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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Maelstrom
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: KDV Games
Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy, Third-Person Action
Players: 6
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Release Date: February 20, 2007
Summary
Maelstrom takes place on the devastated future Earth of 2040 where an alien invasion has triggered an apocalyptic ecological disaster. In this savaged world water has become the most valuable of resources and divided the remaining humans into two factions. Now, they must wage war against the invaders and each other in a desperate struggle for supremacy and survival. Advancing the innovative gameplay mechanics of Perimeter into a contemporary sci-fi game with action packed tactical gameplay and outstanding features, including upgradeable transforming units. Depending on which of the three factions you choose to fight for, it's all-out destructive war as you battle for control of the entire planet against fearless aliens, an army of high-tech super soldiers and a rag tag crew of human survivors. [Codemasters]
Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats
Also On The Web: Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Strategy Informer
KDV and Codemasters has a lot to be proud of in their latest creation, Maelstrom is a beautiful game filled with a lot of strategic talent and plenty of room for big pretty explosions, and squirtings of blood. If you love a royal RTS experience then grab Maelstrom and plunge in.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
KDV clearly went the “gameplay first” route, and the result is a surprisingly absorbing strategy mash that no one’s really heard about...but should.
Read Full Review >Worth Playing
Although the terraforming can become a bit tedious at times, the campaign missions are engaging and challenging.
Read Full Review >GameZone
The good story, nice graphics and solid gameplay will keep you going for some time. However the questionable AI and “same old, same old” feel might keep some gamers away.
Read Full Review >PC Format
A largely by-the-numbers real-time strategy effort that twinkles but never shines. It's just a little bit too irritating to score highly. [Apr 2007, p.63]
Game Revolution
There's a lot to appreciate hidden behind Maelstrom's ugly exterior. With any luck, KDV Games will be greenlit for a sequel and will have the opportunity to polish up the aesthetics to match the good gameplay.
Read Full Review >PC Zone UK
Maelstrom is certainly interesting, but it just lacks that magic spark needed to transform a collection of ingenious ideas into a thrilling RTS experience. Innovative? Certainly. Thrilling and essential? Not quite.
Read Full Review >Armchair Empire
Maelstrom isn’t original or perfect or devoid of problems, but it is innovative and fun, which should be what matters. And it should provide a nice alternative before that other game (hint: rhymes with . . . uh . . . okay, it’s Supreme Commander) comes along and wipes the floor with everyone.
Read Full Review >PC Gamer UK
You've played it before. [Apr 2007, p.96]
GamerNode
There are some nice innovations, but it ultimately falls short due to poor gameplay mechanics.
Read Full Review >games(TM)
Don’t come here expecting one of the wonders of the gaming world, just a solid RTS that delivers what it has to and no more than that. [Apr 2007, p.115]
VideoGamer
If you stick to multiplayer Maelstrom has a lot to offer but an abundance of basic flaws mean it's no challenge for the big boys of the genre.
Read Full Review >1UP
The main problem with Maelstrom's design: Tons of options don't equal tons of useful options. You can rip off every successful RTS convention in the known universe (and developer KDV Games obviously tried), but the final product won't necessarily add up to the sum of those parts. That's not to say Maelstrom is a bad game - just one with a pie-full of flaws.
Read Full Review >Eurogamer
It's a great playground of war - one that would be done more justice by a better game for sure, but the exaggerated entertainment value of the Ascension and Hai-Genti factions go a long towards making up for Maelstrom's shortcomings.
Read Full Review >PC Gamer
The word Maelstrom's Danish roots mean "to grind" or 'stream'--I'll let you guess which one of those definitions is most applicable to this ponderous RTS. [May 2007, p.69]
GameDaily
Maelstrom had great potential to be a strong strategy game, but the bugs make it far too frustrating. The developers should have programmed a fourth faction, the Earth itself, to swallow up the Remnants, Ascension and Hai-Genti, because none of them have the brains to inherit this world.
Read Full Review >Play.tm
Somewhere under the flawed exterior there are some good or even great ideas buried inside but these are sadly let down by some unforgivable glitches in the most fundamental parts of the RTS mechanics, problems that are thrown into sharp contrast when experienced through the unforgivably dull campaign mode.
Read Full Review >Jolt Online Gaming UK
An amateurish mess with a painful campaign mode and only a few novel ideas to be proud of.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
Maelstrom can't even get the basics right, and the few features that sound interesting on paper end up being completely useless.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
There's absolutely no reason to put up with the frustration of doing the simplest of tasks in order to check out the futuristic abilities that you'll eventually command here. [Mar 2007, p.105]
Read Full Review >Game Chronicles
Maelstrom will practically feel like a nostalgic trip down memory lane with all of the bugs you knew and loathed.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 5.5 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Felix C. gave it a9:
Very fun and innovative game to play. With a bit more polish to the pathfinding this game would be a 10.
