Arcane Maelstrom Demo

Magic is an important part of fantasy games, especially RPGs that allow you to play as a wizard and cast spells to put your enemies down. However, it often feels like the magic in question is fairly weak compared to using a two-handed axe to chop monsters down. Hence, it’s always a rush when spells play a much bigger role in the grand scheme of things.

Arcane Maelstrom is a first-person RPG with action-oriented gameplay mechanics and a roguelike vibe that keeps your adrenaline levels in the red at all times. It has issues when it comes to controls and the interface, but those can be fixed with a bit of dedication from the developers. The graphics are a bit outdated for this day and age, so you need to make a few concessions in this regard.

To begin with, the story revolves around the dwarven kingdom as it gets invaded by demons of all kinds, and you play the role of a powerful sorcerer as he tries to help the dwarves overcome this cataclysm. Don’t expect too much in terms of plot or characters, on the other hand, since the focus is clearly on the action and the role-playing elements.

Since your character is a master of the elements, he can switch between a variety of spells and use them in combination in order to take down even the strongest foes. It’s easy to shuffle through spells, especially since all you have to do is select the desired one and click while facing an enemy. This simplicity can also be a flaw, on the other hand, because the combat can turn into a clickfest in a matter of minutes.

Speaking of which, the first-person perspective is not a bad choice, but the controls are a bit too annoying. Hence, you have to right-click on the screen and hold in order to rotate the camera, which is very time-consuming and tedious, especially since the action is pretty fast-paced. As for the graphics, they are nothing to write home about, but they are not ugly either.

When it’s all said and done, Arcane Maelstrom might just get you hooked if you enjoy action-oriented RPGs, but the controls can ruin the experience. Hence, it needs some work before gamers can have a good time from start to finish.