The Maw

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 183 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Maw Game Cover
The Maw is a brief, yet engrossing, journey that leans more on its charm than its gameplay.
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In "The Maw," players control Frank, a tiny creature navigating through various levels in an intergalactic franchise prison. The primary goal is to feed and protect The Maw, a monstrous creature that follows Frank, and avoid getting captured by the prison's guards. The game is a quirky and humorous action-adventure puzzle-solver, featuring vibrant graphics, unique mechanics, and satisfying progression.

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Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 183 reviews
gameplay7 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The Maw features charming character designs and a cute art style that appeals to both children and adults.
  • The gameplay is simple and forgiving, making it accessible for younger players and those looking for a light-hearted experience.
  • The game offers a fun and unique premise of guiding a growing creature through levels by feeding it various enemies and animals.
  • The camera controls are frustrating and poorly implemented, often hindering gameplay and making navigation difficult.
  • The game is short and can become repetitive quickly, with limited variety in levels and activities.
  • The PC port has significant issues, including bugs and lack of proper controller support, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • story22 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, primarily consisting of an introductory and concluding cutscene, with players often creating their own narratives for entertainment. While the character designs and graphics are praised, the overall plot is seen as simplistic and more suited for casual play rather than a compelling narrative experience. Despite its shortcomings, the game is enjoyable as a light-hearted distraction, particularly for those who appreciate its whimsical elements.

    • “The maw is a cute little story about a boy and his alien stomach monster escaping from intergalactic... police?”
    • “The story is cute, and the characters are adorable.”
    • “Despite these issues, the game is great as a time killer and has a pretty neat story.”
    • “Almost no story, poorly made camera and buttons.”
    • “There is no real story past the intro and outro cutscenes, but that doesn't really matter too much for this game.”
    • “The puzzles are relatively simple and the story is..... nonexistent really, but as something to mindlessly play and quickly 100% for the satisfaction it's a worthwhile experience with incredibly fun music and neat creature designs.”
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, making it an excellent choice for younger players. While it features charming characters and a unique mechanic centered around feeding the maw to grow and overcome obstacles, some players find the gameplay repetitive and the puzzles lacking in complexity. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit short, experience with a blend of exploration and straightforward mechanics, though some aspects, like camera control and interface, could use improvement.

    • “This would be a great game to introduce younger players to 3D game mechanics, without the frustration of a game over.”
    • “A perfect blend of adorable main characters, buttery-smooth gameplay, Pixar visuals and audio; even the soundtrack is excellent and fits the feel of the game perfectly.”
    • “The gameplay is really fun, introducing new enemy types and abilities at a pretty frequent pace, such as Frank learning to use his arm tether to sling enemies, hijack ships, and grappling-hook his way around the beautiful alien landscapes.”
    • “It is absolutely a kids game though, so don't expect complex puzzles or difficult gameplay.”
    • “When I played it, it seemed cheaply made and with overall bad puzzles and combat mechanics that get old very quickly.”
    • “The gameplay starts to get pretty repetitive as the levels increase in size.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming, cartoonish style that has aged well, providing a visually appealing experience. While some players note repetitive use of assets and occasional glitches, the overall aesthetic is considered cute and fitting for the game's lighthearted nature. The combination of vibrant visuals and smooth gameplay contributes to a pleasant atmosphere, making it enjoyable for both younger audiences and adults looking for a relaxing experience.

    • “The Maw may be almost 15 years old now, but it's still a great game with good graphics (the art style saved it no doubt) and gameplay.”
    • “A cute 3D platformer puzzle type deal with great character design, shockingly good graphics that hold up to the test of time, snazzy music, great sound effects, really the whole package!”
    • “Clean cartoony graphics, challenging yet accessible puzzles, and cute characters.”
    • “After I played a few levels, I noticed that a lot of the levels use the same graphics and assets.”
    • “I usually don't care about graphics, so something has to be very ugly to make me say this.”
    • “The game's visuals are decent; however, the gameplay starts to get pretty repetitive as the levels increase in size.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The game is praised for its genuinely funny and original humor, featuring cute characters and entertaining animations that enhance the experience. While many players enjoy the comedic elements and find the interactions amusing, some feel that the humor can be overly scripted and passive, resembling a movie more than an interactive game. Overall, the humor is a standout aspect that contributes to the game's charm, making it enjoyable for casual play.

    • “Genuinely funny and original game.”
    • “This is a very original game... full of fresh & funny ideas.”
    • “Smart gameplay, funny characters, and nice puzzles make it very fun to play.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its upbeat and engaging quality, enhancing the overall experience with a fitting soundtrack that complements the visuals and gameplay. However, some levels, particularly during boss fights, feature less appealing music and repetitive gameplay, which detracts from the enjoyment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its charm and fun atmosphere.

    • “After Maw had eaten the alien peacock and I was on top of him, every time I would shoot, the soundtrack would become more of an upbeat evil and conquering vibe, and I just adore that!”
    • “A perfect blend of adorable main characters, buttery-smooth gameplay, Pixar visuals and audio; even the soundtrack is excellent and fits the feel of the game perfectly.”
    • “A cute 3D platformer puzzle type deal with great character design, shockingly good graphics that hold up to the test of time, snazzy music, great sound effects; really the whole package!”
    • “The music in this level, especially during its 'boss fight', is not as pleasant and unique as the rest of the game. On top of that, the level adds very little enjoyable gameplay; it is mostly repetitive actions on a very repetitive map without the use of the maw creature.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, with characters primarily showcasing cute designs and animations rather than significant growth or change. While the visuals and audio are praised, the lack of dialogue and depth in character arcs may leave players feeling disconnected from the narrative. Overall, the game excels in charm and accessibility but falls short in delivering a more profound character development experience.

    • “A cute 3D platformer puzzle type deal with great character design, shockingly good graphics that hold up to the test of time, snazzy music, great sound effects, really the whole package!”
    • “Falling into the puzzle/adventure category in my mind, some charming character designs and great animations help this to appeal to the young ones as well as us veterans.”
    • “Sure, your little friend gets bigger, but that's about it in terms of character development.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game experiences notable stability issues, including movement speed that extends level duration and glitches that can lead to soft locks, requiring players to restart levels. While the graphics are generally appealing, these technical problems detract from the overall experience.

    • “It has some issues, however, like the movement speed making levels way longer than they really should be, and glitches have forced me into a soft lock.”
    • “When the last two glitches happened, we were forced to restart the entire level from the beginning.”
    • “Although the game offers some nice graphics, there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is characterized as a heartwarming adventure that fosters a strong emotional connection between players and the characters, particularly the alien companion, leading to a fulfilling and touching experience by the conclusion.

    • “It's a fun, cute little adventure with two unlikely friends that is really heartwarming by the end.”
    • “You will be emotionally attached to your alien by the end of the game!”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game successfully evokes the nostalgic joy and vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of the golden age of N64 platformers, creating an engaging experience for players.

    • “This game captures the joy and atmosphere of the golden age of N64 platformers.”
    • “The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel magical.”
    • “The sound design and visuals create a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, with one user noting it took five hours of repetitive actions to achieve a significant size increase, likening the experience to a slow and linear process.

    • “The grind is painfully slow, and it feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real progress.”
    • “After hours of repetitive tasks, I still feel like I'm nowhere closer to my goals.”
    • “The amount of time required to level up is excessive, making the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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