Review: "The Maw"

I've been busy lately. I just don't have time to play my brother's copy of Assassin's Creed or my new shiny copy of BioShock. Instead, I decided to spend the last week with a new XBLA title, The Maw.

There he is. The Maw. He's a big purple alien monster with a hunger for all living creatures. And that's the game. You play Frank, another alien who leads The Maw around on a leash. As you feed him, he grows, and his characteristics adapt to the monsters he eats. For example, if Maw eats a Gastro (a lava lizard), he can breath fire. If he eats a Loofer (a peacock with laser eyes), he can shoot lasers out of his eyes.

The game has fantastic graphics for a downloadable game, but perhaps the most obnoxious soundtrack I've heard on a game in a while. I did hit a glitch that made me completely replay one level just before I beat it, which was horribly frustrating. Also, although it's largely a very straightforward platformer, it gets unnecessarily complicated at times. The frustration sprouts from Frank trying to grab a creature to feed to The Maw. For whatever reason, it's just too hard.

Still, it's a very charming game, albeit a pretty quick play. If you're willing to spend a small amount of money to play this game through one time, go right ahead. Honestly, there's a part of me that wanted this game to end pretty quickly if only because of the headache that came from the soundtrack. You know what? Mute the TV and enjoy the game. That's probably the best idea.

Aside from my petty complaints, The Maw is legitimitely enjoyable. I say give it a go.

Grade: B