Source of Madness

A side-scrolling roguelite with a penchant for randomness that leads more to messy frustrations than the Lovecraftian legends it wants to produce.

Source of Madness is one game that stands out from the ever-growing roguelike crowd. The very nature of the genre means that there is a long grind in front of players but the team at Carry Castle has done an excellent job at making sure the gameplay is as engaging as it can be. Restarting over, over, over and over again never feels like a chore, rather it sets a target for you to beat. Sure, Source of Madness has its flaws, particularly the odd enemy design and vague story, but if you are in the market for something that is super accessible, easygoing and looks as gothy as a Tim Burton film, then Source of Madness is a game I’d recommend.

Source of Madness is a side scroller with strong Bloodborne influences. You travel as Acolyte is the dark world to discover exactly what is going on. Fight your way through the madness of the mysterious locations filled with cringing monsters. Use the magic attacks in your arsenal and fight on until the truth is revealed.

Source of Madness is a roguelike that has some interesting ideas and a design that mostly works but is bogged down by uninspired combat that isn’t consistent enough to make it stand out among the mountain of options available in this genre.

Added to the somewhat confusing gameplay and rigid mechanics are constant framerate drops, especially when multiple monsters appear on screen. Regardless, the blend of Lovecraftian horror aesthetics, music, and sound effects that perfectly match the game's atmosphere and the mystery surrounding the story, turn Source of Madness a good choice for those who enjoy the subgenre.

Some good ideas and a deep love for the work of the immortal H.P. Lovecraft are not enough to recommend Source of Madness, since there are far better roguelites on all the platforms the game hit.

I found myself more enamored with the idea of playing Source of Madness than I did with the game itself.

These smaller issues pale in comparison to what Source of Madness gets right. The gorgeous 2D art style, atmospheric music, and crunchy sound design underpin a combat system that is deep and rewarding, and is sure to keep surprising players deep into their time with the game. For gamers searching for a gratifying roguelite filled to the brim with passion and creativity, Source of Madness is more than worth the cost of admission.

Visually, this is a cosmic horror fan’s fantasy. Nameless creatures and an accursed world are all procedurally generated for a unique experience in each run. The downside is the incredibly disappointing gameplay often layered with grinding, camera and control issues, underwhelming combat, terrible UI, and repetition beyond the norm for a roguelite. Accompanied with a few haunting bugs here and there, Source of Madness is merely a shadow of more enjoyable games.

Source of Madness is a roguelite with a brilliant potential, which unfortunately feels mostly squandered. It's a fun game mechanically, but repetition kicks in after just a few hours.