Maniac
Last updated: 2025-06-15
- Fun, chaotic, stress-relieving core gameplay loop.
- Varied characters, abilities, and upgrade options.
- Map editor enhances replayability and customization.
- GTA meets Vampire Survivors-style gameplay.
- Repetitive, grindy gameplay loop.
- Poor controls and aiming.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 83% · Negative 17%. Score: 17 / 100
Positives:
- The game is praised for providing simple, mindless fun and stress relief through chaotic gameplay and destruction. Many reviewers draw comparisons to classic GTA titles, emphasizing the mayhem and freedom offered. The game is also noted for being suitable for short bursts of play and relaxation.
- The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities and upgrade paths. Earning money through carnage allows for permanent upgrades, enhancing character abilities and weapons. This progression system adds depth and replayability, encouraging players to experiment with different characters and builds.
- The game includes a map editor and Steam Workshop support, allowing players to create and share custom levels. This feature significantly enhances replayability and allows for unique destruction scenarios. The level editor is noted for being accessible and powerful.
- The game features a distinct art style, often described as a blend of cartoonish visuals and dark humor. Reviewers note the nostalgic Newgrounds feel and the contrast between the comic book style and the absurd violence. This unique aesthetic contributes to the game's overall appeal.
- The game offers a satisfying progression system with simple yet effective upgrades that significantly boost character abilities. The availability of power-ups and a well-designed perks tree provide incentive for continued play. The game's fast-paced and exciting gameplay reaches a blistering level with enough upgrades.
Negatives:
- The core gameplay loop becomes repetitive quickly due to the limited content, repetitive missions, lack of variety, and a fixed map. This leads to a grindy experience, especially when unlocking characters and achievements, diminishing long-term replayability and player engagement.
- The game suffers from poor controls, especially with vehicles, and an awkward aiming system. The auto-fire feature is detrimental, and weapon variety is lacking, contributing to a frustrating and unsatisfying combat experience.
- Characters lack distinct abilities and meaningful progression, making them feel similar and unrewarding to unlock. The unlock requirements are tedious and the upgrades don't significantly alter gameplay, leading to a lack of motivation to replay with different characters.
- The game has issues with saving settings, especially control configurations, which reset every time the game is launched. Controller support is poorly implemented, making menu navigation and gameplay difficult.
- The game features frustrating difficulty spikes and unavoidable deaths due to aggressive AI and environmental hazards. The auto-shoot feature can cause accidental self-destruction, and enemies relentlessly pursue the player, making survival challenging and unfair.
Gameplay:
- Players can unlock and upgrade diverse characters, each featuring unique weapons, abilities, and progression trees. Unlocking new characters often requires completing specific in-game challenges or achieving certain kill counts with existing characters, adding depth to character progression.
- The game blends classic top-down GTA gameplay with roguelite/Vampire Survivors elements. Players experience chaotic rampages reminiscent of early GTA titles, combined with character upgrades and progression systems typical of roguelites.
- The core gameplay loop revolves around causing destruction, stealing vehicles, and evading escalating waves of law enforcement. As the player's wanted level increases, new enemy types are introduced, leading to increasingly intense and chaotic chases.
- Each game session culminates in a 20-minute survival mode, where the player causes as much destruction as possible before a nuclear strike destroys the city. The objective is to survive until the end of the timer, triggering a nuclear explosion and ending the game.
- The game offers flexible control schemes, including auto-aim and auto-fire options for a more casual experience, as well as manual twin-stick shooter mechanics for more control. This allows players to tailor the gameplay to their preferred style.
Performance:
- The game generally runs well, especially on devices like the Steam Deck and older hardware. Some players have reported smooth performance, while others experienced occasional slowdowns or hiccups, particularly when many particle effects are on the screen.
- Players report varying experiences with bugs and crashes. Some experience very few bugs and smooth performance, while others encounter crashes and glitches that can disrupt gameplay. One reviewer noted improvement in a specific bug related to tanks getting stuck.
- The game has basic graphics and runs on ordinary PC specifications. Some players were able to improve performance by tweaking the game's settings.
- Players report issues with the game saving settings and upgrade progress. Settings and progress sometimes reset or fail to save, leading to frustration.
Recommendations:
- The game is frequently praised for its low price, with many reviewers stating that it's well worth the cost, a steal, or a no-brainer purchase, especially when on sale. Some reviewers recommend only buying it on sale or at a significant discount.
- Many reviewers recommend the game as a source of mindless fun, stress relief, and chaotic entertainment, often in short bursts. It's seen as a way to unwind and vent anger, providing simple, destructive gameplay.
- Several reviews mention that the game has potential but needs more content, polish, balancing, and bug fixes. There is anticipation for future updates and improvements to enhance the overall experience.
- The game is often compared to classic GTA titles, particularly the top-down versions, with reviewers recommending it to fans of the series. Some find it a good way to recapture the feeling of those older games, while others suggest playing the original GTA games instead.
- The game is noted to run well on low-end hardware and the Steam Deck, but some reviewers recommend using a controller for a better experience. Some reviewers had issues with controller input.
Miscellaneous:
- The game's premise and content involve morally questionable actions, including violence and destruction, sometimes targeting children. This may be unappealing or offensive to some players.
- The developers are actively engaged with the community on Steam and are responsive to feedback. They are also fixing bugs, which suggests ongoing support and improvements to the game.
- The game's art style is reminiscent of older internet animation styles like Joe Cartoon and Newgrounds games. This may appeal to players who enjoy that particular aesthetic.
- The game currently only offers a single map. This limits the variety of gameplay environments and may impact long-term replayability.
- The game can be completed quickly, with the primary focus shifting to achievement collection. This suggests that the core gameplay loop may be short or lack substantial content beyond achievements.
