Maize launch trailer introduces your robotic Russian bear sidekick

I have a feeling that the launch trailer for Maize, the game about sentient ears of corn and the government scientists who created them, will give you a pretty good idea about whether or not you're going to want to play it. It introduces Vladdy, a Russian robot bear of apparently ill temperament, who will serve as your sidekick in the game—but he doesn't quite get the opportunity to say hello.

I think it's hilarious, but I'll be up front about it, I'm still not entirely clear on what the game is actually about, and the launch date announcement isn't very helpful. "What would happen if stalks of corn could walk? Talk? Crack jokes? You probably never considered it before, but now you’re starting to, aren’t you?" it says. "Explore the winding cornfields of Maize for clues, venture your way into the super secret research bunker beneath the desolate farmstead, meet a colourful cast of characters along the way, including silly sentient corn stalks, a grumpy Russian robot bear, and two scientists who maybe shouldn’t be scientists." 

Steam has a little bit more to say about it: It's set in a "fully-realized environment, featuring a cornucopia of areas to explore," with a colorful cast of friends and enemies, and increasingly absurd environmental puzzles to solve. Your goal? Figure out what the corn wants. Sounds simple enough, right? And definitely like the sort of thing I want to try. Maize comes out on December 1.  

Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

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