REVIEW: SOURCE OF MADNESS

Source of Madness is a side-scrolling platform game set in The Loam Lands . Graphics, music and the whole as such are deeply inspired by the works of the horror writer HP Lovecraft . We play as a new adept and embark on a nightmarish adventure. Our mission is to find the secrets that hide around us and find the answer to what the Tower of Madness contains.

Source of Madness certainly has a different look. The game looks and feels like two-dimensional pictures from a book come to life. The game mechanics, however, are of a more classic platform type. You move your avatar from left to right and you have to jump at the right time.

During the course of the game, you will find different objects with different powers that you need to use at the right time and against the right kind of opponent. The problem is that at first I have no idea what is right and what is wrong and so I often get killed in annoying ways. The enemy really piles on top of my avatar and eventually I can’t see him at all, which is very annoying. Strategy doesn’t seem to work, it’s just panicked button presses until the enemy or my avatar is dead. Most often it’s the latter, which ends up being extremely frustrating.

Another problem is that it’s really not easy to know where I’m going – in several senses. On the one hand, it is not clear where I should go to progress in the game itself, but what is worse, the graphics are designed in such a way that it is sometimes almost impossible to know if, for example, the stairs I see can actually be used or if the is only part of the background itself.

In conclusion, Source of Madness is a very nice looking game, with a different and unique look. The sound design is interesting and the music is gives a good atmosphere. The problem is that, for me, the game mechanics leave a lot to be desired, the enemies are dumber than stone and the graphics lead you astray. So the grade will be accordingly.