Mad World - Age of Darkness - MMORPG | Game Brain

Mad World - Age of Darkness - MMORPG Game Cover

About

"Mad World - Age of Darkness" is a grim, hardcore MMORPG set in a desolate world overrun by demons. Players can utilize any of the nine weapon types, each with unique skills, to fight their way through hordes of enemies. With a flexible class system based on weapon choice, players can freely change their class and experiment with different builds to survive in this hopeless world. Cooperation with other "Shadow Children" is key to saving the land from total destruction.

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Mad World - Age of Darkness - MMORPG screenshot

45%

Audience ScoreBased on 568 reviews

graphics76 positive mentions

monetization22 negative mentions

The art style is unique and visually striking, reminiscent of graphic novels and dark fantasy themes.
The game features a compelling and mature storyline that engages players with its dark narrative and character development.
Despite some technical issues, the gameplay can be enjoyable, especially for those who appreciate a grindy, action-oriented RPG experience.

The game suffers from significant technical issues, including lag, crashes, and a poorly designed tutorial that can be frustrating for new players.
There are heavy pay-to-win elements and a convoluted monetization system that detracts from the overall experience.
Many players report clunky controls and a lack of optimization, making combat feel unresponsive and less enjoyable.

graphics
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their unique and striking art style, often compared to titles like "Darkest Dungeon" and "Don't Starve," showcasing a gritty and immersive aesthetic. While many players appreciate the stunning visuals and atmospheric design, some have noted performance issues, particularly in crowded scenes, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite the graphical appeal, criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and controls suggest that the visuals alone may not be enough to sustain long-term engagement.
- “The artwork is stunning, showcasing the undeniable talent of the artists involved.”
- “Visuals look great, devs looked at dark and gritty Darkest Dungeon and said 'not enough' so they cranked it to 11.”
- “Graphics for me are really great; I love this style of gruesome apocalyptic setting. It seems like a really well thought scene of hell on earth with well drawn characters and biomes.”
- “I like it, but it's laggy when it comes to crowded monsters in pillars even on minimum graphic settings. Please fix it.”
- “However, some may find the visuals overwhelming, and the novelty may wear off for players seeking a more vibrant or varied aesthetic experience.”
- “Unfortunately, despite its unique art style and setting, this game is held back by poor controls and bad combat.”
story
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The game's story is characterized by a dark and mature narrative that captivates players, offering a mix of engaging characters and unexpected plot twists. While some find the storytelling superb and immersive, others criticize the grammar and excessive dialogue, which can detract from the experience. Overall, the storyline is seen as a strong point, particularly for those who appreciate complex and morbid themes, though it may not appeal to players primarily focused on gameplay.
- “The story and the characters are also interesting, and for the first time in forever, I wanted to follow them.”
- “The dark, mature storyline is compelling and well-crafted, offering a refreshing departure from the more traditional, fantasy-themed MMOs.”
- “The story is amazing; it's been a long time since an MMO was worth reading and following the story instead of blitzing to endgame.”
- “The plot twists and turns in ways that often feel random and unnecessary, leaving the player feeling confused and unsatisfied.”
- “The excessive violence and darkness, combined with the lackluster story and gameplay, make it a game that is not worth the time or effort to play.”
- “There are parts in dialogue/story that made no sense as well as systems that don't have tutorials to explain them and even the few 'help' text boxes that pop up are not helpful because of the bad translation.”
gameplay
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
69%
15%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its engaging combat mechanics and unique art style, while others criticize it for being basic, poorly polished, and reminiscent of other titles like Diablo and Lost Ark. Many users noted issues with the dodge mechanic, tutorial difficulty, and a perceived pay-to-win structure, leading to a lack of enjoyment for those seeking a more refined experience. Overall, while the game offers a dark narrative and interesting mechanics, it may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prioritize gameplay quality over aesthetics.
- “The art style is quite nice and properly gory; the gameplay isn't mind-blowing but is action-packed enough to keep you engaged. Doing even a simple click for the standard attack makes the game feel much more enjoyable than just an auto attack and abilities with global cooldowns.”
- “This game is rather unique and out there, from art style to atmosphere and surprising depth of various mechanics.”
- “Overall, the gameplay seems quite interesting, although there is quite a lot of kiting and AOEing of packs.”
- “The dodge mechanic is poor to the point where you will barely use it.”
- “The excessive violence and darkness, combined with the lackluster story and gameplay, make it a game that is not worth the time or effort to play.”
- “As other reviews mention, the tutorial sections are severely punishing while the game itself and the first boss I faced was just a HP sponge with only about 10% of the different enemy mechanics you suffered through in the tutorials.”
monetization
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
32%
58%
The monetization in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players labeling it as a predatory cash grab that includes gacha mechanics, loot boxes, and daily energy limits typical of low-quality mobile titles. While some argue that the game remains playable without spending money, the presence of aggressive microtransactions and ads has soured the experience for many, leading to concerns about the long-term impact on gameplay. Overall, players feel that the monetization undermines the game's potential, turning an intriguing concept into a frustrating experience.
- “The monetization system is much better than in most similar projects.”
- “It has in-app purchases for cosmetics, but the game is completely playable with the gear you find from the monsters and bosses.”
- “I wouldn't pay too much attention to the negative reviews about monetization, which it seems to be popular to hate any form of it now.”
- “This game is a huge gacha rolling, loot box peddling, daily energy limiting, shameless pay-to-win cash grab.”
- “They just took an awesome idea for a game, with a very interesting setting and visuals, and turned it into garbage by adding every awful monetization scheme they could find.”
- “They instantly bombard you with 3 different meta-currencies, ads, and limited time 'sales' the very second you receive any sort of movement control.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely described as extremely grindy, reminiscent of other Korean free-to-play MMOs, with players noting significant time investment required to progress and obtain decent items. While some enjoy the grind and find it rewarding, others criticize the high difficulty and low drop rates, suggesting that it may not appeal to those who dislike grind-heavy gameplay. Overall, it caters to hardcore players willing to invest time, but can be frustrating for casual gamers.
- “Another life-destroying Diablo-like endless grinding game.”
- “The game is very grindy and has BDO grind feels to it.”
- “There are huge DPS walls that you can't get past without paying or grinding hard when you can't find anybody to party with (because the MMO is dead).”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and atmospheric quality, drawing comparisons to soundtracks from titles like Diablo IV and Metro 2033. While the soundtrack effectively complements the game's dark and grim aesthetic, some players feel it could benefit from more intense, doom-like tracks to match its gory themes. Overall, the voice acting and sound design contribute significantly to the immersive experience, enhancing both the storytelling and emotional engagement.
- “The voice-acting conveys a lot of emotion, and the soundtrack is just brilliant.”
- “The atmosphere is also really nice, the sound effects and ambient music create a dreary vibe, reminiscent of music you might find in Diablo IV or maybe even Metro 2033.”
- “Music and sound design are well done.”
- “Soundtrack is fitting, but, in my opinion, could use more doom-like soundtracks due to its gore and sinister style.”
- “Soundtrack is fitting, but, in my opinion, could use more doom-like soundtracks due to its gore and sinister style.”
- “Soundtrack is fitting, but, in my opinion, could use more doom-like soundtracks due to its gore and sinister style.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dark fantasy elements, complemented by immersive sound effects and ambient music that evoke a dreary vibe reminiscent of titles like Diablo IV and Metro 2033. Reviewers highlight the gritty and unsettling art style, which enhances the eerie ambiance and contributes to the game's mature themes and rich world-building, making it a compelling experience for fans of dark and atmospheric narratives.
- “The world building is on point and so is the atmosphere.”
- “The art style is gritty and unsettling, adding to the overall eerie atmosphere.”
- “What the game gets absolutely right is the atmosphere; it's really dark fantasy and the game is very mature.”
- “This game is rather unique and out there, from art style to atmosphere and surprising depth of various mechanics.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while it is generally stable and well-optimized for various systems, many players report significant performance issues, particularly in crowded areas and during large events. Laggy servers and occasional bugs further contribute to a frustrating experience, leading to a consensus that the game is not fully optimized.
- “Madworld MMO's performance is generally stable, but not without issues.”
- “The game is well-optimized for various systems, but players might encounter occasional bugs or lag, especially in densely populated areas or during large-scale events.”
- “If you were having performance issues before, try turning this off and try it again.”
- “Interesting game, runs terribly for what it is (not optimized at all)”
- “Even that aside... the servers are very laggy and the game is horribly optimized.”
- “A lot of people are having performance issues and I believe this is the main culprit.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting clunky controls, a poorly designed tutorial, and frequent bugs leading to low frame rates and server issues. Additionally, audio glitches and inadequate translations further detract from the experience, while players express frustration over the developers' lack of communication amidst ongoing requests for microtransactions.
- “Clunky controls, unreasonably designed tutorial, buggy game with low FPS, and it booted me out of the tutorial forcing me to replay it.”
- “Servers are busted, audio glitches and stutters, and the translation is barely serviceable, and the devs are silent while they ask for microtransactions.”
- “Clunky controls, unreasonably designed tutorial, buggy game with low FPS, and it booted me out of the tutorial forcing me to replay it.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development in the game is noted for its depth and potential, with players appreciating the variety it offers. However, some players feel that progress can be slow, as indicated by the time taken to reach higher levels while engaging with the quests.
- “It has a lot to offer in terms of character development.”
- “Character development has good potential; I've only reached level 25 after 38 hours because I read the quests.”
- “It has a lot to offer in terms of character development.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching music and natural dialogues, which resonate well with players. However, some users feel that certain choices can come off as awkward, detracting from the overall emotional experience.
- “The music is touching, and the dialogues between characters feel quite natural and enjoyable.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a dark narrative that hints at rich humor, but many users find the poor grammar significantly detracts from the overall experience.