Mercury: Cascade into Madness
- August 10, 2017
- Astronomic Games
Get on Steam"Mercury: Cascade into Madness" is a first-person psychological horror game. You play as a detective investigating a mysterious disappearances in a rural town. Uncover the dark secrets and supernatural forces at work in the eerie Mercury community. Be prepared to face unexpected twists and turns in this intense and suspenseful game.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging story with multiple endings and meaningful choices that impact gameplay.
- Solid RPG mechanics with a variety of skills and a good progression system, allowing for different playstyles.
- Visually appealing for an RPG Maker game, with a dark cyberpunk aesthetic that enhances the narrative.
- Combat can be overly easy, leading to a lack of challenge and strategic depth.
- Some players may find the pacing of the story and character development lacking, making it hard to empathize with characters.
- The game may feel short and somewhat linear, with limited exploration and repetitive combat encounters.
- story48 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is a compelling journey through a cyberpunk world, featuring a protagonist named Michelle who navigates a quest for revenge while forming alliances and making impactful choices that shape the narrative. Players appreciate the depth added by side quests and character decisions, which lead to multiple endings, although some critique the pacing and linearity of the main plot. Overall, the story is well-received for its engaging themes and character development, despite some limitations in gameplay mechanics.
“Michelle begins to gain allies throughout her early quest for revenge, who all share the same purpose as herself. In a sense, this plot writing is akin to the fictional DC world of Gotham City, with its bleak, dark battles layered with twisted uprisings against society's rules.”
“The story can be seen as linear, but thanks to the varying ways you can shape Michelle's character with good, neutral, or bad choices, there are multiple routes that branch outward, adding depth to the story with its many side quests and decisions on which allies assist you.”
“This title's story is excellent, and it was very interesting to witness this young woman's descent into madness.”
“I can't really say that I empathized much with the characters due to the somewhat sloppy pacing of the story, and I can say firmly that the gameplay could have done with some reworking (not being able to change your allies' weapons, in particular).”
“For most of the game, you are pretty much on rails, save for the option to do quick side quests in some of the chapters.”
“+story, dialogue, faction politics, it is all very superficial, canned and hurts immersion.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of strategic turn-based combat and engaging quests that feature twists and surprises, although some players found the combat too easy and the mechanics somewhat limited. While the story is compelling and well-written, some aspects, such as the inability to change allies' weapons, detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable but could benefit from further refinement to enhance character engagement and challenge.
“The quests have enough twists and surprises to keep it interesting, and the gameplay mechanics are good.”
“Excellent RPG game, even if it is a RPG Maker game, it should not be taken lightly, as the story is well written and the gameplay is quite fun.”
“The gameplay consists of strategic turn-based combat which offers you and your party a chance to make attacks before then allowing your enemies to retaliate.”
“I can't really say that I empathized much with the characters due to the somewhat sloppy pacing of the story, and I can firmly say that the gameplay could have done with some reworking (not being able to change your allies' weapons, in particular).”
“I ended up feeling that it was an interesting hybrid approach to the genre, but I also ended up more or less able to do anything, because I put almost all of my points into non-combat abilities since combat was way too easy, which also made the non-combat mechanics feel like a no-brainer.”
“Gameplay: exactly the same as every other RPG Maker game.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some players noting that while the visuals are decent for an indie title made with RPG Maker, they stand out due to a departure from the typical anime art style. The cyberpunk aesthetic is appreciated for its nostalgic nod to 90s gaming, although some elements, like the use of poser art, can be hit or miss. Overall, the graphics are considered passable to good, particularly within the RPG Maker genre.
“Graphically, Mercury: Cascade into Madness looks just as good as its predecessor 'City of Chains'.”
“In my opinion, this title easily stands out visually in the RPG Maker category mainly due to its lack of usage of the 'anime' or 'manga' inspired art style that is so typical of the genre, and it looks fantastic doing so.”
“The graphics and story really take me back to the SNES and PS1 days of the 90s - the decade that was the heyday of this style of cyberpunk, in fact.”
“The story and graphics were both passable - Mercury uses poser art, which frequently looks atrocious in other games, but many of the ones used here are higher-effort and, well, cyberpunk is a genre that's always been full of people who look like mutants from 80s comics anyway.”
“Graphics: slightly better than every other RPG Maker game.”
“The difficulty is fair & the graphics are decent for an indie title.”
- music6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for effectively setting the mood and enhancing the narrative, with a standout soundtrack that includes enjoyable references to genres like Star Trek and heavy metal. While some players found the inclusion of lyrics unnecessary, the overall auditory experience—both in combat and gameplay—is considered strong, and the ability to access the soundtrack in the game files is a welcomed feature.
“Aurally, the sound is very effective both in combat and during normal gameplay, but the standout here is definitely the wonderful soundtrack.”
“However, the terrific soundtrack can be located within the game files, so that is indeed a welcome addition.”
“The OST is very effective at reflecting the chapter levels; it sets the mood of the story's action as it develops, but it can be muted if players don't enjoy it.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during longer play sessions.”
“While the soundtrack has some good moments, overall it fails to leave a lasting impression and often feels forgettable.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to multiple endings, impactful choices, and a variety of skills, alongside two difficulty modes. Players find it worth the investment, as these elements encourage multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes and strategies.
“Definitely worth the money, and this title has replay value and then some.”
“With a variety of skills to choose from and many decisions to make, in addition to two difficulty modes, Mercury: Cascade into Madness has a high amount of replayability.”
“There are multiple endings and choices that you make that affect the story later on, which offers replayability.”
“Definitely worth the money, and at least this title has replay value and then some.”
“Also, with a variety of skills to choose from and many decisions to make in addition to two difficulty modes, Mercury: Cascade into Madness has a high amount of replayability.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I was getting nowhere.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with only a few minor glitches (ranging from 2 to 4), indicating that stability is not a significant issue for most players.
“There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay.”
“The game is riddled with bugs that make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced multiple freezes that forced me to restart my console.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the character development as a standout feature, noting it is well-executed and enhances the overall narrative experience, contributing to the excitement of the combat.
“The combat is exciting, complemented by excellent character development and an intriguing narrative.”
“The character development is deep and engaging, making each character feel unique and memorable.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, with their backstories and relationships adding depth to the overall experience.”
