Maskmaker
Genres: Puzzle, Story Rich, Atmospheric, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer, VRONLY
Release Date: 20-4-2021
Developer: InnerspaceVR
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 5–7 h
Maskmaker is a VR-only puzzle adventure from the studio behind A Fisherman's Tale. As a mask maker's apprentice you craft magical masks in a workshop, then wear them to jump into the bodies of characters across eight open biomes, solving puzzles on the way to the mysterious Prospero. It suits VR owners who like Myst-style exploration more than quick puzzle rooms.
Steam reviews are very positive (about 93% of 255). Players single out the mask crafting, where you gather rare materials, paint and shape each mask and watch it come alive. They also praise the long view distances and say the puzzles grow more involved as the world opens up. Several found it a slower, less meta experience than A Fisherman's Tale.
The critics describe long voice-over exposition that can trigger on top of itself, landscapes that feel empty, and some grinding for ingredients. The story twist is easy to guess, and one Valve Index player reported off-angle hand tracking. For VR puzzle fans it is a worthwhile, relaxed adventure; players who want dense puzzle rooms may prefer it on sale.
Pros
- Hands-on mask crafting with paints, shapes and rare materials
- Wear masks to possess characters and reach new biomes
- Big VR vistas with long view distances
Cons
- Long voice-over exposition slows the pace
- Some ingredient gathering feels like grinding
- VR only
About
In an all new mysterious universe built by the developers of the award-winning A Fisherman's Tale, you play as a Maskmaker's apprentice and learn the magic of crafting masks to immerse yourself in the intriguing enigmatic beings within the game. From mask-to-mask and puzzle-to-puzzle, explore your way through the "mask realm" to seek Prospero who appears to rule it and ultimately unravel the secret of his identity.
Maskmaker provides a captivating VR adventure full of mystery and a sense of constant wonder.
"Will you become... the MASKMAKER?"Key Features
- Extensive & unique use of VR: Showing gameplay and puzzles using specific capabilities exclusive to VR.
- Eight stunning biomes: Explore the world, observe the unique ways of each culture you visit, craft their mask and access new biome's by using their masks.
- Crafting: Learn the ability to craft many magical masks using different rare resources you collect, paints and shapes to create increasingly sophisticated masks.
- Possession: Wear the mask, blend in with each biome’s culture and inhabit the spirits, colorful characters each with a different role to play.
- Prospero’s Workshop: As the apprentice, learn to make your first mask with Prospero’s help, but who is the real man behind the mask?
A story of apprenticeship and power mixed with spell-binding twists ...
