leading to cheap deaths.
Boss fights are often poorly designed, with many relying on unfair mechanics that can lead to tedious and repetitive gameplay.
Progression can feel predictable and lacking depth, as players often find themselves collecting jewels with little meaningful use for the currency.

graphics
22 mentions
55 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, capturing the nostalgic essence of classic 8-bit adventure games with vibrant colors and charming designs reminiscent of NES titles. However, some critiques point out inconsistencies in pixel alignment and scaling issues, which detract from the overall visual experience. Despite these minor flaws, the attention to detail and retro aesthetic contribute positively to the game's appeal.
- “The game's graphics and sound effects capture the look and feel of classic adventure games, while its mechanics are easy to learn.”
- “A rather nice retro platforming game with nice colorful MSX2 graphics.”
- “It's clear that a lot of effort went into this with attention to detail sprinkled in the graphics and puzzle areas, topped off with a great C64 sounding soundtrack.”
- “Graphically, it doesn't obey its own pixel grid; there are some smaller-than-pixel-sized particles and weirdly scaled objects.”
- “It's obvious that it's designed to look and sound like an 8-bit console game, but for the graphics, I don't appreciate that half-hearted approach.”
- “The graphics remind me of classic NES games like Chip 'n Dale or DuckTales.”
music
22 mentions
82 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its nostalgic and retro vibe, effectively complementing the graphics and gameplay. While many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's fittingness and variety across different worlds, some find certain tracks repetitive and annoying. Overall, the music is seen as a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the overall experience despite a few criticisms.
- “The music is awesome, fitting the retro vibe really well.”
- “The nes aesthetic is spot on, the music is amazing, and the controls are smooth and very responsive.”
- “There are several worlds to visit through the hub, and each one has a new set of tiles, a few new enemies, and an excellent musical track.”
- “The music is some annoying repetitive chiptune that will get on your nerves fast.”
- “The music is some annoying repetitive chiptune that will get on your nerves fast.”
gameplay
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is designed to evoke nostalgia for classic arcade-platforming experiences, featuring easy-to-learn mechanics and well-designed levels. While players can acquire abilities throughout the game, they are not significantly transformative, and some mechanics may feel diminished at times. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and accessible, appealing particularly to fans of retro gaming, despite occasional minor responsiveness issues.
- “The game's graphics and sound effects capture the look and feel of classic adventure games, while its mechanics are easy to learn.”
- “Overall though it is a fun game with some well-designed levels and interesting game mechanics.”
- “I'll be quick: the game is almost perfect for those like me (almost 40 years old guys stuck in the 8/16 bit gaming era) who are looking for a classic arcade-platforming experience with a very essential plot and not too frustrating or punishing gameplay.”
- “You'll pick up some abilities throughout the game, but they're not true game changers like a double jump; you'll find things that seemingly annihilate mechanics altogether.”
- “The gameplay is okay.”
- “Gameplay is very tight, though it can be a little unresponsive at times, but very rarely.”
story
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story of "Sydney Hunter" features a straightforward yet engaging plot centered around the titular character's quest for treasure in Mayan ruins. While it appeals to fans of classic arcade-platforming games, the narrative is considered minimal and lacks the depth and polish found in similar titles, making it less recommendable to genre enthusiasts. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience but falls short in comparison to its more accomplished counterparts.
- “The game has a simple but engaging plot where players take on the role of adventurer Sydney Hunter in search of treasure in the Mayan ruins.”
- “I'll be quick: the game is almost perfect for those like me (almost 40 years old guys stuck in the 8/16 bit gaming era) who are looking for a classic arcade-platforming experience with a very essential plot and not too frustrating or punishing gameplay.”
- “The game is almost perfect for those like me (almost 40 years old guys stuck in the 8/16 bit gaming era) who are looking for a classic arcade-platforming experience with a very minimal plot and not too frustrating or punishing gameplay.”
humor
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unique dialogue and tributes to other games, but it is often criticized for being poorly executed and unfunny, with specific examples of cringe-worthy jokes. Players find the writing inconsistent, making it difficult to fully enjoy the comedic elements while progressing through the game.
- “The dialogues have a very particular humor and many special tributes to more famous games.”
- “Unbelievably bad and unfunny writing, such as the participation trophy 'joke' on achievements and the gluten-free 'joke' from the first NPC. It's frustrating because you can't just ignore NPCs outright, as some are necessary for progression.”
- “The humor in this game is painfully unfunny, with jokes that feel forced and irrelevant, making it hard to engage with the characters.”
- “The attempts at humor fall flat, leaving players cringing rather than laughing, which detracts from the overall experience.”
grinding
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the need to repeatedly defeat bosses while farming for resources. The difficulty spikes, especially with one-shot kill attacks, and the necessity to navigate through empty rooms and confusing hitboxes contribute to a sense of annoyance, though some players are willing to endure it.
- “Also be warned, the difficulty is frustrating at times, especially getting a boss down to 1/2 a skull and then getting hit by a one-shot kill attack. Why do I need to beat a boss again if I am farming a finished level for gems and such?”
- “It requires you to tediously walk through many empty and boring rooms until you figure out the weird hitboxes on some obstacles, like those grass pits.”
- “Grinding my teeth here, but I can take it.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' frustration with the automatic selection of the spear when interacting with water, which often leads to unfavorable outcomes. This mechanic evokes feelings of annoyance and helplessness, detracting from the overall experience.