The “Peak” of 2-Player Gaming? A Look at Maul Peak

Maul Peak is giving me video games vibes, and I’m not sure why. It might be the concept of taking down a big monster, who knows. What I do know, however, is that I’m terrible at the game, but that doesn’t stop me from really enjoying it each time it comes to the table. As a follow-up to Shulk Hollow (and they can be combined) it’s doing a lot of interesting and different things to make a second journey down this path so worth it!

My first half dozen games of Maul Peak left me with mixed emotions, and my original review, while not negative and still recommending the game, was not as positive as I feel about the game now! So here is our rewrite!

In Maul Peak, one player will play as the Grizzar Bears while the other will play a large, lumbering Guardian. The components are exceptional, with really interesting cars, large and gorgeous player boards, and fantastic wooden pieces that change from Guardian to Guardian. There is nothing here that isn’t above and beyond, and while this probably adds to the price of the game, it makes it so much more enjoyable to play.

I love the difference in play style between each of the different guardians, which makes each a refreshing challenge not only to take down, but to play as too! Some might say, “there isn’t a lot of content in that box.” I say to look again. Each and every Guardian has something different to focus on, which is a fantastic design choice.

As players move around the world map in what can only be explained at times as an epic game of Cat and Mouse, it’s fun to decide when to start tackling each section of a guardian, and when to plan for that epic fight. As more and more Grizzars join the fray, keeping them alive and using them in the best ways possible becomes an endless cycle of important decisions that really feel impactful.

A good fight between two really strategic players can draw out for quite a while, but the turn to turn decisions being made will definitely keep players engaged. As a two player game, there isn’t really any downtime.

I’m an unbalanced play session – an experienced gamers versus someone new to this experience – I think the games will always fall to those who play more often. We felt after a few dozen plays that whoever had the most experience playing the game almost always won out in the end. I’m sure this can be said for most games, but seems to be particularly evident here.

I’m not saying to not play it, because even those getting beat pretty bad enjoyed the experience and wanted to try again. I am saying, however, that this is a game best played again and again, and not left on the shelf too long. Strategy will be honed from game to game. You’ll want to keep that fresh in everyone’s mind for the most competitive experiences!