Mazes TTRPG Review. (Ep. 333)

Mazes is a fantasy TTRPG by Chris O'Neil, published by 9th Level Games. Professor DungeonMaster gives his review.
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[@allenopperman7587]

It seems like a RPG that board game groups would enjoy. The rules are simple but there are a lot of fun interactions in the mechanics of the game.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Share this video so more board gamers will know Mazes exists!

[@EmeraldVideosNL]

That sounds interesting. I'm into D&D but my husband is more of a Hero Quest and D&D boardgame type. Perhaps he'll like this.

[@matthewmcguigan4293]

I don't have time and money to buy every system you review, but I appreciate your review format. Very helpful for anyone looking to try a new ttrpg.

[@waynekautzer913]

"9th level" games?.... definitely an obscure reference to that 80's movie, "Mazes" and Monsters!

[@9thLevelGames]

Isn't it great when you get to make your own scenarios...

[@ChrisChapmanIAm]

Awesome review and I'm looking to add it to my library. I like the mechanics, and it's definitely something I'd share with some friends and the kids. And I'm a Fafhrd and Gray Mouser fan from way back.

[@TheSasquatchjones]

I have a feeling I'm going to end up with an entire library of these books. 😅

[@lanir9543]

This review was really useful for me. I The die mechanics are very clever and that got me thinking about game design again. I also picked up a copy of Mazes and shared the video with some friends. Without the review it probably would never have made it onto my radar. Thanks!

[@MrOmega-cz9yo]

@2:30 - Lone Wolf and Cub. I wonder how many people watching this video have seen, or heard about, these movies. 🤔

[@antigrav6004]

I helped kickstart this one. I love the concept of your die basically being your class, though it is deeper than that. It's a nice book to boot

[@cybermerlyn2]

Mazes is a great game. I first came across the Ploymorph System with the game Business Wizards and later Rebel Scum. They just finished a Backerkit for Kobolds Ate My Baby for the Polymorph system. Wife and I were happy to get it. "All Hail King Torg!!".

[@gillcaz]

I really like so much about MAZES. You basically summed up the best parts. My one caveat is that the magic system too nonsensical and contradictory. If i want stochastic or elemental I'll roll up something from Maze Rats or Trophy, and if i want something sensical or thematic i could port ars magica or mage.

[@D3vious113]

To be perfectly honest I want it purely because the book looks so dang pretty. *Adds it to my list next to Mork Borg, Death in Space, and Burning Wheel*

[@xer0vi]

I love learning about all of these unique games. Thank you for showing that there are way more games than the one being chained and locked up by evil wizards that reside on the coast. I believe their evil master is called Hasblow. Totally got to make an OSR type system agnostic adventure with that plot hook.

[@ImreRides]

Oh I got this through Kickstarter but never got it to the table. Might try to do so after this video :)

[@derrickcorreia4826]

Running this at my shop next Saturday for Free RPG day! Great game!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Good choice!

[@patrickclapp9898]

Awesome!

[@Ishpard]

I am writing a roleplay system with a similar idea, one particular dice for each character "size". I'm sure i can learn something from this one.

[@Senzueffect]

Love the K.I.S.S aspect of this. Have to look into getting a copy

[@Bagel-Man.]

Keep up the great work Professor

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you!

[@Bagel-Man.]

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1Of course!

[@neuromancer9k]

Very interesting system, to put it concisely. I am intrigued by how you pick a Role, then an Aspect, and then a Class (and then an Edge?). The whole "your role is your roll" concept is a unique take (that I've seen, at least). This also looks very cool art-wise, and I agree with what the @theOldDragon mentioned. I'm curious to see how it works with the RPG that they designed for Return to Dark Tower. 🍻⚔

[@edwardromero3580]

It's a nice looking book, for sure. But with ShadowDark, Dragonbane and Knave 2e all on the near horizon, I don't think I have the time or energy to learn one more system. Of course, since I also collect indie rpgs, it's not out of the question that I'll pick it up. :)

[@stalebread2997]

A gamestore I frequent with my friends has Mazes, and I thought about buying it but wasn't sure, this might change my mind

[@4saken404]

Very interesting use of dice. Can't recall that I've seen a game that uses dice in this regards.

[@TheOldDragoon]

I have been absolutely in love with Mazes since January, and I'm even more excited to get my hands on The Return to Dark Tower RPG using the Polymorph engine. Because using the board game board as a campaign map is gonna be COOL.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Great game.

[@KHfanz]

As someone whose played the game, does it work well for players who like very simple more free form systems like Tiny Dungeons?

[@TheOldDragoon]

@@KHfanz Yes, in that everything is boiled down to the Books, Boots, etc. paradigm. There are very few specifics, so if your players are into freeform, you can ballpark what kind of action anything they wish to try is, and then apply advantage or disadvantage based on their character's experiences. It's almost to the point of FATE-like freeform-ness.

[@AyarARJ]

Disclaimer disclosing why I don't need a disclaimer. I do like these appropriately-lengthed product reviews, weee!

[@Wraithing]

Excellent review. Looks like my kind of game. Great episode! It'll be lower views this episode though. No Matt Mercer in the thumbnail, 😂

[@Hellvector]

I haven’t actually played it yet, but I bought this from my local game store based on the production quality alone. It made for a good read, and seems like it would be great for getting someone a taste of TTRPGs without all the headache of learning a more robust system.

[@aadlersberg]

I picked this up at Pax because it was so unique and my kids love it, they're both under 10 a d D&D was a bit much for them but this game hit the sweet spot

[@KHfanz]

I’m glad to hear it works for kids! I was thinking of picking it up to play with my nephews, who all love the idea of DnD, just not the complexity of DnD.

[@aadlersberg]

@@KHfanz it's really unique in that your class is one die and you only have to hit a range, simple but still requires thinking about your decisions

[@normanlennox4949]

Added to my "Check it Out" list. Thanks, Professor.

[@tdworwood]

The comic DIE has an rpg where each player gets only one type of die. It's also pretty dark and amazing

[@nutherefurlong]

I've tended to have trouble guessing what's meant by the d4 class (paragon) testing bones (5+). Like the roll basically has to align with things going OK already (i.e. the crown roll), so if things are going badly already they automatically fail crowns I guess. But then rolling a 1 is sometimes explained as "if it's something your aspect or class can do", which might interfere with some GMs' sense for why rolls happen in the first place. Is this paragon likely able to resist pain or disease via their class or aspect? I dunno! I don't feel like the intent is adequately explained, obviously a GM can just decide what they think makes sense but it feels like the rules are otherwise fairly clear in situations like these; it's just that the neat dice mechanics didn't quite align. In the interest of constructive commenting I'd say that my instinct would be to allow for a very limited resource available to all classes, but maybe the most for those with lower die values, that can be expended in the case of key (1) rolls to swing things in their favor. Like a paragon might have specially formulated tinctures or previously casted warding spells on standby in case of poisoning or whatever, but they can only take a few hits of this type before the key rolls fail. Or the protections are very specific, sort of like hyper focused aspects, so they don't protect against every Bones eventuality...

[@emessar]

Now all they need is a "Monsters" book and Tom Hanks to get lost in some steam tunnels.

[@freethrall]

I absolutely love the aesthetics and there are some neat ideas here.

[@patrickclapp9898]

Thanks for the amazing review, Professor!

[@Aragura]

Excellent review. Very thought provoking system. Easily convertible to sci-fi I would think. I dream on occasion that systems like PBTA, or FATE were the founding systems for D&D and such. I am currently leaning hard towards EZD6 to become my universal system of choice. Just not sure if the combat is crunchy enough for my older players (although it is just as crunchy as OSR, just with different dice!). Sigh. The plight of the GM.

[@Ishanaroya]

Sounds very interesting - will for sure check this one out!

[@grimmtales503]

Comment for SEO - but you need it less and less. This is an excellent game review, of course. These types of games seem to work really well if the Game Master-Referee has a clear vision for their story AND a clear idea for how to guide the players through it in that sandbox-railroad paradox ('agency vs. coherence'). You seem to be very happy with it... so... it must be good? Right?

[@Minodrec]

This is an actuakly innovative system. Thanks Prof.

[@B.-T.]

“Maze Controller”? Why does that sound like a term from a far-out game? That Tom Hanks was involved with?

[@oz_jones]

He is a Warlock!

[@B.-T.]

@@oz_jones no, he's a great holy man.

[@patrickclapp9898]

There is a big love of Mazes and Monsters from the writers and editors. The book has several quotes attributed to it as well. And, yes, the Maze Controller title is inspired by the film.

[@Mr.RobotHead]

Nice review. I think I might really enjoy this game!

[@LeMayJoseph]

This looks like a really delightful mashup of the Polymorph system with OSR sensibilities! I’m definitely getting it.

[@BanjoSick]

Wow different type of dice for differential levels of capability 🤩. Never saw that before🥱

[@MarioMoreau]

watched your review yesterday, went to buy Fabula Ultima TTJRPG at my favorite game store and what do I see sitting on one of the shelf? yep Mazes. I really liked your review so I decided to buy it! thanks it looks really awesome!

[@CausticCatastrophe]

there is a lot to like about this game, but i think something that should be very easy to port to other systems is the death saves on darkness level.Sounds like that will quell even the most squeamish of players that "don't want their characters to die way too early".

[@blinddog4288]

Dungeon Craft is #2 because Death Bringer said so… No one is better than Death Bringer!

[@thomasendter6770]

Sounds definetly interesting. I'll guess, I check it out.

[@ArticleNoun]

Looks cool. Thanks for sharing

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for watching!

[@brucegusler5208]

From just watching this review I decided to buy. I’ve been trying to find another game to get into that’s not DnD and this looks great

[@AFnord]

How are all my rolls going to be 20 if I play a Paragon who's limited to just a D4?

[@MemphiStig]

The problem I've seen with non-D&D rpg's since early on is that most of them don't break far enough away from D&D, and they end up more like clones than true alternatives. But in this newer explosion of indies, I've seen an amazing diversity of ideas and approaches to game design. It's encouraging for the future of a hobby that would otherwise be rotting in a corporate dungheap. Btw, is Deathbringer on vacation?

[@ericgranata6664]

The difference dice types for different classes is a cool idea.

[@RoninCatholic]

So my Role could be Fighter in that I'm primarily about attacking threats, but my aspect is Sorcery in that I'm casting spells of destruction instead of fighting with a sword?

[@patrickclapp9898]

Yes. How you flavor your fighting is your Aspect. If you are a Sorcery Fighter you throw fireballs and lightning bolts and other evocations. Or you enchant your staff and sword and lay into your foes. And are frighteningly good at it.

[@TheTkhhwilliams]

Great review and looks like a really fun game. Hopefully our paths cross at Origins

[@MagneticDavid]

I really liked your suggestion for "Independent Games July". But it disappeared so fast that I would have missed it if I wasn't on KZbin last night. Will you be re-posting it? Why did you pull it?

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Yes. Because I screwed up. It will be re-released in 1 hour.

[@peasedustin]

i love Mazes!!!!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Me too.

[@shaunhall960]

I've got to have this!

[@nicklarocco4178]

Normally I'm not a fan of rules lite games, but this looks good. An excellent game to have ready on the side for if one of your players cancels last minute on your regularly scheduled game, pull put mazes and just play a novella adventure for that for the night. I like the little dice game within the game. The only thing I'm not keen on is player facing rolls, I just find that they make the gm feel too adversarial, when I'm just rolling dice and the dice roll well it isn't me who's punching up the characters, but when I have all the power the feeling can become that I'm picking on someone.

[@salamshalom]

Very different. Interesting.

[@aristeodeignaciohernandez-7428]

Why the hell am I just now learning about this?

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Because that's the soonest I could cover it!

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you. Please share it!

[@graveyardshift2100]

I like the looks of this one!

[@60508]

it feels like it's been a while. Now this my be a controversial view, but I like heavier rougher pages over slick pages. Particularly if most of the art isn't going to be multi coloured. Interesting system. Not sure if it's my kind of thing though. Some interesting ideas.

[@scoobysnack]

This looks pretty awesome actually!

[@DoctorLazers]

I'm looking to pick up a new OSR game to test out. It's between Mazes, Black Sword Hack, and Worlds Without Number. If you had to pick just one to reccomend, what would it be?

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Mazes is not OSR. It's mechanics are very forward-thinking. Black Sword Hack is more OSR. Never played WWN.

[@DiscoBarbarian]

Professor... I may need to borrow your vest for this but.... Sword and Sorcery is the only way to play.

[@HowtoRPG]

Thanks 😊

[@Emanemoston]

Thanks for the video.

[@jollyrogerquill]

Super interesting game! Have you played Kobolds ate my baby? It's from the same house. I love it and it's getting a remake using a variation of the Polymorph RPG.

[@Meeeeeeeestery]

I keep my copies of EZD6, Black Sword Hack and Mazes like smoky black pearls of forbidden knowledge, the sweetest! Well done, Professor! No better pages as to S&S rpg!

[@iantaran2843]

I'm still hoping to see you review Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea

[@dlepley0801]

Love the reviews.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks. More coming. I will always put them up on Thursdays, so check in.

[@dylanwatts1045]

Great video, as always! I have a video request, if that's alright. I have my own homebrew rules I use at my table, based on Deathbringer and knave; but they're different enough from anything that I've seen that I feel like I could make my own system, and I have no idea where to start. Could you talk about putting pen to paper and writing the rules for an rpg?

[@raisenets99]

Gotta ask.. do you think it would be possible to run a dark sun adventure or campaign with no psionics with this system?

[@nordicson2835]

A Deadliest Warrior type matchup between Deathbringer and Roderick using new combat rules .

[@lechevalier6261]

I have played an GMed it to some extent - and though me and my group were overly impressed by its lightness one question popped up while gaming: Can you terminate every kind of opponent with just the expenditure of a Star and a cool description? I know there are some Traits for monsters that explicitly say to play them like player characters (therefore getting conditions, spending Darkness pp) but regarding the rest it seems like you have to houserule the aforementioned Star-effect. Was quite irritating while gaming and characters plowing through dozens of menials...

[@yminoh]

Same experience!

[@billedmunds80]

Looks like I won't be saving any money this week....

[@vodostar9134]

That looks like a well thought out system. I definitely prefer the swords and sorcery genre.

[@eclatshwartzbaumcybertune2063]

I subscribed before you asked 😊

[@taejaskudva2543]

Any idea if these guys (or you) will be at Origins? This will be my first time going since my kids were born because the con always hovers around my oldest's birthday. But this year, we're making a vacation out of it: anybody heading to Columbus, check out the zoo and COSI (their science center). Totally worth it diversions from gaming! And hopefully I'll be able to find a copy of Mazes at the con...

[@9thLevelGames]

We will be at ORIGINS. We have some MAZES events. Our booth is 818. Hope to see you there!

[@taejaskudva2543]

@@9thLevelGames Sadly, looks like the sessions are filled (on vacation with the fam, so can't do the Mazes 'til Midnight one), but I'll definitely find the booth!

[@stevekeyD9Games]

Sweet game!

[@RAJKevis]

Is there a quickstart guide?

[@lorenzohot5234]

This looks sweet!!

[@JasonVDM]

It looks tidy. The players, not the DM roll mechanics, is very Numenera/ Cypher System.

[@j453]

Sounds fun man

[@zonegamma8197]

wow nice book

[@slickrickard]

But how will all my rolls be 20s as a Paragon??

[@9thLevelGames]

HAHAHA

[@anathamon]

cool game

[@Darkpegasus849]

it´s basically DIE the comic / the ttrpg but without the mechanics that encourage player conflict

[@THEFabianValenzuela]

Bump

[@Timberboar]

I dislike this trend of the GM not rolling dice. I like rolling dice.

[@coldstream11]

Seems arbitrary

[@KHfanz]

I might have to check this one out! Sounds like it’d be really good for more casual players, or for a sort of “board game” night style game!

[@sherizaahd]

This seems fun. I always wonder how much different games matter though. You could adjust 5e or B/X into whatever you like with how you run it, right? So, is it just kind of down to having someone else do the lifting to get you into that other mindset?

[@israelmorales4249]

i´m aMAZEd! >

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Bonus xp!

[@oz_jones]

Sigh... another RPG gets added to the pile. So many games, so little time

[@BanjoSick]

choose one, never look back and play, way better than always switching between systems.

[@jcraigwilliams70]

This actually looks really interesting and I hate the fact that you keep making me spend money. So what happens if a Paragon needs to make a Bones roll, since they can't roll a 5?

[@patrickclapp9898]

The need to roll a Crown - the 4 on their d4. And the Darkness needs to be Bright or Torchlit. Crowns are successes if the Darkness is low and a "negotiated success" if it is Torchlit.

[@jcraigwilliams70]

@@patrickclapp9898 hey, I will ask you a few questions, since I tried contacting 9th Level without success. So maybe you know the answers: A few things are a bit unclear in the rules, specifically regarding Advances. On page 65, it gives the basic Edge list, splitting the 44 Edge into 7 groups, one of which is Advances. On page 73, it says that “Advances are not usually available to starting characters (though there are always exceptions.)” It then lists 36 Edges, which includes most of the Basic Edges list. This seems to suggest that the only Edges available to new characters are Beautiful, Bugbear, Charming, Cunning, Ilf, Keen, Smallfolk, and Young. Is this correct? Then, according to page, 53, a character gets an Advance after their second adventure. It seems that this is the one and only time they do so. So a character who has 100 adventures grows in knowledge and skill after the 2nd, but never again. Am I understanding correctly? Finally, when you take a Condition, you can refill your Hearts and Stars (In one spot it says AND, as if you fill both, but I think the internet is Or). If you hit 0 Hearts and have unmarked Conditions available, do you refill automatically, or do you have to actively choose to refill before you hit 0 (making it a good idea to refill when you are at about 3 Hearts or so)? Thanks for any clarifications you can give.

[@gabrielroias8373]

Different dice being assigned to specific roles and styles of play as well as the darkness mechanic are really cool but this game is fundamentally unbalanced. Last game I ran my players destroyed my god like demon prince with over 40 hearts in one round of combat, our Druid's bear companion went on a huge Crit chain with the exploding dice. I had to use my last remaining darkness to revive my boss in a weaker form. I found I had the same problem running EZD6 as well. It's spectacular to watch a crazy combo take out a boss but there was no tension to the battle or sense of triumph from defeating something that pushed your group to its limits.

[@aaronsomerville2124]

Great review, *definitely* not the game for me. Looks nicely put together though.

[@anthonyluetmer8499]

can you review Quests of Yore Barley's Edition from Usopoly and Disney/Pixar?

[@shadedreaver]

20s? n OH NO, youve doomed us all to FAIL! lol Cairn is a role under system, 20s are auto falure, 1s are auto pass

[@MangerBaby85]

The Dungeon Master's screen from D&D is really the Game Rules condensed. 5e is a pain in the butt to get started today. I ended up buying a bunch of books and minis and player cards and crap. From the store and Amazon. I love collecting painting and kit bashing. I play D&D in public place and it's like bare bones D&D sometimes. Pen,Paper , dry erase Map. It's super fun but it made me realize D&D is like a college research project with a scale diagram, notebooks, inventory, and it is a sloppy mess, and in the end, says basically, Make your own game, here is reference material. So I sorted through everything and realized why D&D is different. You can get all the monsters, maps, and everything all at once. Imagine Pokémon let everyone have all the pokémon. Without trading and stuff. So I have ALL the Monsters Cards, Magic item Cards and many spell cards. I want my D&D to be consistent and fun. So I just realized what would make it so. A D&D Game board.

[@AlexNewman42]

Story telling, campaign settings, and game mechanics are all separate topics. Story telling and setting are closely related. I would argue that game mechanics are less so. I've borrowed a setting or two and ran 5e in it. More videos on how to tell the story and create amazing campaign settings seems more in line with dungeon craft... creating new stories and new content. On a separate note, is it possible that D&D is the final evolution of RPG's? Everything else is an evolutionary side branch that might have a day or two in the sun then fizzles out. As evidence I'd like to point out that everything reviewed on this channel is compared to D&D or old D&D settings.

[@artistpoet5253]

I'm really more of a dungeon crawler in the flavor of Hero Quest, Blackstone Fortress and Four Against Darkness. Quick games are preferred as neither I nor my family of gamers has the patience for hours long drama ramas. No, we sling spells, swing swords and loot the room. I might actually pick this game up. Unfortunately, my resident dice goblin might be disappointed.