- edit
- /
- history
- /
- upload images
Map review of Mako
by dunkelschwamm | August 15, 2026 | 2382 characters
Mako is a fairly straight-forward snowy-urban walkthrough map where players fight lots of aliens (and some military) using a heavy arsenal to the very end. The set pieces usually aren't something magnificent but are charming and memorable and keep the map from feeling monotonous. The player-operable mortar launcher, the encamped enemy mounted gun, and the humungous explosives are all a lot of fun and give the map an almost professional sheen.
I really like the exterior urban environments. I don't know if I think they're believable, per se, but they have a really strong consistent vibe. I compared it, while playing, to Goldeneye's "streets" level. This doesn't extend fully to the interiors of the grocery/freight buildings toward the end, but those parts have their own charm (even if it's a bit incongruous).
The actual action of the map is sometimes inconsistent. I think the map gives the players the right tools for the job, and that the monsters are always a constantly fairly intense level of heat. Frustratingly, the enemies don't seem to ever stop respawning. This makes backtracking and respawning a huge pain that splits up the players. Your mileage may vary on if that's good or bad, but for my money's it's not good. There's also a laser wall at the beginning of the map which, as far as we can tell, the player is meant to brute-force by walking through it and turning it off by the controls on the other side. It's kind of a dumb non-puzzle, and if you insist it's not a puzzle bit then it's just a damage gate.
In the end, we both struggled a lot to remember the beats of this map. It flew by quickly and was really quite action-packed. I would recommend it on the basis that it's an intense action map with a good outdoor atmosphere.
Pros:
- The players are properly equipped to participate in nonstop action
- Fun bits like the player-operated mortar keep things lively
- I really liked the outdoor atmosphere
Cons:
- Constantly respawning enemies were a bummer
- Later map visuals are a tad inconsistent
- Laser grid at the beginning was confusing
- Map kinda didn't leave a strong impression?
- Action felt very divided toward the end
Review originally from *
Back to Mako | All map reviews
