PREVIEW : Source of Madness (PC)
Source of Madness is a side-scrolling roguelike set in the Lovecraftian-inspired environment of Loam Land, complete with gorgeous visuals and intriguing monsters.
As you encounter many dark and gritty locations and fight all of the unusual and bizarre Lovecraftian inspired creatures, the gameplay with exploration and combat is fascinating to explore and perform. As you progress from area to area, you receive powers and tools in the form of equipable weapons and gear, as well as the ability to collect power-ups to improve your strength.
Procedural generation and AI machine learning power the universe, which keeps the game interesting because it is a bit different each time you play. While the combat isn’t horrible, it’s average mainly. When there were too many foes, I would become stuck between them, but I always managed to get out. It was a lot of fun to play for the most part.
The game’s main highlights are the dark tone and enticing aesthetics of the game’s visuals, which include different biomes and a plethora of terrifying-looking animals. The background and surroundings are highly well-detailed, and all of the characters, from opponents to shopkeepers, are designed in a Lovecraftian style. With the darker colour pallet, the usage of colours is well done. With some action and creepy music and sound in the background and emanating from the creatures, the music and sound effects are another excellent touch. As your attacks and skills impact the adversaries, the sound effects are delightful to listen to.
The controls are fine to play using the keyboard and mouse because the game isn’t very complicated, though it allows controllers, which is how I prefer to play. It’s mostly just the movements and various keys for battle and spells, but having a controller to go around foes and fight them was more satisfying. The price is in line with other independent games, though it appears that it will be raised once it leaves early access.
I’d say it’s now worth the price and worth checking out for the captivating looks. I’m excited to see what comes out of the game as it progresses past its early access period. Overall, it’s an engaging action roguelike with intriguing Lovecraftian-themed aesthetics. It can be a little wishy-washy at times, but overall, it was a good time. It should get better as early access progresses, making it a more worthwhile experience.
REVIEW : Lemuria: Lost in Space (PC)
