Madshot
- June 8, 2022
- Overflow
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Madshot is a single-player shooter game where you, seeking eternal life, invade Cthulhu's eldritch mountain to reconcile or atone for your actions. Experience sensational game mechanics, with fluid and responsive movement allowing for intense moments as you dodge, roll, and shoot your way through unique enemy-filled areas, charging blood portals for rewards and battling multi-phased bosses."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Fast-paced and addictive gameplay with smooth controls and satisfying combat mechanics.
- Great art style and Lovecraftian theme that enhances the overall experience.
- High replayability due to randomized levels and various upgrades, making each run feel unique.
- Repetitive gameplay with limited variety in upgrades and enemy encounters, leading to a grindy experience.
- Numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and inconsistent enemy behavior, detracting from the enjoyment.
- Lack of a compelling storyline or introduction, which may leave players feeling disconnected from the game world.
- gameplay39 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as fun and addictive, particularly for fans of the Lovecraftian theme, featuring a solid core loop of action-oriented mechanics like shooting and rolling. However, many reviewers note that the gameplay feels simplistic and could benefit from more content and diversity to enhance replayability. While the mechanics are polished and enjoyable, some aspects, such as the progression system and decision-making elements, are seen as lacking depth.
“The action-oriented gameplay will have you hooked from the get-go!”
“It's just plain fun, polished gameplay that'll only continue to flourish with more content updates in the future.”
“The gameplay encourages flawless execution; the more enemies you kill without taking damage, the higher your critical chance will be, which is pretty neat.”
“It just sucks as the game actually has great potential if they just add more content to mix up the gameplay each run.”
“Madshot adopts all the quality of life features and good practices of modern roguelite games, but it falls short in the gameplay aspect.”
“You need scout points to see rewards in future tiles, and once you choose the first one of about 6 from the starting tile, you're basically locked into one or two paths with barely any real decision-making between them since everything does so little to actually change gameplay.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics in "My Friend Pedro" and similar roguelike games are praised for their distinct 2D art styles, featuring dark outlines and vibrant, cell-shaded visuals that enhance the overall aesthetic and atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the combination of comic-inspired designs and Lovecraftian themes, which contribute to an engaging and visually appealing experience. The fluid controls and variety in visual effects during gameplay further elevate the enjoyment of these titles.
“Graphics-wise, I absolutely love its 2D art style and the main character's presentation.”
“The graphics are nice and the gameplay is enjoyable, especially for those who enjoy Lovecraftian themes such as I do!”
“My friend Pedro meets the roguelike genre with an eldritch horror aesthetic.”
“Personally, I really liked the look of graphics that have dark black outlines.”
“Madshot's a brawler-style shooter whose vibrant cartoony graphics really come into their own during play.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story is minimal and lacks depth, primarily serving as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Players encounter a standard Lovecraftian theme with a basic premise involving missions and character motivation, but the plot does not significantly enhance the experience. While the gameplay is engaging, the lack of a cohesive storyline leaves much to be desired.
“The story starts off with a small cutscene about the character you're playing (Mr. C) wanting to prove himself.”
“I can see the devs have us going against Cthulhu, but the how or why wasn’t evident to me.”
“The progression is similar to Hades without a storyline, but the platforming and pacing reminded me more of Dead Cells.”
“It doesn't really have an introduction or storyline though.”
“The plot is as standard as it can get in the Lovecraft theme and nothing to write home about, but the gameplay revolving around blasting enough aberrations to bits to get to the next arena is solid.”
“~ story – build on it – I can see the devs have us going against Cthulhu, but the how or why wasn’t evident to me.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, enhancing the ambiance and intensifying the gameplay experience. While the metal soundtrack is described as good but somewhat generic, it effectively keeps players engaged, reminiscent of the style found in titles like Doom 2016. Overall, the soundtrack complements the action, though there are suggestions for improvement.
“+ The soundtrack felt similar to Doom 2016, in the sense that it kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat during sessions.”
“Music is okay and fits the gameplay, and the sound design is good.”
“There is of course, things to improve on such as the soundtrack, but that's not necessarily a negative.”
“Music is okay and fits the gameplay and the sound design is good.”
“The music serves well in helping with ambiance for the game.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, often requiring 20+ hours to unlock meaningful upgrades and achievements. While some enjoy the challenge of completing small objectives for perks, the overall experience can feel repetitive and frustrating due to low damage output and limited customizability. Bugs and finicky mechanics further contribute to the grindy nature, making it a mixed experience for many.
“What makes this worse is how grindy the game can feel with its persistent upgrades.”
“No matter the items nor your skill, you're only going to win by grinding runs and getting a certain amount of permanent upgrades.”
“Feels very grindy, especially since you'll need to do that for most of the good badges in the game, and generously you get maybe 5-6 per run if you ignore upgrades along the way.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is generally viewed as high due to features like procedurally generated levels, diverse load-outs, and significant boss encounters. However, some players find it tedious due to low damage output in easier levels and a perceived lack of skill variety, suggesting that additional modes or difficulty modifiers could enhance the experience. Overall, while many appreciate the game's potential for replay, there are calls for improvements to maintain engagement over time.
“So I would say there is a lot of replayability in Madshot.”
“Roguelike with good growth and plenty of variety for replayability.”
“Replay value gets tedious because easy levels can't be breezed by due to the low damage you deal.”
“The replayability of the game is absurdly high with the procedurally generated level maps, powers, and massive bosses, not to mention the various load-outs you can use on a run.”
“Concerning the longevity and replayability of the game, I think it should have another mode that you unlock after beating the final boss, accessed through another door in your manor.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it is considered one of the better roguelites, players report various bugs, including persistent boss health bars and issues with respawning health.
“It's a buggy mess.”
“This is one of the better roguelites I've played, but there are still some glitches, like the boss health bar staying on the screen after the fight or respawning in the manor with little health.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by inconsistent mechanics, such as erratic projectile behavior and inaccurate hitboxes, which can lead to frustration and diminish the overall player experience.
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its strong performance, with users noting that it runs smoothly and offers a substantial amount of content, indicating that it is nearly complete.
“Performance is really good, and the content seems already plentiful (well, it's nearly complete).”
“The optimization of the game ensures smooth gameplay and enhances the overall experience.”
“I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, making the game run efficiently on various systems.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its engaging atmosphere, characterized by a simple yet enjoyable aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
“A simple but fun roguelite with a great aesthetic and atmosphere.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers find the humor in the game stems from the underwhelming nature of the ultimate abilities, which feel more like standard abilities from the Castlevania/Bloodstained series rather than powerful moves, leading to a comedic contrast between expectation and reality.
“The humor in the game is cleverly woven into the dialogue and character interactions, making even the most serious moments feel lighthearted.”
“I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious outcomes, keeping me entertained throughout my playthrough.”
“The witty one-liners and playful banter between characters add a delightful layer of humor that enhances the overall experience.”
