Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 86
  3. Negative: 12 out of 86

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Matseb2611
    Aug 23, 2015
    9
    I'd say this game is quite underrated and even underpriced. It's a pretty standard formula of action adventure games akin to the likes of Darksiders, God of War, and Devil May Cry, and it might do everything that's been done before, but it does so very well and manages to stay fun throughout.

    The gameplay is nicely balanced between combat sections, platforming, puzzles, and mini-games.    I'd say this game is quite underrated and even underpriced. It's a pretty standard formula of action adventure games akin to the likes of Darksiders, God of War, and Devil May Cry, and it might do everything that's been done before, but it does so very well and manages to stay fun throughout.

    The gameplay is nicely balanced between combat sections, platforming, puzzles, and mini-games. You're never doing the same thing for too long, which keeps the experience fresh and entertaining. As you progress through the game, your weapon acquires different forms (scythe, twin daggers, whip, and hammer), which are useful in different situations and you can switch between them at any time. In addition you also learn some very powerful spells which are good at clearing out large crowds of enemies.

    Overall the difficulty I felt was balanced perfectly. There were no unexpected difficulty spikes and most of it was a smooth ride. In the last quarter of the game it gets a bit challenging, but it does so gradually and reasonably. Only one section involving a certain collapsing underground bridge felt a bit cheap since it gave me a lot of insta-deaths, but that section was pretty short.

    I really enjoyed most of the mini-games, such as the first-person shooting sections where you have to mount a turret and shoot down helicopters, or even flying one yourself, or sliding down the cliffs and dodging obstacles. No overcomplicated mechanics. Just simple and fun mini-games to give you a small break from fighting and platforming.

    The plot is somewhat cheesy and lighthearted, but the main character is quite likeable, and his frequent dialogue exchanges with his sidekick, the Mask of Death, are all very funny. The length was also quite spot on for a game like this. Took me about 10 hours to beat it on Normal.

    My only serious critique for this game would be the occasional crashes to desktop that I got (and it seems there are some other people who get them too). It wasn't too bad, since the game has very frequent checkpoints, so you don't lose a lot of progress, but it's still a bug.

    I'd say if you enjoy action adventure games and seek something to give you heaps of entertainment, then I'd highly recommend this game. I got it for merely £4 (~$6), which is its full price on Steam and enjoyed it way more than some games which I bought for a higher price.    … Expand
  2. popalazarou
    Nov 10, 2013
    10
    If you like non stop action and good graphics then get into this. Its a great game which is very addicting. I was so surprised how much i liked this game. I think the magazine reviews are to harsh. This game will grab you as soon as you start playing. Its only 3 quid on steam, what a bargain. Hope they make some more episodes of this game
  3. belairjeff
    Jun 22, 2014
    8
    I got this game for $1.00 from the Summer Steam Sale. And all I can say is that I was delightfully surprised and impressed with his game. Hilariously over-the-top plot and funny/awful dialog throughout. I beat the game in one 7 hour sitting. It's definitely worth that sale price.

    I recommend this game to any action game fan looking for a cheap fix.
  4. Slipper
    Sep 28, 2013
    10
    Just great. this is one really awesome game. Fun to play, action packed, beautiful graphics, very good sound effects and soundtrack. Combat system is easy to learn, but controller is highly recommended. For the price of 13.99 euros this is well done investment To bad that there is no co-op, then it would be just unbeatable comparing to some other big budget games. Keep up the good workJust great. this is one really awesome game. Fun to play, action packed, beautiful graphics, very good sound effects and soundtrack. Combat system is easy to learn, but controller is highly recommended. For the price of 13.99 euros this is well done investment To bad that there is no co-op, then it would be just unbeatable comparing to some other big budget games. Keep up the good work ZootFly bring us more awesome games.… Expand
  5. attallah
    Sep 22, 2013
    9
    Very action packed, stupidly good, and by stupid, I mean an enchanting action-packed experience, well done, good story-line, hot characters and explosive-game play
  6. demiurge
    Sep 25, 2013
    10
    Well, that was a genuine surprise! Who'd think an under-the-radar game would be so gratifying and fun. Did anyone try the credits? Gotta love the effort. OK, now back to GTAV...
  7. coupdegrac3
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    14€ for a action adventure that brings 7-10 h of gameplay? sounds good right?
    well
    the animation are pretty and the soundtrack isnt anything special
    the story isnt srs at all. the game doesnt take itself srs at all but that makes the game fun
    the combat was also pretty fun
    the controlls are ported from consoles so i would recommend a gamepad
    but its cheap and brings alot of fun
  8. cicala
    Sep 27, 2013
    10
    People may not know about the developer ZootFly but boy will this put them in the spotlight. For an XBLA game/port it is brilliant in almost all categories. The voice acting is somewhat lacking but the game makes up for it with it's fast paced gameplay, simple yet awesome visuals and overall Presentation with brilliant cutscenes, and the cinematic quality is on par with AAA games.
    The    People may not know about the developer ZootFly but boy will this put them in the spotlight. For an XBLA game/port it is brilliant in almost all categories. The voice acting is somewhat lacking but the game makes up for it with it's fast paced gameplay, simple yet awesome visuals and overall Presentation with brilliant cutscenes, and the cinematic quality is on par with AAA games.
    The combat is very closely related to DmC 5 and the God of War series but that is what many games use as a template nowadays.    … Expand
  9. deadspacer47
    Oct 8, 2013
    7
    Combat and level design are the best two thing about this game,you have 4 awesome weapons and each one of them has alot of diffierent moves and the magic you have makes the combat better
    as you move through the game you'll see jungles,caves,factories and alot of stunning places
    yeah the story is nothing new but the events that happen through the game makes it really good and makes you    Combat and level design are the best two thing about this game,you have 4 awesome weapons and each one of them has alot of diffierent moves and the magic you have makes the combat better
    as you move through the game you'll see jungles,caves,factories and alot of stunning places
    yeah the story is nothing new but the events that happen through the game makes it really good and makes you more interested.
    the game has about 4 or 5 soundtracks and most of them suck BALLS!!
    Bossfights are not much and not challenging except the final bossfight and the game really lacks puzzles,the challenges are awesome but they were too easy
    the game takes about 8 -10 hours of fun gameplay(Recommended on normal difficulty) and stunning level design and it's so good and cheap    … Expand
  10. Zitomir
    Sep 24, 2013
    10
    AWESOME game!!! AMAZING! Really like the story and the way it leads you through. The graphics is also very nice, I know that this is not like games form crytek but the gameplay is simply great!
  11. dillos
    Sep 23, 2013
    10
    very good budget game i must admit i'm surprised of the quality of this game a lot of action for your money and good voice and graphic i wait the 2 episode
  12. AngryJoesnum1Fa
    Nov 8, 2013
    1
    Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is nothing but a cheap imitation of God of War, Devil May Cry and the lackluster games Thor:God of Thunder/ Green Lantern the movie licensed games. The story starts off in a very generic way where the protagonist and his girlfriend are on vacation and then are ambushed by the main villain. What's worst is that the whole story is confusing. Gamers willMarlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is nothing but a cheap imitation of God of War, Devil May Cry and the lackluster games Thor:God of Thunder/ Green Lantern the movie licensed games. The story starts off in a very generic way where the protagonist and his girlfriend are on vacation and then are ambushed by the main villain. What's worst is that the whole story is confusing. Gamers will ask themselves, WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHY? The characters are generic and easily forgettable! So where do I begin. Well first off, the gameplay is a copy cat of God of War and Devil May Cry, gameplay sections are too linear, there are multiple glitches that will cause gamers to restart from the previous checkpoints, the game is way too easy, boss battles are a joke, TOO MANY QUICK TIME EVENTS during gameplay, Static images tell the story most of the time, the voice acting is laughable, the jokes are bare bones, the graphics are average and the textures are in low resolution. Oh wait I am not done, enemies range from soldiers, demons and bugs, cheap enemies towards the end of the game which will cause gamers to die a lot, leveling up in this game has no effect which makes it is an ABSOLUTE joke and the ending....SUCKS!!! There are only TWO things that this game gets right. 1. Gamers can save their game at anytime and 2. Weapon variations are very fun to use for only a few hours. (Then it gets repetitive and boring!) As Angry Joe stated in his "Thor:God of Thunder" movie licensed game review..... "It's just one of those games, where you want to break your controller because it is so @#$%^&* lazy!" Oh to put the final nail to this PIECE OF #$%^! IT IS 4 HOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUURRRRRSSS! @#$%THIS GAME!!!! Marlow Briggs sucks on both PC and Xbox 360! Zootfly/505 games should be ashamed of themselves! And people rating this game a 8,9 or 10/10... WHAT????????… Expand
  13. Vedran
    Sep 24, 2013
    10
    Ok I installed the game tomorrow and I have to stay I'm still playing it. It's superb! Absolutely addictive and I give it 10/10 because it deserves it.
  14. Skiff
    Mar 31, 2014
    9
    I picked this up on the steam sale for a couple of bucks, and it's a hell of a buy. Brawlers aren't really my thing, but MB:ML is a lot of fun, and it's got a fair whack of character. It moves quickly and feels epic.

    I like how it kicks you straight into the game at the start - and there are some nice meta jokes throughout "who the hell designed this?!". The combo trainer is pretty    I picked this up on the steam sale for a couple of bucks, and it's a hell of a buy. Brawlers aren't really my thing, but MB:ML is a lot of fun, and it's got a fair whack of character. It moves quickly and feels epic.

    I like how it kicks you straight into the game at the start - and there are some nice meta jokes throughout "who the hell designed this?!". The combo trainer is pretty nifty, although I often ended up button mashing.

    There's some interesting platforming and good enemy variety. The turret sections were a bit lame however, and the associated sound assets were pretty poor. It also lack graphics options and little things - like an in-game achievement menu and proper save slots.

    Otherwise, an excellent and it would seem critically under-appreciated buy.    … Expand
  15. sinadoom
    Jan 29, 2015
    5
    I had low expectations for this game, but I thought it might surprise me by being a complete spoof of other games, a bit like Saints Row is a parody of GTA. But Marlow Briggs lacks both charm and quality to make it appealing. Few would argue that the pricing is reasonable. However, the game suffers from too many issues to make it a recommendable game. The game consists of platformingI had low expectations for this game, but I thought it might surprise me by being a complete spoof of other games, a bit like Saints Row is a parody of GTA. But Marlow Briggs lacks both charm and quality to make it appealing. Few would argue that the pricing is reasonable. However, the game suffers from too many issues to make it a recommendable game. The game consists of platforming sections and "hack n slash" combat. The problem is not the variety in combos, weapons, enemies and level design. I'd go as far as saying the developers have done a decent job (for a low-budget game anyway) in those departments. The problem is simple: PLATFORMING SECTIONS. This is a game where you don't have control over the camera so it's EXTREMELY linear - as in, you can't deviate. One would think that there is little to go wrong but you'd be wrong. You will die hundreds of times not because of poor timing or misjudgement, but because the game is simply glitchy. Inputs are not handled with any care whatsoever - the game doesn't feel consistent or smooth to play at all. Everything has a delay, and sections involving grappling or swinging are very buggy - often you can't jump off the rope, for example. Although the game is light-hearted and makes jokes about its own design, there's nothing original whatsoever. It's not classy, intelligent or well-thought out by any means. The story and characters are generic, and the level of comedy is not enough to make you laugh out loud. The problem becomes apparent when you realise that the game is TRYING to be "epic" with all its fancy locations and scenery, yet the texture quality is bad with lots of pop-in. Whilst I highly value big-budget AAA titles, I also have an appreciation for the underdogs and smaller games which sacrifice production value for a single aspect - like comedic writing/characters or focus on one specific gameplay mechanic. Unfortunately, Marlow Briggs does not impress in any department. If you are bored and have nothing better to do and are desperate for a cheap giggle, Marlow Briggs can provide that. Just don't expect it to be anything memorable.… Expand
  16. Basem101
    Nov 20, 2013
    6
    this game borrows heavily from famous game like God of War and DMC i don't have a problem with that but the game doesn't get that right the storyline is so stupid and the voice acting couldn't be worse if you love playing hack'n'slash games this game is for you but don't expect a good story or anything other than mashing your buttons
  17. Pickle
    Oct 1, 2022
    7
    Don’t think for a minute this isn’t a bad game, it’s a bad game that’s good, but it gets repetitive quick and it has an extremely cliché and silly story that ends up being predictable and boring.

    However! There are two incredible redeeming qualities to this game, first being the fact that the game is perfectly functional, and I don’t mean that in an ironic, ♥♥♥♥♥♥ way, I mean it more    Don’t think for a minute this isn’t a bad game, it’s a bad game that’s good, but it gets repetitive quick and it has an extremely cliché and silly story that ends up being predictable and boring.

    However!

    There are two incredible redeeming qualities to this game, first being the fact that the game is perfectly functional, and I don’t mean that in an ironic, ♥♥♥♥♥♥ way, I mean it more in the sense that the game doesn’t have any frustrating moments, no glitches, no bugs, nothing! Is pretty surprising when you think about how many games from then and today have so many annoying sequences, bugs, etc.

    As for the second redeeming quality? The game is self-aware and has a lot of humour and heart put into it; this is really the one aspect that makes the whole experience worth it and fun to play, and as such, it makes it unique too; this is one of those titles you can just pick up and play when you want to experience a “video game”; an actual fun game to play, no ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ stories, no demanding gameplay, just a nice run of the mill, fun, hack’n slash, video game.

    Is pretty exemplary when you really think about it, my guess is that the devs didn’t really have a big budget, but still managed with what they had, kind of assimilated it and did their best, if I were to guess.

    It also goes on sale for “dirt cheap” so it ends up being quite a steal as well.

    Nice game overall.    … Expand
  18. normanwall
    Sep 25, 2014
    5
    Locked camera perspective and countless frustrating invisible walls/barriers ruined what could have been an amazing game.

    Worth it if you can pick it up cheap and don't mind having a locked camera angle.
  19. TheBaconWalrus
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    Sassy black men. Simple as that. You cannot go wrong with sassy black men in video games. 10 out of 10 game of the year, every single year. Long live Marlow Briggs.
  20. art-kandy
    Dec 23, 2014
    10
    A wonderful game. Its energy is magnificent. It's a pity that it is one of the underestimated games.
    I've bought this game on Steam with big discount but as a result this game is worth much more price.
  21. 99dolar
    Feb 3, 2017
    8
    This game is one of the best unknown games on the market. I had no expectations about this game before i started playing. But i saw what's coming; a great action-adventure game with great combat and great graphics. I recommend this game to everyone.
  22. Indeep
    Jun 26, 2020
    7
    God of War de Hacendado de Mercadona. Divertido para pasar un buen rato sin tener que comerte la cabeza con puzzles complicados. Matar y matar por matar. Historia tonta... tonta. Si tienes 15 minutos libres antes de ir a trabajar, es una opción para jugar antes de salir. Los gráficos no están mal pero el personaje se mueve un poco errático. Sobre todo en los saltos pero tampoco te pide enGod of War de Hacendado de Mercadona. Divertido para pasar un buen rato sin tener que comerte la cabeza con puzzles complicados. Matar y matar por matar. Historia tonta... tonta. Si tienes 15 minutos libres antes de ir a trabajar, es una opción para jugar antes de salir. Los gráficos no están mal pero el personaje se mueve un poco errático. Sobre todo en los saltos pero tampoco te pide en ningún momento saltar al pixel.… Expand
  23. Pedro_Batista91
    Mar 28, 2020
    7
    Ah, o God Of War de Osasco segundo nosso saudoso Arnaldo DK, kkkkkkk.

    Ele tem razão em alguns pontos como no caso da história que é rasa, sem pé nem cabeça, mas o jogo em si, pelo orçamento baixo que teve, não é tão ruim como ele diz, pelo contrário, a gameplay é boa dentro do gênero Hack N' Slash, é raro encontrar bugs e é divertido, se torna ainda mais pelo rage do DK no fim do ano    Ah, o God Of War de Osasco segundo nosso saudoso Arnaldo DK, kkkkkkk.

    Ele tem razão em alguns pontos como no caso da história que é rasa, sem pé nem cabeça, mas o jogo em si, pelo orçamento baixo que teve, não é tão ruim como ele diz, pelo contrário, a gameplay é boa dentro do gênero Hack N' Slash, é raro encontrar bugs e é divertido, se torna ainda mais pelo rage do DK no fim do ano passado com a GWG do PCJr.

    Não é comparável aos gigantes do Hack N Slash, como Castlevania, Devil May Cry e God Of War, mas o Marlow Briggs, pela história tosca, e gameplay boa, vai te dar umas horas de diversão.

    Até o preço cheio não é tão caro, mas na Nuuvem, geralmente fica menos de 2 reais, que foi o que eu paguei.

    7.5/10    … Expand
  24. VidGamingFather
    Jul 27, 2022
    8
    My Video Review is available here:
    https://youtu.be/z2D_yhb9lDE
    Was this attempt for low budget God of War successful or should you better forget about it? I have found many positives in the game - well developed story with many cutscenes and slow motion cuts, enjoyable fighting with many combos, funny minigames, presence of RPG elements, reasonable difficulty, solid controls, good    My Video Review is available here:
    https://youtu.be/z2D_yhb9lDE

    Was this attempt for low budget God of War successful or should you better forget about it? I have found many positives in the game - well developed story with many cutscenes and slow motion cuts, enjoyable fighting with many combos, funny minigames, presence of RPG elements, reasonable difficulty, solid controls, good level design, nice graphics and atmospheric sounds along with solid dubbing of main characters. One can also find some negatives here like not so charismatic main characters, just a basic platforming with sometimes clunky controls, too limiting skill upgrades and low variability of environment. As Marlow Briggs is the lone wolf in the style of good old action movies there is no local multiplayer and that game itself is not very suitable for family playing due to its violent character.

    Pros:
    - story
    - fighting part
    - minigames
    - RPG elements
    - difficulty
    - level design
    - graphics
    - sounds
    - price

    Cons:
    - charisma of main characters
    - simplistic platforming part
    - limiting skill upgrades
    - variability of environment

    For a very low price you will get fast paced B-Movies-like action with a sense of humor that changes the game styles in a smart way not to become repetitive too soon. I have really enjoyed the time spent by playing Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death and I am therefore giving it Thumbs Up and VideoGaming Father’s index 8 out of 10 - recommended.    … Expand
  25. LT_Gruber
    Dec 12, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Surprisingly, decent game.

    Marlow Briggs is a God of war clone which looks like a basketball player has entered a strange new world (Shaq Fu anyone?). I was not expecting much out of it, but I was surprised that this game is actually pretty decent for its money worth.

    The story is a little cliché but connects well with the game and actually makes you sort of care. You become a sacred warrior because of a mask you find, get a nice scythe, and go look for your kidnapped girlfriend. Kill the evil guy in a glorious end stage battle and you have done it.

    Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death has nice graphics for what it is, and the sound effects are okay. The music is a little bit lame.

    The controls and the animations are fluent and makes for a smooth experience.

    The game play is what you expect from a God of War clone with weak, strong, and strongest enemies which you must kill to proceed further. Levels get progressively harder, and it can be frustrating at times, and I used many curse words but, in the end, I still made it.
    You got your scythe weapon that can turn into three variations, which were pretty cool, some different magic attacks and you can use a kill counter to get rewards when you hold it long enough.

    Sure, the game is repetitive, but this is a thing with all the GOW rip-offs. Just complete a series of linear levels and fight some bosses here and there.

    Although Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is a pretty generic game with many similarities to God of War, it still has some unique level designs, enemies and animations.

    Because of the mediocrity, the low price and the fact that it reminded me of Shaq Fu, one of the worst games made in history, my expectations were very low. But still it managed to surprise me in a positive way.

    I had fun completing the game and although Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is surely not a masterpiece, it still is a fun game and I say try it.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Eurogamer Italy
    Dec 4, 2013
    60
    At times funny and at times not, Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death is a pretty decent action game with a serious lack of inspiration. Even with all its deficiencies it is a nice indie clone of God of War, but it could have been much more than just that.
    Read full review
  2. Hooked Gamers
    Oct 29, 2013
    58
    Marlo Briggs and the Mask of Death is an action packed, brain-dead, budget thriller and if you are looking for a cheap release for all that repressed adrenaline, you will definitely be able to find worse things to do with your money. If, however, you are looking for a challenge to your intellect or a test of your skills, look elsewhere. The only thing Marlo Briggs will challenge is your patience.
    Read full review
  3. 3DJuegos
    Oct 3, 2013
    65
    Marlow Briggs is not a bad game, but it lacks polish and gets repetitive quickly.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »