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Mulaka

Mulaka

Lienzo · released Feb 27, 2018

ActionAdventureIndiePCPlayStation 4Xbox OneNintendo Switch

Dive into northern Mexico's breathtaking landscapes with Mulaka, a 3D action-adventure game based on the rich indigenous culture of the Tarahumara.

79
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
80%
At launch
90%
Steam all-time
71%
Press
74%
Player sentiment
100%
Recent sentiment

PC 79 · PlayStation 70 · Xbox 72 · Switch 72

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)7122
All-time Steam reviews90%8494
Metacritic user ratings746
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)100%970
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0.9 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (70)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 60
    trust 75Mar 2, 2018

    Mulaka offers a truly intriguing insight into the culture and mythology of the Tarahumara people, but is let down by some frustrating gameplay issues. Exploring and puzzle solving is a simple but enjoyable affair, and there are elements of the combat system that show real promise, but some oversights surrounding the game's pacing and controls leave quite a lot to be desired. If you're interested enough in learning about the topic it wouldn't be unwise to give the game a go despite its flaws, but players looking purely for great gameplay might want to ponder over it a little longer.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 71Feb 27, 2018

    It's a fine game, and a great way to honor the heritage of an indigenous community.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 70Mar 3, 2018

    Taking it all in Mulaka is an attempt to do something fascinating, to use a video game as a vehicle for helping to preserve cultural history, and then manages to turn it into a compelling gaming experience. Rather than ending up being held back by using this as its base the folks at Lienzo have blended it together in a balanced way to be sure it serves all interests effectively. The result is an exploration of culture through a very competently made game. I look forward to seeing how they proceed from here after this promising start.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 70Feb 26, 2018

    From thrilling boss fights to elegant environments, coupled with a comprehensive control scheme and a well laid out progression system, Mulaka is a joy to play from start to finish.

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  • 50
    trust 69Mar 4, 2018

    Ultimately, Mulaka succeeds in the story it wishes to tell, but it falls short in two of its primary gameplay tenets: action and adventure. Controls are fiddly, environments a little sparse, and combat inadequate. It excels in using the video game format to widen knowledge of a culture that admittedly many around the world will know very little about, but as a game to interact with, its deficiencies outshine its ideas and make it somewhat forgettable.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 67Jan 1, 1970

    Gorgeous at times and frustrating at others, Mulaka is a beautiful journey with an important social message hidden in a format that is too ambitious.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 67Mar 2, 2018

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 67Feb 26, 2018

    Mulaka is unlike anything I've ever played before and oh so very familiar at the same time. It's a game that has obviously had a lot of thought put into making it feel authentic to the Tarahumara beliefs and ideals and you can see the incredible effort that has been made to bring the North Mexican folk tales, myths and legends to life.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 67Feb 26, 2018

    Lienzo has excellently implemented their cultural source material into a video game, without sacrificing the video game. Set in an original world Mulaka would still be a fun game, but the love and creativity brought about by the Tarahumara culture permeates the game in a way that makes it something truly special. While the game isn't perfect, its ability to preserve a culture through an active medium while still being an enjoyable gaming experience is a trend I hope Lienzo and other are able to continue in the future.

    read full review ↗
  • 68
    trust 67Feb 28, 2018

    Mulaka, it's got some quality gameplay to it yet I still had some issues with core aspects.

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  • 57
    trust 66Feb 28, 2018

    All in all, Mulaka takes a risk that doesn't pay off. The story and goal of the game are intriguing, but the gameplay and visuals just aren't there. It certainly does things right and will appeal to a few people, but the overall rough approach is noticeable in every aspect and holds it back.

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  • 54
    trust 65Sep 7, 2018

    Mulaka attempts to present a worldwide audience with the culture of a legendary Mexican tribe. For a game to be successful in this respect, it must be above all else a good and likable game, and Mulaka fails fails to accomplish this. There is nothing particularly appealing about Mulaka's visuals, and its combat tends to get repetitive very quickly. Mulaka can serve as an excellent example for developers who would like their games to reflect a particular culture. It is important for game developers to understand that they cannot use a cultural factor to persuade gamers to play their game, at least not until it is a good game in general.

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…and 58 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

No patch announcements found on Steam yet.