Madzik [Review]
Madzik is a fun hack and slash that lacks variety.
Madzik. Credit: BKOM Studios
BKOM Studios’ Madzik is an 80’s handcrafted art style fantasy hack and slash adventure. While there is a strong core here, there’s a lack of variety that that hampers the game. The current release only includes Episode 1, consisting of a handful of levels.
You control Makino the Winged Bear and living doll Veroline, who are on a journey to save Zikverland from Ahnglum, an evil mage, who has summoned alien moons and monsters. Ahnglum’s deeds also caused a plague known as the Nightfalls, which causes creatures to undergo unpredictable mutations depending on which moon is in the sky. I can’t say I cared for the story; there’s way too much lore and backstory for what’s actually in the game, and it’s there at the expense of any kind of character development. If the writing isn’t going to make me care about the characters, I’m certainly not going to care about the world they live in.
Madzik. Credit: BKOM Studios
I don’t understand the visual design choices in Madzik, as neither the 80’s neon color palette or the handcrafted materials style complement the fantasy story and setting of the game. Nonetheless, the visuals are charming. I’d like to see what other biomes look like in future episodes.
Makino is a melee bruiser and Veroline is a delicate ranged magic user. You’re able to swap between them at will, and if you’re killed as one, you’ll automatically switch to the other as long as they have healed since they were last used. Each of the characters requires a different strategy to survive and I appreciated that both played so differently for eachother. You need to use their abilities wisely to control crowds of enemies lest you be overwhelmed. As you progress, you’ll unlock more abilities for each and be able to choose which three you equip to best suit you. After gathering enough energy, both heroes can transform into more powerful versions of themselves for a limited time.
Madzik. Credit: BKOM Studios
Levels are made up of large arenas connected by bridges, with gates that will open once all enemies are defeated. The level design here was a bit boring, made worse by the length of each level. Levels feel endless, and once you’ve fought through one kind of room a couple times it gets old. Madzik throws in some variety with its moon system, which will change enemy types and environmental hazards based on which moon is in the sky, but they change often even within a single arena, making the novelty wear off quickly. The level design would be far more interesting if more layouts and variants existed that took advantage of specific moons’ effects.
Madzik. Credit: BKOM Studios
Combat feels good, especially once you get into a rhythm with each character’s abilities. I just wish there was a bit more situational variety because things get repetitive so quickly. Madzik has a lot of padding to make up for the small amount of content in this first episode and it just doesn’t do enough with what’s there to justify it. I’m still eager to see what’s in store for the next episode. I just hope that the game is tightened up a bit in terms of content. There’s no reason this game should begin wearing out its welcome before its 3-4 hours of playtime are over, with its rewarding combat design.
Madzik is available now on Steam for PC.
Overall Score: 7/10
Played on: Steam Deck
