Maiz ready for picking on Steam for Windows PC

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

First-person 3D "mini puzzle game" set in the Moroccan desert ruins on the edge of the Sahara

Think "Sahara desert" and the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't "laser-guarded puzzles." But perhaps that will change as of today, as that's exactly what you'll find in Critix Studios' newly released 3D "mini puzzle game," Maiz.

On the edge of the Sahara lies an oasis village whose people are in jeopardy from the relentless burning desert sun. In order to save the village from destruction, you must set out on a path to find "Hajar," solving the many environmental puzzles in your path along the way. Failure is not an option, as the skeletons of those who came before you can attest, leaving only their troubled recorded messages behind.

Presented in free-roaming, first-person 3D, Maiz plays something like a scorching desert version of The Talos Principle, set against a backdrop of dry, dusty sand, rock and temple ruins. In order to progress, you must make strategic use of the lasers, blocks and buttons you find in each area to reflect light beams, weigh down pressure points and achieve other physics-based tasks that will open new ways forward, all the while uncovering new bits of backstory about the Moroccan village you're trying to save.

If you're up for a little arid exploring without the camel sores or thick gobs of sunscreen, you can embark right away from the comfort of your own PC, as Maiz is available now on Steam for Windows.