Review Score:

When you think Xbox Live Arcade the chances of you immediately thinking single player are far and few in between. Sure, there are a few, but with the addition of The Maw to the line up things are certainly looking up in terms of the word different. So, what is The Maw?

The Maw is something that can’t be put into a tradition genre. It consist of some light platforming with a large push toward puzzle solving your way out of a level that always ends with the reward of causing The Maw to increase in size. Introducing you to the game is a cinematic of a UFO crash you as the alien Frank, find yourselves fleeing the scene with an odd looking purple blob with a fierce looking set of teeth.

First off, this i not a strait up platformer. There are no plumbers in this neighborhood. The gameplay consist of you, Frank, escorting “The Maw” through each environment with a electric rope/leash of some kind that you receive early on at the beginning of your adventure. Within each level you’ll eat your way to the next by devouring everything that moves in sight with The Maw. Get within a certain threshold and The Maw gets a little bit bigger. To exit each level you need to reach a predetermined size with The Maw. Once you complete the size requirement the level can be exited for the next one.

During the course of roaming around any given level you’ll be tasked with eating a certain type of creature that’ll transform The Maw giving it the characteristics of said creature. Rather your eating a flaming creature or an alien like creature with electric power to name a few, you’ll use that new found ability given to The Maw to burn down trees or electrocute would be food for your not so little anymore purple friend.

As you move through each environment you’ll use the leash you where given at the beginning of the game to corral The Maw for other uses like grabbing food for The Maw and tossing it to him. You’ll also use the leash to defeat enemies that block your way at various points shooting energy shots at you by attaching the leash with the B button and slamming them overhead with a few repeated taps of the A button to throw them to the ground destroying them.

At the latter third of the game you’ll get a few mix ups in the gameplay that will either be a nice change of pace or frustrate you to no end with controls that’ll have you pissed because The Maw will refuse to go in the direction you intend him to go. Along with a little bit of frustration, the light puzzle solving will get slightly more complicated throughout, yet never to challenging. Anyone should be able to figure out what is asked of them after a few times at creative thinking about your surroundings.

Other than one level in particular towards the end of the game, the control of Frank leashed to The Maw always feels right, although it could use a bit of a speed up when your traversing long distances.  Given all of that you’ll more then likely still be getting a kick out of the animations of Frank and especially The Maw. They are very well done, often with that comedic vibe that only comes off as well in something like The Sims, hence there is no actually dialog in The Maw. The music gives you a melodic vibe most of the time which will either be southing or a complete throwaway for some. Graphically the game also looks rather good as well. The only downer visually would have to be the brown tiled hill/mountain regions of the environments. You’ll see them so much you’ll eventually come to think when are you going to see something new, but that is a minor gripe at best.

Overall The Maw is a joy to play. The comedic vibes you’ll get from the superb animation will have you smile several times at the very least. The length of the game may be an issue if you’re looking for your next 20 hour adventure, yet the current 800 MS points asked for the game is well worth it. Multiple playthroughs of the game will most likely be had where you’ll more than likely be happy to do so once again.

-William “thewilleffect” Bell-