PROJECT MAZE

My first filter when sizing up a budget puzzle game is dead simple: does the core loop hold up if you strip away all the marketing gloss? For PROJECT MAZE by LAMBDADEV, the answer is a cautious yes, with some very loud asterisks attached. The pitch is stripped to its bones: three hand-crafted mazes of escalating size, a procedurally generated co-op mode that reshuffles the corridors each session, a fourth competitive maze tied to a global leaderboard where your only goal is finishing as fast as physically possible, and a level editor that lets you define your own maze dimensions and seed. That is the entire package. No combat, no story, no progression system. Just you, a first-person or third-person viewpoint, and a grid of wrong turns. For anyone drawn to pure spatial reasoning, the structure is cleaner than it sounds. The three curated mazes serve as a difficulty ramp that respects your learning curve rather than throwing you straight into chaos. Once you clear them, the procedural co-op mode is where the genuine replayability sits. Because the layout changes every session, the routing problem is never identical, and running it with a friend over online co-op turns orientation into a small communication puzzle of its own. The competitive leaderboard maze adds a time-trial dimension that strategy-minded players will recognise: optimal pathing, memory of dead ends, shaving seconds. It is shallow compared to a full puzzle game, but it is internally consistent. The level editor is the piece worth watching. Steam Workshop support is present, meaning custom mazes can theoretically circulate through the community and extend the content well beyond what LAMBDADEV shipped at launch. In practice, the Workshop library is thin, reflecting the game's modest player base. That matters because PROJECT MAZE without community-built content is a short experience. The curated maze trio can be cleared in a single sitting, and the procedural mode, while functionally infinite, does not vary the visual environment or introduce mechanical twists to keep long sessions interesting. Character customisation exists, with 15 colour options unlockable through achievements or a paid DLC Supporter Pack, which is a cosmetic layer, not a systems layer. The elephant in the room: this title has been stuck in Early Access since May 2018, and developer activity has been sparse for well over a year by Steam's own warning. LAMBDADEV has stated that their Early Access intent was to collect feedback and tune the experience together with players. The roadmap included more single-player maps, improved graphics and audio, and expanded modes. How much of that has landed is unclear from current update history, and Steam's own notice flags that developer communications may no longer be current. Buying into a stalled Early Access game is always a calculated risk. The functional core, multiplayer, level editor, leaderboards, and achievements, was reportedly in place from the start, so what you see today is likely close to the ceiling. If you need a feature-complete, polished puzzle experience, that uncertainty should give you pause. Where PROJECT MAZE makes sense is as an ultra-low-cost co-op session starter for two people who want a low-pressure, shared spatial challenge, or for a solo player who finds something meditative in learning maze layouts and then racing their own ghost on the leaderboard. Do not buy it expecting depth that compounds over dozens of hours. Its value ceiling is set by its scope, which was always modest. If the price reflects that scope, and the co-op angle appeals to you, the functional bones are solid enough. Diego, Scout Team

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