Any game that includes the word “Ultimate” in its title is already setting itself up for a fall. Unless of course it is the ultimate example of a particular genre.
The latest game from Eastasiasoft goes by the name of Master Maker 3D Ultimate, so I guess what we need to find out in the course of this review is just how ultimate this game actually is. Is it the bee’s knees, the dog’s danglies, the tip of the top?
It is billed as a low poly action adventure, in a high definition 3D style, kinda like Minecraft in 4K resolution. And normally I would begin here with a description of the narrative thread that runs through the game, but sadly this is literally impossible, as there is no story – not a scrap, not a jot, not even a tiny bit. Instead we find ourselves in some 3D worlds, left to make our way through the landscape, landing at a flag at the end. Not even a kidnapped Princess to rescue…
Presentation of the game is somewhat interesting, to say the least, certainly in terms of the design choices. Our hero, the titular Master Maker, is a square looking chap in a hard hat, the world is full of square blocks, and while the enemies do have a little more curviness about them, this is about as complicated as the graphics get.
With different biomes to explore, the world really is Master Maker’s oyster, however the jolly tunes that keep repeating and repeating and repeating will soon make you either reach for the volume control or tear your own ears off, depending on which is closer to hand. I’d say that the game is aimed squarely at kids, except for the fact the kids these days all play Fortnite. Sorry, minor spoilers there for the rest of the review! All in all, it is jolly, bouncy and I hated it. Oops, another spoiler.
But let’s have a look at the gameplay on offer, is it better than the presentation? Well, perhaps don’t get your hopes up too high just yet. See, there are two main strings to Master Maker 3D Ultimate’s bow – there is a fifty level story mode to play through, with bonus levels available once you beat it, and there is also a level editor where you can make your own stages, giving them a bit of a try out.
Starting with the second option, this is pretty easy to pick up and use, and you’ll soon be building levels, populating them with hazards before being given the chance to play what you have made. The interface is simple and intuitive, yet the only problem really is that once you have built your level, you then have to play it…
This is where the wheels start to come off. The first issue is the camera. Master Maker is a 3D game, and so there are a choice of viewing angles. There is an extreme close up of our character, which, while it can be rotated, is so close to Master Maker that it makes it nigh on impossible to see anything of the level. Then there is the top down view that makes it impossible to judge where gaps are, ensuring you cannot jump accordingly. Given that falling into the water means a trip back to a checkpoint or the start of the level, you can see how this would be an issue.
The next problem is found in the combat – Master Maker must find, somewhere in the level, a Boomerang Hammer that he can use to smash crates, throw at enemies, and even pick up coins with. This all sounds lovely, except trying to hit an enemy with it is like trying to nail jelly to a wall – it is technically possible, but the process is very messy and not much fun. I found it easier to throw the hammer and then run past the enemy, hoping that it would hit them on its return trip. This is really, really poor.
Want more? Well, you can add in the way that Master Maker recoils if he does get hit. This usually ends with him heading straight off a platform and into the water. Yep, you have a perfect recipe for frustration. In fact, my 13 year old son (who I’d say is older than the target demographic) played for about five minutes before declaring he was bored and was going back to play Fortnite with his friends. I think that is the big takeaway from this.
What it ultimately means is that the gameplay is not good enough to keep anyone playing through 50 levels of story. That’s not to say that the level builder is not okay, because it is, just as long as you don’t play through your creations. Luckily, the achievement tied to this mode just needs you to save the level you make.
In conclusion, Master Maker 3D Ultimate is the ultimate example of how not to make a game. It is boring, controls poorly and has almost no redeeming features. This is one to avoid.
