A-maze-ing plans with bloody results
By Paul Hunter
Minos on PC takes the Minotaur myth and turns it into a bloody strategy playground. Developed by Artificer and published by Devolver Digital, this maze-building roguelite puts you directly into the horned side of the legend.
Instead of playing as the hero hunting a monster, you are the Minotaur. You must reshape and design deadly mazes to kill the pursuing Greek warriors, and ultimately getting revenge on legendary heroes like Theseus.
So, is this labyrinth worth defending? Let’s find out!
That father-son connection gives the story its strongest reason to care. Daedalus is not just the famous inventor behind the maze, his work explains why Asterion is trapped inside a place built to protect and contain him.
Ariadne, another key figure from the Minotaur myth, appears through letters and story material that add a voice outside Asterion and Daedalus. Theseus, the hero tied to the legend’s end, gives the story a clear end game from the moment his name enters the picture.
I enjoyed that Minos keeps the narrative focused on the Minotaur’s side of the myth, it's unique and puts a neat twist on the tragedy behind the labyrinth.
During preparation, you can change the layout of the labyrinth by adding or removing walls and doors, while checking the projected path enemies will follow. The Greek warriors always take the shortest route to the centre, so wall positioning is crucial to sending them down your deadliest paths.
Trap placement is where the strategy gets fun. You can lay down a wide range of traps, including spikes, ballistas, fire traps, saw blades, and rolling boulders, and each one damages enemies in different ways. Some traps can kill weaker enemies outright, while others reduce HP and soften tougher targets up for the next trap. Enemy types matter a lot too, because archers, thieves, soldiers, and magic users have different HP values or movement patterns, so each wave forces you to rethink your trap setup so they take out all enemies coming through the maze.
Once the siege starts, you control Asterion directly. You're not just passively watching enemies perish by your traps, but as Asterion you play an active role taking out any survivors before they reach the maze centre. What's interesting is you can take damage by some of your own traps, or get pinned in by your own layout, making strategic planning upfront before the wave begins even more important.
After each successful run, you'll earn XP and gems, which can be spent on artifacts, permanent character upgrades, and unlock new traps that all help you survivor more challenging mazes. It's a rewarding loop, and with so many perks and traps to unlock, the gameplay goes well beyond the 15 hours it takes to complete the main quest.
Once the seige begins, the visuals become front and centre in all their goriness. Spike traps impale, ballistas fire off, boulders roll, mysterious sword statue entice enemies to wander towards them, and the bodies pile up all along the routes. It's pretty satisfying to just admire how badly those Greek warriors misjudged their wave.
Voice acting helps the myth scenes some personality, especially when the story is focused on Asterion and Daedalus. The music brings excitement to planning moments, while trap audio effects make successful kills hit with a nice crunch.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Artificer
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Genre: Strategy, Tower Defense
Modes: Single-player
By Paul Hunter
Minos on PC takes the Minotaur myth and turns it into a bloody strategy playground. Developed by Artificer and published by Devolver Digital, this maze-building roguelite puts you directly into the horned side of the legend.
Instead of playing as the hero hunting a monster, you are the Minotaur. You must reshape and design deadly mazes to kill the pursuing Greek warriors, and ultimately getting revenge on legendary heroes like Theseus.
So, is this labyrinth worth defending? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
Minos tells its story through Asterion, the man behind the Minotaur legend. Instead of treating him as a monster waiting for Theseus, the game frames him as someone trapped inside a labyrinth built by Daedalus, his father in this version of the myth.That father-son connection gives the story its strongest reason to care. Daedalus is not just the famous inventor behind the maze, his work explains why Asterion is trapped inside a place built to protect and contain him.
Ariadne, another key figure from the Minotaur myth, appears through letters and story material that add a voice outside Asterion and Daedalus. Theseus, the hero tied to the legend’s end, gives the story a clear end game from the moment his name enters the picture.
I enjoyed that Minos keeps the narrative focused on the Minotaur’s side of the myth, it's unique and puts a neat twist on the tragedy behind the labyrinth.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Minos turns every floor of the labyrinth into a tactical maze problem. Your mission is to move between a preparation phase, where you shape the walls and lay traps, and a siege phase, where Greek warriors invade and test every wall, door, and trap you placed.During preparation, you can change the layout of the labyrinth by adding or removing walls and doors, while checking the projected path enemies will follow. The Greek warriors always take the shortest route to the centre, so wall positioning is crucial to sending them down your deadliest paths.
Trap placement is where the strategy gets fun. You can lay down a wide range of traps, including spikes, ballistas, fire traps, saw blades, and rolling boulders, and each one damages enemies in different ways. Some traps can kill weaker enemies outright, while others reduce HP and soften tougher targets up for the next trap. Enemy types matter a lot too, because archers, thieves, soldiers, and magic users have different HP values or movement patterns, so each wave forces you to rethink your trap setup so they take out all enemies coming through the maze.
Once the siege starts, you control Asterion directly. You're not just passively watching enemies perish by your traps, but as Asterion you play an active role taking out any survivors before they reach the maze centre. What's interesting is you can take damage by some of your own traps, or get pinned in by your own layout, making strategic planning upfront before the wave begins even more important.
After each successful run, you'll earn XP and gems, which can be spent on artifacts, permanent character upgrades, and unlock new traps that all help you survivor more challenging mazes. It's a rewarding loop, and with so many perks and traps to unlock, the gameplay goes well beyond the 15 hours it takes to complete the main quest.
Presentation and Audio
Visually, Minos uses an overhead camera that lets you see the whole labyrinth before each wave starts. You can check where enemies enter, follow their route, see where your traps can be placed, check which walls can be modified, and see where the sanctuary you need to protect is located.Once the seige begins, the visuals become front and centre in all their goriness. Spike traps impale, ballistas fire off, boulders roll, mysterious sword statue entice enemies to wander towards them, and the bodies pile up all along the routes. It's pretty satisfying to just admire how badly those Greek warriors misjudged their wave.
Voice acting helps the myth scenes some personality, especially when the story is focused on Asterion and Daedalus. The music brings excitement to planning moments, while trap audio effects make successful kills hit with a nice crunch.
The Verdict
Minos is an excellent PC roguelite with a strong story and deep maze-building gameplay. The presentation is also a major strength, with an overhead view that keeps the labyrinth clear and brutal trap effects that make every successful setup satisfying to watch. This is a great pick for tower defense fans who want something clever, bloody, and different.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Minos details
Platform: PCDeveloper: Artificer
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Genre: Strategy, Tower Defense
Modes: Single-player