A LAVISH BUT OFTEN FRUSTRATING 3D ACTION PLATFORMER

$29.95 | PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch | www.lienzo.mx

It’s not often we get a 3D platformer that doesn’t star some execrable talking animal, but Mulaka is (mercifully) one of them. Taking its inspiration from the Mexican indigenous community known as Tarahumara, you play as an agile warrior tasked with convincing a handful of deities that they ought to help save the world. To do this, you’ll naturally need to fight things: there’s a light attack, a heavy attack, and you can also throw your spear. The combat is fast-paced and, when it lets down, there are puzzles to contend with. As a result, the gameplay rhythms of Mulaka are far from unfamiliar, and while it boasts a bright polygonal aesthetic, the style can become a bit disorientating in a semi-free roaming adventure thanks to the shaded (rather than textured) environments. While this is alleviated with progress ( Mulaka ramps up in style and grandiosity, rather than tapering off like many other games), you’ll need patience in the early hours. Overall, fans of the Zelda games will find much to enjoy in this.

Combat is straightforward and fairly stress free. But it does look cool.

While it looks great in screenshots, Mulaka’s art style can sometimes look a bit awkward in motion.