Malicious

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Jul 24, 2012
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 37
  3. Negative: 15 out of 37

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  1. TheQuietGamer
    Aug 9, 2013
    4
    An interesting idea, but not fun to play. "Malicious" is an incredibly short downloadable game in which you fight six boss battles, 5 of which you can fight in any order. That's it, that's really all you do. It's got some interesting hooks like gorgeous anime style graphics that reminded me of 2008's Prince of Persia reboot, and a structure similar to Mega Man in which beating each bossAn interesting idea, but not fun to play. "Malicious" is an incredibly short downloadable game in which you fight six boss battles, 5 of which you can fight in any order. That's it, that's really all you do. It's got some interesting hooks like gorgeous anime style graphics that reminded me of 2008's Prince of Persia reboot, and a structure similar to Mega Man in which beating each boss grants you new abilities. But unfortunately it all falls apart do to the overall poor design of the game. These boss fights take place in open areas flooded with endless waves of brainless enemies that do nothing more than get in your way and annoy you. The bosses themselves are mostly huge towering monsters with large health bars that you have to find a way to chip away at. Basically you just memorize patterns and use the best weapon. Once you figure this out the fight becomes busy work while you constantly dodge and spam attacks. It all just gets dull after a while. The gameplay itself is really awkward. Nothing is explained to you in the game when you first start so you have to kind of figure it out as you go. Things like switching weapons, healing, and the controls themselves aren't told to you when you first start. This can lead to some frustrating deaths at first, made worse by the fact that the health system is awkward to figure out. You don't have a health bar, but instead judge how much damage you've taken by the number of limbs you still have. I eventually figured this out thanks to a random tip that popped up mid-game, but it would have been nice for some kind of tutorial. The controls themselves are awkward, particularly when it comes to the camera and lock-on system. Movement itself is just weird in this game. Due to the number of enemies on-screen at one time it gets hard to lock-on to a specific target other than the boss, this is especially frustrating when the game tasks you with targeting a specific area on a boss. The games story is practically non-existent, making it even harder to care, much less understand, what's going on. In closing "Malicious" is not a good game and is not worth your money. I got it free through Playstation Plus, but even if you can get it free I still don't recommend it. It's just not fun to play which is a shame because it's a good overall concept that could have used some more work.… Expand
  2. waverlock
    Oct 6, 2013
    4
    The first time i look at this game I found the graphics incredible and interesting gameplay.

    When I started I realize that the game didnt give you any training and send you to a BIG CHALLENGE without you be prepared, facing a series of boss battles, which no tips. Ok, the game has manual, the NPC can tell you one thing or another, but what will really teachs you how to play, is    The first time i look at this game I found the graphics incredible and interesting gameplay.

    When I started I realize that the game didnt give you any training and send you to a BIG CHALLENGE without you be prepared, facing a series of boss battles, which no tips.

    Ok, the game has manual, the NPC can tell you one thing or another, but what will really teachs you how to play, is watching any youtube guideline, so you can get an idea of how to fight.

    Then, the camera enter into play. Even knowing what to do and what you want to do, the camera will put you into trouble. You will not be able to properly lock an enemy and will feel dizzy trying to locate you target.

    Dash move is confusing, if you are familiar with the DmC style and get some time to get it usual (but not perfect)

    If the game corrected a few things, like an intro stage or tutorial to teach you the basics and how to fight, fixed the camera and the dash command, this would be an perfect game!    … Expand
  3. Brody_Low
    Oct 28, 2013
    2
    This game is just all kinds of bad. Simply because it isn't even remotely fun. The graphics are really cool. but the combat is basically a bunch of nothingness.
  4. Millow
    Apr 27, 2013
    3
    Dont let the nice music and visual arts fool u, the camera is litteraly ur worst enemy in this game, clunky controls, repetitive gameplay, and also very short (1-2 hours).
  5. starphaser
    Apr 25, 2013
    4
    Malicious is a game that, to put it simply, fails to deliver a fun, entertaining experience. Noticeable flaws permeate the entire game, such as a really, really bad and wonky camera, repetitive gameplay, dated graphics and subpar sound effects. It seems the designers were going for a really interesting and original concept by bringing back some characteristics from old school platformersMalicious is a game that, to put it simply, fails to deliver a fun, entertaining experience. Noticeable flaws permeate the entire game, such as a really, really bad and wonky camera, repetitive gameplay, dated graphics and subpar sound effects. It seems the designers were going for a really interesting and original concept by bringing back some characteristics from old school platformers such as Megaman, but the game falls short and it's really disappointing. The creators of the game also do a terrible job telling you the (really weak) story of the game and explaining you how the gameplay works. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody.… Expand
  6. darkwraith
    Apr 12, 2012
    8
    Malicious is one of those rare games that seem to appear with little fanfare or publicity. And in this case the game turns out too be surprisingly good. It is an arena based boss battles game of which i cannot offhand think of another title like this although the boss fights are as challenging as those in dark souls and its predecessor demon souls. The graphics and artwork stlye ofMalicious is one of those rare games that seem to appear with little fanfare or publicity. And in this case the game turns out too be surprisingly good. It is an arena based boss battles game of which i cannot offhand think of another title like this although the boss fights are as challenging as those in dark souls and its predecessor demon souls. The graphics and artwork stlye of Malicious are great and look very similar to the graphics of El shaddai ascension of the metraton so much that im almost sure that some of the art team must have worked on both games. As far as ive played there are five areas with five bosses and a central hub from were you can choose your own route,path thru the areas if you follow the path that is revealed by reading the back story you will have a slightly easier time but not much. You will still face a challenge whichever route you chose. The bosses and enemies are well designed and look good the game runs fast and smooth even with a few hundred small enemies and a mammoth boss onscreen. The only downside is that the controls take a while to get used to as the auto-lock on camera is difficult to use at first but once you learn that you go with the flow of the camera and don't try to fight it by turning it another way. You will be running and flying around in no time locking onto multiple enemies with homing aura blasts, punching enemies to smithereens with a massive pair of magical fists and spearing enemies with a magical lance. All the while building up the amount of aura you have ready to release it and boost your powers while you attack the boss. Rinse and repeat this process a few times after finding the bosses weak points to complete the arenas. there are rankings for how many enemies you killed time to complete the arena and so on there are on-line leader-boards that unlock after you complete the game once. A further challenge is that on normal you only get 3 continues to complete the full game. The game auto-saves each time you complete an arena so you can turn off and continue the same game later. Overall worth every penny of the entry price as Malicious could have been made into a full retail release for A store game it is very high quality. Recommended if you like something a little different in youre games.… Expand
  7. killerlink46
    Jul 31, 2012
    8
    Malicious is a game where there is a cliche story yet great graphics and gameplay, Not many people know of this game, the only problem's in the game are the cliche story and camera. The camera may get frustrating at times, the camera is what really holds the game back, sound wise is great, a really good soundtrack. For only $9.99 id say its worth getting, it also has a high difficultyMalicious is a game where there is a cliche story yet great graphics and gameplay, Not many people know of this game, the only problem's in the game are the cliche story and camera. The camera may get frustrating at times, the camera is what really holds the game back, sound wise is great, a really good soundtrack. For only $9.99 id say its worth getting, it also has a high difficulty level so you might get mad. The battle can also take time up to 30 minutes. Check this game out… Expand
  8. StaticJ
    Aug 4, 2012
    8
    Although this game has its shortcomings, I consider it a good buy for the price. Malicious is what I would call a hidden diamond in the rough, as it is a fairly good game which had the potential to be something greater, by an widely unknown developer and will probably not gain much attention. If I had to compare it to other games, I would say it is like Mega Man, Dynasty Warriors andAlthough this game has its shortcomings, I consider it a good buy for the price. Malicious is what I would call a hidden diamond in the rough, as it is a fairly good game which had the potential to be something greater, by an widely unknown developer and will probably not gain much attention. If I had to compare it to other games, I would say it is like Mega Man, Dynasty Warriors and Shadow of the Colossus combined.

    The pros: Nice action, bosses, and environments, good challenge. Amazing art.
    The cons: Short, sometimes wonky camera, not all weapons are equally useful.

    The way the game is set up, you head into an arena that has a boss and mobs of enemies. The goal is to beat the mobs to power yourself up enough to beat the boss. After beating said boss, you gain a power or weapon corresponding to the boss. This is why the game is usually compared to mega man, as the weapon system is similar. As for the specifics of combats, I won't go into it much, but essentially you have light attacks, heavy attacks, a lock on button, and a block/dodge. Lights and heavies, depending on the weapon, can be mixed up to produce different combos, each with their own usefulness. As you beat enemies, you gain aura, which you use to either heal damage or increase your damage temporarily. Unfortunately, using the lock on can land you in a lot of trouble as it isn't the most accurate in realizing who you want to lock on to, nor does it handle keeping track of enemies well. The latter is more so a fault of the camera which is not that great. That said, these problems can be mostly avoided by simply manually aiming your attacks and forgoing lock ons.

    The art of the game is really what caught my eye and subsequently made me look up information about the developers, as it it not your normal looking game. If I was more art-savvy, I would try to describe it to you all, but unfortunately I lack the terms. All I can say is watch a video of the game on HD and multiply it by 3. All in all, it's not a perfect game, but it is a pretty good psn game that is easily worth the $9.99. However, don't go in expecting it to be a flawless ride.    … Expand
  9. AJCk19
    Jun 9, 2013
    9
    The only real bad thing you can say about malicious is that it is short. The best way to describe this game is that it is a mixture of megaman, asura's wrath, and koei's warrior games. You have to defeat 5 tough bosses and they are surrounded by thousands of their minions. After defeating each boss you gain their abilities. There is a final 6 boss after you beat the other 5 and thenThe only real bad thing you can say about malicious is that it is short. The best way to describe this game is that it is a mixture of megaman, asura's wrath, and koei's warrior games. You have to defeat 5 tough bosses and they are surrounded by thousands of their minions. After defeating each boss you gain their abilities. There is a final 6 boss after you beat the other 5 and then the game is over, but well worth it. Story is original, yet sad, and the aesthetics are amazing.… Expand
  10. IrishChai
    Oct 14, 2012
    5
    Well, it's not a terrible game but isn't great either. As a boss arena type game with only a handful of bosses, you're not getting much content. Some of the bosses just take a lot of time to kill because of a very high amount of health. They aren't particularly difficult, but it's mediocre fun to learn how to defeat a boss the first time. It's not anywhere near as good as Shadow of theWell, it's not a terrible game but isn't great either. As a boss arena type game with only a handful of bosses, you're not getting much content. Some of the bosses just take a lot of time to kill because of a very high amount of health. They aren't particularly difficult, but it's mediocre fun to learn how to defeat a boss the first time. It's not anywhere near as good as Shadow of the Colossus but I can see how it was probably lightly inspired by it. Sometimes it's a lot easier if you take on a boss with an ability earned from a previous boss kill, but it's not impossible to do without them. I bought this alongside Tokyo Jungle, and enjoyed the latter a LOT more. I think Malicious would have been awesome if there was areas leading up to the boss battle, or at least bigger areas to fight in. Starting off and playing in one small arena each battle gets a bit boring once you learn the tricks to kill the main boss. The stages aren't that unique so the scenery got old really quick. I'll probably go back and play it at some point to get better times or see if there are easier/quicker ways to defeat the stage, but I wouldn't be surprised if I forget I even bought it. It's just a bland forgettable experience overall.… Expand
  11. cricketlenny
    Oct 16, 2012
    9
    This game, while short, is a very good example of great things in small packages. To make a long story short, its a boss rush made into a whole game. If your a fan of huge difficult boss battles, hack n slash game play, and beautiful stylized worlds and environments, then say no more, get this game. Be wary, though, that the longest possible time it takes to beat the game is 3 hours, dueThis game, while short, is a very good example of great things in small packages. To make a long story short, its a boss rush made into a whole game. If your a fan of huge difficult boss battles, hack n slash game play, and beautiful stylized worlds and environments, then say no more, get this game. Be wary, though, that the longest possible time it takes to beat the game is 3 hours, due to the 30 minutes time limit on the 6 levels, so if your not one to go through challenge modes or new game +, then it wont seem like a worthy purchase. I couldn't recommend this more, but the camera and lock on are horrible.… Expand
  12. Linebro
    Oct 27, 2013
    3
    Malicious seems to me like a really mixed bag. For first the combat and graphics are really flashy but on the other; the camera is my worst enemy and the enemies are not that hard and niether are the bosses.

    The graphics are great with nice colors and a great visual style. The music to me seems forgettable. The gameplay is somewhat repetitive in the fact that there are 2 things you do,    Malicious seems to me like a really mixed bag. For first the combat and graphics are really flashy but on the other; the camera is my worst enemy and the enemies are not that hard and niether are the bosses.

    The graphics are great with nice colors and a great visual style. The music to me seems forgettable. The gameplay is somewhat repetitive in the fact that there are 2 things you do, rush into combat and heal.The Camera plagues every moment of the game and even though the combat is nice and rewarding, the extra combat moves are not required to fight the enemies. One thing I wish was in the game as more of a gripping story. Sure the premise is grand but the actual story is minimal.

    This game get a 3/10    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. IGN
    Jul 27, 2012
    55
    Malicious just isn't a good game and it's not worth your time. And that's too bad, because Malicious certainly had a lot of promise. It just doesn't deliver.
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  2. MEGamers
    May 8, 2012
    85
    Malicious is by no means perfect, but it is one of the most entertaining downloadable PS3 games I've played in a while.
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  3. SpazioGames
    Apr 7, 2012
    60
    Malicious is an interesting title that offers a different gameplay compared to the classic action game. Some technical problems limiting its potential.
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