A spiritual journey.
Developer Lienzo is slowly making a name for themselves. After tackling the fabled Metroid-style game play with Hunter’s Legacy, their latest game tackles the Zelda formula. Mulaka is a third-person action title that incorporates the ideas from Nintendo’s franchise while plastering it against the cultural backdrop of the Tarahumara people of Northern Mexico. What we end up getting is an interesting take on the genre with artistic visuals and an interesting backstory.
The idea of the game is simple. Players take on the role of a travelling warrior whose sole purpose is to prove his worth to a host of deities. The ultimate goal is to recruit their help in stopping an evil force that is trying to reset the world.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
The premise is simple, but like the games it apes, it works to move the plot along. What I loved about Mulaka is that it draws its inspirations, but never over does it. Everything is tailored to these ideas and cultures, but never forced on the player. Skipping them or ignoring them entirely does not hamper the enjoyment of the game.
The combat in the game is much of what I expected. There are two main attacks, light and heavy, and a spear throw for ranged. Our warrior will also collect new skills as the game progresses. Puzzles play a role in each area as well. My biggest gripe is that nothing really tested me to an extreme. The combat was simple enough that I rarely died, and the puzzles never gave me issues I couldn’t overcome in one session. Nothing about the game feels overly challenging. It is worth noting though that it is not mindless. It still remains interesting even if it never tests the mettle of more experienced gamers.
Combat is simple for sure, but not without its issues. The lock-on system gave me fits more often than I cared for. I found some enemies had weird hitboxes and I ended up swinging at air more often than not. I did love the progression of boss fights though. They start off normal scale, but ramp up to massive tasks by the end.
The world of Mulaka is what really stands out though. The art style is unique in that everything has sharp edges and is bleeding with color. The world feels vibrant and interesting. I loved the subtle music notes that played and everything just drips with style. It feels more Okami than Zelda most of the time, which is not a bad thing. Everything about Mulaka from the visuals to the sound just oozes style and I simply adore it for that.
Mulaka continues to show the prowess of developer Lienzo. They are slowly honing their craft and I expect it to continue. I look forward to their next game, but for now anyone who enjoys games such as Zelda or Okami would do well to check this title out. It is available on virtually everything and worth the investment even with its shortcomings.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
