MADNESS: Project Nexus

About

MADNESS: Project Nexus is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a comedy theme. It was developed by GIBBING TREE, LLC and was released on September 29, 2021. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Not Enough Madness" is an unofficial mod for MADNESS: Project Nexus that unlocks Madness mode from the start, adds a cheats menu, and allows for real-time character alterations. The mod is still being updated and support can be found on the Steam guide's comments section. Please note that the mod is not available for purchase, but can be downloaded from the provided Google Drive link.

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,259 reviews

story405 positive mentions

grinding56 negative mentions

story
1,218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The story in "Madness: Project Nexus" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative that expands on the Madness universe. The main story mode features familiar characters like Hank, Sanford, and Deimos, and is noted for its humor, plot twists, and character development, although some find it a bit linear or repetitive. Arena mode also offers its own storyline, providing a different perspective and extensive customization options, making it a favorite for many players seeking replayability and depth. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it effectively captures the essence of the Madness series and keeps players invested.
- “Top notch storyline, amazing combat, superb boss fights, and a cliffhanger!”
- “The story stands well on its own within the madness canon, but the core experience of the game will be with the in-depth and satisfying combat.”
- “The story is great and expands the universe greatly, adding expansive lore to Tricky and Dr. Christoff that I never thought I'd know.”
- “The story is surprisingly convoluted and confusing, with a disjointed plot that fails to engage.”
- “The characters lack depth and development, and the dialogue and writing are uninspired, with weak storytelling that fails to captivate.”
- “The story mode is very well crafted, but the arena mode keeps you coming back for more.”
gameplay
563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
49%
5%
The gameplay of "Madness: Project Nexus" is characterized by its chaotic, fast-paced combat that effectively captures the essence of the Madness Combat series, offering a mix of shooting, melee, and unique mechanics like the tac-bar system. While many players appreciate the depth and variety in gameplay modes, including a robust arena mode, some critiques highlight issues with repetitiveness, clunky controls, and a lack of clear tutorials for certain mechanics. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging combat and satisfying mechanics, though it may require patience to fully grasp its intricacies.
- “Definitely evokes that Madness Combat feel to the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fun, challenging at times, but really fun. The story is pretty good in my opinion, I honestly quite like the ending fight if I'm honest, even if it isn't for everyone. Overall, I just adore this game.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, easy to learn with a decent learning curve and a variety of weapons.”
- “I wanted to like this game, but it just feels a little clunky to me gameplay-wise, and the fact that controllers don't work in the menus is super annoying.”
- “The controls feel clunky and unpolished, and the combat mechanics lack depth and become repetitive.”
- “The gameplay is too simple and cookie-cutter, which makes it get old really fast.”
music
393 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The music in the game has been widely praised, with many reviewers calling it a "banger" and highlighting its energetic and fitting nature for the gameplay. Composed by artists like Cheshyre and Locknar, the soundtrack is noted for its high quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, although some players feel that certain tracks do not always match the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks I've heard from a game.”
- “The music never misses.”
- “With an incredible soundtrack, a variety of story missions, and the immense customization available in arena mode, I can guarantee you'll enjoy just doing what comes natural if you like run 'n' gun beat 'em ups like this.”
- “The only con towards the soundtrack is how some tracks are re-used in the game.”
- “What I mean by soundtrack is that it doesn't really fit the missions and is sometimes even too silent compared to all the gunshots and sounds occurring in the background.”
- “Frankly, sometimes the music takes me out of scenes instead of helping support it.”
graphics
211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of "Madness: Project Nexus" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and vibrant visuals, particularly the striking use of color in depicting blood and gore. While some players appreciate the game's aesthetic and detailed environments, others criticize performance issues and a dated look, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point, contributing to the game's chaotic atmosphere, despite some technical limitations.
- “The dark and gritty art style is a feast for the eyes, painting a chilling backdrop for your twisted exploits.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the game is beautiful and they really make it have a madness combat feel, it makes you feel badass at some points, the soundtracks are such bangers!”
- “The graphics look amazing at even the lowest quality, the loading screens feel like so much more than loading screens, with the characters displayed with different lighting, the tips that can give you more information about the world.”
- “Graphics are ugly and washed out at any level.”
- “The graphics, while updated, still feel dated, and the level design lacks creativity and excitement.”
- “The visuals feel bad, but also good if you compare it to the first game; we started in 2D to a 3D with some cool effects and finishers.”
humor
177 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by its absurd and darkly comedic elements that resonate with fans of the Madness Combat series. Players appreciate the quirky dialogue, funny character interactions, and the chaotic yet humorous violence, often likening the experience to a nostalgic throwback to early 2000s internet culture. While some critiques mention the humor can feel juvenile or simplistic, the overall consensus is that the game successfully blends humor with its intense gameplay, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “The sheer carnage and humor is very good.”
- “It's a hilarious concept that doesn't take itself too seriously and leaves a lot of room for creativity and hijinks to ensue.”
- “The voice lines are fitting, the dialogue is funny and on point, the tone is...vaguely more light-hearted than most of the animations but still rather grim, and the combat is *chef's kiss*.”
- “We killed them all; it was not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
- “I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
replayability
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The game boasts high replayability, particularly in its arena mode, which offers extensive customization options and varied gameplay experiences. Players appreciate the ability to replay the campaign with different loadouts and character origins, while the sandbox mode adds further depth. However, some users note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, suggesting a balance between enjoying the replay value and exploring other titles.
- “The game has a lot of replay value, and can be both a slightly mindless murderhouse fantasy, or a challenging hellcrawl, whichever you prefer.”
- “With a great soundtrack, a lot of different brutal ways to beat down your enemies, three different game modes (with plenty of replayability in the second), and the ability to play as your favorite characters, Project Nexus is a game I would 100% recommend to anyone who enjoys playing this genre of games.”
- “I've spent over 20 hours alone on a single arena mode game, and the fact that arena mode isn't even the campaign and main game mode has that much content and enjoyability in it is definitely a testament, and keep in mind the arena mode isn't just a simple kill this, kill that game mode, no, it has a full-fledged story, and replay value, and for basically an add-on game mode, that's pretty damn impressive.”
- “But if you want a game that you'll play for countless hours, I don't recommend this game due to low replayability value and repeating gameplay.”
- “There's only so much you can do and the new arena updates haven't done much to compensate for its replayability issue.”
- “If you're interested in playing considering all of the former mentioned, then get used to the sound of crunching bell peppers... again... and again... I wish I too could enjoy what should have remained a flash game back in the early 2000's but button mashing against primitive AI provides for a lackluster challenge and has 0 replayability.”
grinding
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
15%
81%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in arena mode where players often feel compelled to repeat tasks for incremental upgrades. While some find enjoyment in the grind and appreciate the challenge it presents, many reviewers express frustration over the repetitive nature of leveling up skills and the inefficiency of the AI, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game offers fun mechanics and engaging gameplay, the grind can be a significant barrier for players seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Good game, a few very annoying bugs but the game is fantastic beyond that. When it works (and isn't tedious), you feel like you're in madness combat.”
- “No grinding (story mode).”
- “For me there is no point grinding the same campaign all over again multiple times, to get a new imprint to get a bit more powerful to complete the campaign again to get a new imprint to get a bit more powerful to complete the campaign again etc.”
- “The skill system has the most tedious grindy skill tree imaginable, as well as a completely worthless training mission for early game.”
- “Make no mistake, arena combat is addictive, but you'll likely be spending hours grinding to train your fighter just to get them to the level of the story mode characters so you can even attempt some of the later stages.”
stability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing and soft-locking. While some find the glitches amusing and not game-breaking, others express frustration with the AI and co-op functionality, indicating that the game feels unpolished. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable mechanics and nostalgic elements, its stability remains a significant concern for many players.
- “I run with the lowest graphics setting, and the game constantly lags and freezes. My allies will constantly die even when I equip them with loot twice as good as mine, and a lot of parts of the game are tedious and frustrating.”
- “My main gripe is that it's buggy; some large enemies like golems or the blackguard boss became unkillable, and even the final boss did.”
- “There are some glitches and bugs, such as occasionally being unable to pick up any weapons, or the AI in the other playable characters deciding to throw grenades directly at me, and a few places where the levers you need to pull or things you need to shoot were a little broken.”
optimization
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
43%
23%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance on lower-end systems, while others report significant frame rate drops and crashes, particularly in larger areas or during intense gameplay. Many users suggest that while the game runs well on default settings, there is considerable room for improvement, especially regarding anti-aliasing and overall stability. Overall, the game's performance is generally stable but marred by occasional bugs and optimization issues that need addressing.
- “To start out with, the art style and overall performance of the game is stellar for a game made by only a few people, with very small hiccups of bugs and issues, most of which you'll never notice. The developers are quick to respond should you find anything to report to them.”
- “I thought my laptop with 8GB of RAM was going to be a bit weak to play this game, but most scenes actually run smoothly on default settings.”
- “Most of its heavy-duty specs come in with the anti-aliasing, so lower that if you're looking to get that crisp 60 FPS, but it's well optimized enough so that any computer not before 2016 won't experience trouble by the pure default.”
- “Performance kind of sucks, especially for such graphics.”
- “But the optimization is horrible.”
- “I wanted to like this game so much, but the fps drops and screen stuttering make it unplayable.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a unique blend of fun and cool, with a gritty art style that enhances its overall vibe. Reviewers appreciate the original soundtrack, which significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere, although some feel that the 3D elements and lack of atmospheric audio detract from the experience. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of madness animations, offering a mix of bleakness and humor that resonates with players.
- “Iconic characters, great music, extremely atmospheric; this is everything old Newgrounds embodied but brought to the modern day.”
- “The storytelling is like no other; the atmosphere is so incredibly unique, every part of this game is action and beauty.”
- “Atmosphere is a wild blend of bleak and humorous, macabre and silly, violent and cartoony.”
- “The atmosphere isn't Madcom's dark and brutal; it's tilted more towards 'fun and cool'.”
- “The 3D, the city, and overall the whole lore thing just ruins the atmosphere for me.”
- “Honestly, I'd prefer Madness Project Nexus Classic or Madness Retaliation to this game, considering the time it took to develop and the mysterious, gruesome atmosphere they give.”
character development
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
Character development in the game is praised for its stunning and unique character designs, which enhance the overall visual appeal and recognition of the series. However, some players express a desire for more depth and progression in skill unlocks, feeling that character development reaches its peak too quickly. The introduction of diverse personalities among antagonists and the evolution of graphics over time contribute to a rich and engaging experience, despite some critiques regarding the integration of character designs within the gameplay.
- “I absolutely love this game, the graphics and character designs and modeling are amazing; Madness Combat has to be one of the absolute amazing series for free out there.”
- “Through time and time, the graphics for this game grew more and more, from ugly blender models and one-color textures to glorious lighting with new character designs in 3D that are unique and frankly gorgeous.”
- “It has a great charm of character development and even fills a few plot holes in the MC universe.”
- “Wish there was more skill ranks to unlock; it feels like character development is just hitting its stride and then you realize you are just about at the end of your unlocks for that skill type.”
- “Also, the character designs, bosses, and color/model schemes for this game are almost strange, if not poorly integrated into this genre.”
- “Sure, without the iconic character design, it probably wouldn't be easily recognized as Madness Combat, but I personally think the detailed renders of the characters you see in loading screens would have been a dozen times more engaging to see and interact with in-game.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often citing moments of intense sadness and attachment, such as crying over character deaths and significant plot points. The game's ability to evoke feelings of insanity, excitement, and love is highlighted, with many reviewers noting how it has impacted them on a personal level, making it a memorable experience. Overall, the emotional depth of the game is a standout feature that resonates strongly with its audience.
- “I cried when I had to kill Hank. 100/10 game, no game has ever shown me insanity as much as this game did.”
- “This game was so awesome, I cried when Hank, Sanford, and Deimos said 'we are the madness combat' and then banished Director photos to the shitpost realm. Best game of all time, 100/10.”
- “I've decided to make a proper review about the game since I have realized that I've gotten a bit emotional about it when I first made the review.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game features no microtransactions, and while users express a desire for promotional ads to boost its visibility, they appreciate the absence of in-game purchases. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as favorable, focusing on organic growth rather than aggressive monetization strategies.
- “Found 0 microtransactions.”
- “Would love to see some ads and stuff come out for this game because I'd love to see it become a best seller.”

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21h Median play time

81h Average play time

7-200h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 28 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

MADNESS: Project Nexus is a shooter game with comedy theme.

MADNESS: Project Nexus is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 81 hours playing MADNESS: Project Nexus.

MADNESS: Project Nexus was released on September 29, 2021.

MADNESS: Project Nexus was developed by GIBBING TREE, LLC.

MADNESS: Project Nexus has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

MADNESS: Project Nexus is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Not Enough Madness, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Paint the Town Red, Dying Light, Doom Eternal and others.

MADNESS: Project Nexus

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