Shadow Madness

About

Shadow Madness is a single player role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Crave and was released on February 15, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Stinger returned home one morning after a night out of town to a horrible surprise. A mysterious force had destroyed his coastal hometown, leaving few survivors. Unable to even determine the remains of his own house, the young man was now an orphan. Upon meeting a mystic named Windleaf, the two decided to embark upon a journey to find out what happened. Their adventure in Shadow Madness will span…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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65%

Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews

story5 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

The game features a well-crafted story with engaging dialogue and a unique blend of fantasy, horror, and dark comedy elements.
The atmosphere is immersive, with a rich world full of lore and memorable characters, each with their own distinct personalities.
Despite its flaws, the game offers enjoyable mechanics like timing button presses for double damage and the ability to dodge random battles.

The port suffers from significant technical issues, including poor graphics, unresponsive controls, and a lack of customization options for modern gaming setups.
Gameplay is often described as repetitive and lacking challenge, with a low level cap that makes many fights skippable towards the end.
The emulated version does not meet modern standards, leading to a frustrating experience for players accustomed to contemporary RPG mechanics.

story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The game's story is highly praised for its depth, engaging characters, and rich lore, featuring a diverse and mature narrative that tackles themes like mental health and politics. Players appreciate the unique dialogue and characterization of NPCs, although some note that excessive sidetracking and technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the story remains a standout aspect, making it a worthwhile play for those who prioritize narrative in RPGs.
- “Every NPC has their own unique portrait, their own unique dialogue, and their own unique position within the wider story going on.”
- “It really does feel like the creators did this awesome work putting together this mature, diverse plot that deals with mental diseases, feelings of despair, vast fantastical worlds, and politics, all with excellent dialogue and characterization.”
- “I found the story engaging throughout my entire 20 some hours with the game, and the characters are incredibly likeable and memorable.”
- “However, in order to deal with that story, you'll have to suffer through excessive amounts of backtracking, graphics that weren't even good at the time, and battles that are never going to offer even the slightest challenge.”
- “So yes - the game is certainly unimpressive from both gameplay and technical perspectives, but if you play RPGs for the story and world, then Shadow Madness has more than got you covered.”
- “Here's hoping that maybe someone with an actual budget can try making a story in Arkose again.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and unimpressive, even at the time of its release, with low poly visuals and minimal customization options. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and simplistic design, many agree that the graphics have aged poorly and do not meet modern standards. However, the game compensates for its visual shortcomings with a memorable soundtrack and engaging story.
- “The PC port plays well enough; visuals aren't great, but they are not bad either.”
- “Throw in some legitimately solid music and some cute (if primitive) location visuals, and you have quite a decent game.”
- “- Unimpressive 1998 graphics, running on a non-upscaled display (for shame!)”
- “Graphics: almost none.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The graphics also weren't all that impressive when this came out.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay of the game is criticized for being unplayable and simplistic, resembling an outdated Final Fantasy clone with low-quality graphics and poorly explained mechanics. While it features an interesting party division mechanic during boss battles, the overall experience is described as basic and constrictive, making it unimpressive from both gameplay and technical standpoints. However, those who prioritize story and world-building in RPGs may still find value in the game.
- “There's a super interesting mechanic going on, where your party is divided and each part has to deal with a different iteration of the boss.”
- “The gameplay, while certainly functional, is both incredibly basic and somewhat constrictive feeling.”
- “So yes - the game is certainly unimpressive from both gameplay and technical perspectives, but if you play RPGs for the story and world, then Shadow Madness has more than got you covered.”
- “This was an old simple Final Fantasy ripoff, low poly graphics and basic JRPG gameplay, shallow compared to Western CRPGs as to be expected for the Japanese audience, who weirdly abhor complexity in video games (hence their console-centric gaming philosophy).”
- “Unfortunately, the actual gameplay is... bad.”
- “The mechanics are poorly explained and even more poorly implemented.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is widely praised, featuring a solid and expansive soundtrack that includes over two dozen battle themes and atmospheric tracks that enhance the overall experience. While the graphics may not impress, the iconic musical score significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersion, making it a standout aspect for players.
- “Not the best graphics, but one of the best music soundtracks, in my opinion.”
- “Overall, a decent emulated version of an old classic that, while lackluster in graphics, had a very iconic soundtrack and exhilarating story.”
- “I feel I should also point out that many of the locations are competently crafted from an artistic standpoint, and the musical score ranges from good to excellent, boasting - no, I'm not kidding - over two dozen different battle themes, as well as some really pleasant and moody tracks that only play in one room!”
- “Overall a decent emulated version of an old classic that, while lackluster in graphics, had a very iconic soundtrack and exhilarating story.”
- “Throw in some legitimately solid music and some cute (if primitive) location visuals, and you have quite a decent game (although I'd recommend for no more than $10 if we're being completely honest).”
- “+ solid musical score & thick atmosphere”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its rich worldbuilding, engaging dialogue, and attention to detail, reminiscent of classic RPGs like Final Fantasy and Legend of Dragoon. Players appreciate the blend of humor and dark themes, alongside a solid musical score that enhances the immersive experience. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating and intriguing environment filled with well-developed characters.
- “Think PS1 Final Fantasy mixed with Legend of Dragoon, dialogue that's on par with Trails in the Sky, and top-notch atmosphere.”
- “I love this game for all the small details like the humor, dark atmosphere, the many worldbuilding interactive items like books, and something as small as nearly every NPC being their own person.”
- “For what it does right, primarily create an atmospheric world of intrigue and fill it out with well-written characters, Shadow Madness has a special place in my heart.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite some interesting elements, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- “The game tries to create a dark atmosphere, but it often comes off as forced and unconvincing.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's humor, noting its clever integration with the dark atmosphere and rich worldbuilding, which includes unique, well-developed NPCs and interactive items that enhance the overall experience.
- “I love this game for all the small details, like the humor, dark atmosphere, and the many worldbuilding interactive items like books. It's impressive how nearly every NPC feels like their own person.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including poor controller support and frequent freezes in the main menu, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “It's a shame, but the port is plagued with poor controller support and freezes in your main menu right off the bat.”