Tom's Verdict
🪕 Malhaar managed to make an impression on me almost immediately, and part of that was quite personal. My parents, who sadly passed away in 2020 and 2021, used to spend between three and six months of almost every year travelling around India, so the country has a very special place in my memories. Hearing the gentle music and sitar while exploring such a colourful India-inspired world gave the game a warmth and familiarity that I wasn't expecting.
🌺 I certainly didn't understand everything straight away. There were times when I wasn't sure where I needed to go, what I could interact with or exactly what the game wanted me to do next. Quite a bit of my early time was therefore spent simply wandering around, learning the map and discovering things for myself. A little more guidance would definitely help, particularly for players first entering the world.
🎵 Once I eventually discovered my workshop and began understanding the instrument crafting, everything started falling into place. Searching for the materials I needed gave me a reason to explore, and I really liked the idea of making musical instruments rather than crafting the same familiar collection of tools and objects found in so many other games. It helped Malhaar feel like it had an identity of its own.
😅 I did manage to get myself into a slightly awkward situation towards the end. I'd run out of money, had no food, was too tired to do much and couldn't find anybody nearby willing to buy what I had. Whether I'd genuinely managed to get myself stuck or had simply reached the practical limits of this version of the demo, I'm still not entirely sure. Thankfully, the demo ended around that point anyway.
💜 Despite those moments of confusion, I came away genuinely wanting to see more. Malhaar is calm, colourful and full of character, with a setting and atmosphere that made it feel refreshingly different from most of the games I encounter. There are certainly areas that could benefit from a little more guidance and refinement, but the foundations here are lovely and I'm very interested to see where the developer takes it.
For me, Malhaar earns a Tom Recommends for this demo version.
Game Screenshots
Watch My Gameplay
Prefer to see Malhaar Demo in action? Watch my gameplay video to see how the game plays before reading my full verdict.
Why I Liked This Game
- ✅ 🪕 Distinctive setting — The colourful India-inspired world gives Malhaar an identity that immediately feels different from most cosy adventures.
- ✅ 🎵 Wonderful atmosphere — The gentle music, instruments and relaxed surroundings create a warm and calming place to explore.
- ✅ 🌺 Encourages exploration — Searching for materials and discovering useful locations gives you plenty of reason to wander and learn about the world.
- ✅ 🛠️ Interesting crafting theme — Making musical instruments is a refreshing alternative to the usual tools, furniture and equipment found in crafting games.
- ✅ 💜 Full of potential — Even after reaching the end of my time with the demo, I genuinely wanted to continue exploring and discover what else Malhaar has to offer.
What I Didn't Like In This Game
- ❌ 🗺️ Limited early guidance — I sometimes struggled to understand where I needed to go, what I could interact with or what I was supposed to be doing next.
- ❌ 🍲 Possible progression problem — Near the end I found myself with no money or food, too tired to do much and unable to find someone to buy what I had, although it wasn't clear whether I was genuinely stuck or simply reaching the limits of the demo.
