Mulaka Reviews
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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mulaka works very well as a history lesson on rich indigenous culture, but as a game it doesn't perform so well in aspects that could make the title more consistent and more embracing for several players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Bugs, messy combat and uninteresting platforming hinder the discovery of the Tarahumara mythology that Mulaka sets out to explore.
Mulaka has more heart than most but suffers for bugs, glitches and frustrating combat
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.
For anyone looking to scratch that nagging Okami itch, even if it never quite reaches the same heights, you're going to have a good time here. It may feel a tad familiar, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's just great to lose yourself in a goofy world for a bit.
If you can get past the somewhat janky visuals and combat, you will find a decent action-adventure game that does an excellent job exposing new people to an intriguing culture and mythology. If you are a fan of games that infuse history or different mythologies into the experience and have not heard of the Tarahumara people, Mulaka is definitely worth checking out. It is vital to preserve smaller and somewhat ignored cultures through things like storytelling, so I'm glad Lienzo choose to do so for the Tarahumara people in an interactive way with Mulaka.
Lienzo's Mulaka is an equally engaging and frustrating experience. The action-adventure game excels in its efforts to teach players unfamiliar with the Tarahumara people about the community's culture through a beautiful narrative and exploration mechanics. However, the action aspect needs to be completely overhauled, as it offers enough issues to turn off prospective players.
Mulaka has some neat ideas and a sometimes gorgeous look to it, but little else to offer. The individual locations fail to stand out, and the game quickly becomes overly formulaic. The combat is too sloppy to impress, the platforming is plagued by a stiff moving character, and the puzzles are never captivating. It's a completely forgettable experience with a few really nice sights that are better experienced as screenshots.
Mulaka creates an unmatched experience that marries rich culture with gameplay, which shows the power of indie game development.
Mulaka has some minor flaws, but they shouldn't dissuade you from discover the world of Tarahumara.
Review in Polish | Read full review
While I appreciated the insight into the folklore of the Taramuhara people, Mulaka as a game is about as average as an action adventure title gets. It's got some great ideas lurking within, but the overall structure is incredibly dated and only really saved thanks to the subject matter. As a game, it's not really doing much that hasn't been done better before, but as a cultural insight, it has a lot to offer those interested.
Despite its cultural content and folclore context, Mulaka is a real simple adventure game that still has to proof why it's different from other games of the same genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
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.
Mulaka takes you on a wonderful journey of discovery albeit with clunky combat.
A short but interesting experience that offers a nice combat system and some great moments while fighting the huge bosses, but the overall adventure does not feel as unique as expected. Despite that, you should really give Munaka a try to discover an old and fascinating culture such as the Tarahumara.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mulaka achieves everything it intends to. While the puzzles are a little tedious, the complexity of the battles and the variety of tactics needed to defeat some foes make it a highly enjoyable game. The animation is cute and reminiscent of the Nintendo 64. There are a few bugs in the game but don't impact the gameplay too much.
A fascinating look at one of the world's oldest cultures that's let down by some frustrating combat, Mulaka is still worthing playing if you have a nineties itch to scratch.
Mulaka is an ambitious title coming straight from Mexico. Lienzo managed to bring the long living Sierra Tarahumara culture into the forefront and created a solid game around it. All of the elements come together in a complete package that is fun to play. The only downside to it all is that some of those elements aren't fully realized. Still, I stand by calling this game Okami-lite. The painterly textures on humans and enemies, an ancient myth of demigods and saving the world, the Zelda-esque gameplay. For those seeking the tidbits of the Tarahumaran culture, it's a slight education; at the very least, an awareness worth the venture.