Hey everyone! Here today with a cozy little review of Maze Mice, a bullet-heaven roguelite from TrampolineTales (the same creative minds behind Luck Be a Landlord). This game dropped on July 11, 2025, and the buzz has been pretty positive so far. I’ve spent a dozen or so runs weaving through its tiny mazes, so here’s my laid-back take on what works, what feels flat, and whether it’s worth popping onto your chill-session playlist.
Overall Impressions
Maze Mice greets you with a simple but fun hook: time only ticks when you move. Think of it as Pac-Man meets Vampire Survivors—with a generous helping of roguelite upgrades and adorable pixel art. I loved the idea of freezing time to dodge cat enemies or line up perfect dot-eating runs. It feels novel right away, and the first few runs had me grinning at every close call.
However, after a handful of runs, the formula starts to feel a bit…familiar. While the loop is solid—collect dots, level up, pick an upgrade, avoid a cat bite—there isn’t a ton of strategic depth. Compared to something like Brotato or Halls of Torment, Maze Mice is a bit more of a quick snack than a full-course feast. If you’re after long-term mastery and jaw-dropping build synergies, you might find it a tad shallow. But if you want a breezy, pick-up-and-play romp, it definitely has charm.
Gameplay Mechanics
The game shines with its Time Freeze Movement, letting players plan each step and pull off thrilling near-misses against prowling cats. Strategic Level-Up Choices add variety, offering upgrades like speed boosts, extra mouse buddies, or quirky beam attacks. The Dream Map Surprise keeps runs unpredictable, with shifting walls that can save—or doom—you in an instant, adding a dash of magical unpredictability to the maze-based action.
However, it stumbles with Roster Sameness, as most mice feel alike after a few upgrades, and Linear Unlocks that follow the same path for every player, reducing discovery. The Price vs. Content balance may also give pause, especially when compared to budget-friendly genre peers like Brotato or Vampire Survivors, which offer deeper build variety and longer replay value for less.
Story and Characters
If you’re hoping for a deep narrative, Maze Mice is more about cute vibes than epic arcs. You’re a little mouse (or squad of mice) darting through themed mazes—Garden, Factory, Dream, and Clockwork—all while avoiding hungry cats. There’s no voiced dialogue or branching storylines, which is fine if your main goal is stress-free fun. Each mouse sprite has personality in its pixel design—some wear tiny goggles, others rock a leaf hat—but they don’t have backstories beyond “I’m here to nibble dots.” It’s charming, but definitely light on plot.
Visuals and Graphics
Big thumbs up here. The pixel art is bright, cheerful, and packed with tiny details. I adore the way the cats twitch their tails just before they spot you, and the dot pickups make a cute little sparkle. Each map has its own color palette: the Garden is soft greens and browns, the Clockwork glints with copper and gears, and Dream shimmers in pastel purples. Everything looks polished, and you can tell TrampolineTales cared about the sprite work.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack is boppy and upbeat—perfect for a breezy session—but it is on the shorter side. After a few runs, you’ll definitely recognize the main themes. Sound effects are super satisfying: the “ping” when you collect a big dot, the “whoosh” when time resumes, and the “meow!” from nearby cats. No voice acting here, but I didn’t miss it. Just be ready to loop a handful of tracks if you’re playing for hours on end.
Difficulty and Replayability
Maze Mice nails that “just one more go” feeling for a while. Early runs are forgiving—you get a good chunk of starting lives, and the pacing is gentle. But once you unlock more items, you can crank up the challenge, juggling more enemies and tighter spaces. Still, runs can start to blend together after nearly a dozen attempts, especially if you stick to your favorite maps. The linear unlock path means there’s no real master-the-game puzzle to solve; you simply grind score to unlock new mice. If you thrive on meta progression, you might miss a persistent upgrade system. But for a quick, casual blast, it hits the sweet spot.
Final Thoughts
Maze Mice is a carefree, charming roguelite that shines with its time-freeze mechanics and cute pixel art. It doesn’t dive as deep as some roguelike heavyweights, and the unlock system can feel a bit too straightforward. But if you want a fun, stress-free maze dash where you can stop the clock, dodge cats, and collect dots at your own pace, this one’s a neat little treat. Pop it on for a quick afternoon session, and I’ll see you in the mazes!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
Developed by indie studio TrampolineTales, best known for Luck Be a Landlord, this game is essentially feature-complete. With future updates focusing on balancing and bug fixes. The standout Dream map, featuring shifting procedural walls, originated from a dynamic level design experiment that became a core mode. All music and art were lovingly created by a two-person team in a cozy Portland home studio. Showcasing impressive dedication and creative passion.
