The Madness of Little Emma

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The Madness of Little Emma is a single player shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by hugeowl and was released on December 21, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The Madness of Little Emma is a difficult action platformer with roguelike elements. Featuring over 250 items with insane synergies, varied enemies, and numerous secrets and mysteries to discover.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 101 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of platforming and roguelike mechanics, providing a fresh take on the genre.
The art style and music create an engaging atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
There is a large variety of items and secrets to discover, which encourages replayability and experimentation.

The game suffers from unpolished controls and mechanics, making precise movement and aiming difficult.
Many items feel underwhelming or detrimental, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The difficulty spikes can feel unfair, with some rooms and enemies being excessively punishing without clear indicators.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
75%
9%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, drawing heavy inspiration from "The Binding of Isaac" with its mechanics and themes, yet attempting to carve out its own identity through platforming elements. While some players appreciate the engaging and challenging nature of the gameplay, others criticize it for being slippery, repetitive, and frustrating due to poorly balanced mechanics and item effects. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with a good learning curve, but its execution can lead to moments of frustration and confusion.
- “The gameplay is really engaging; it's a fresh experience.”
- “I recommend it 100%, without giving too much away; the gameplay is exciting and challenging, the art and music are fantastic, there's a wonderfully done eerie atmosphere, the controls are spot-on, and overall this is a really nice hidden gem on the Steam store.”
- “Despite the striking resemblance to Isaac, the platformer aspect helps to keep the gameplay fresh.”
- “Cool concepts, but gameplay is slippery and too repetitive.”
- “I'm not sure how exactly the difficulty increase works; I'm not sure if it scales with your madness level or just increases the difficulty once you hit a certain threshold, but this mechanic encourages the player to pass up on most items due not only to their unhelpful effects, but due to the negative consequences of picking up a large number of items over time.”
- “What's particularly cruel to me is the ladder mechanic; dying early in the game can make my ladder score go down by thousands of points, which is a serious rage quitter. It discourages experimentation and induces rage.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
21%
16%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, fitting well with the game's grim tone and aesthetic. While some reviewers note that it may not be groundbreaking, they agree that it effectively complements the gameplay and overall experience. The soundtrack is described as great, atmospheric, and a key element in creating an engaging environment.
- “The art style is fitting, and the music fits the mood of the game really well.”
- “The music is good, and the pixel graphics work pretty well.”
- “I recommend it 100%; the gameplay is exciting and challenging, the art and music are fantastic, and there's a wonderfully done eerie atmosphere.”
- “First of all, yes, this game is a shameless rip-off of Binding of Isaac, even down to things such as music style, boss names, and shooting 'spit' instead of tears.”
- “Though there is some humor in the game, most of it seems pretty straight-faced and grim, and the music, which is mostly subdued and atmospheric, adds to that aesthetic.”
- “The visuals are a touch drab and the soundtrack recycles itself like it's trying to distill compost, but the game itself has a curiously addictive gimmick to be found in the mystery of which Frankenstein's monster of a character build it'll cobble together for you next.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and consistent art style, which effectively complements the dark and atmospheric tone. While the pixel art is generally well-received, some users note that the visuals can appear drab at times, and the soundtrack may feel repetitive. Overall, the aesthetic successfully captures the game's mood, with a mix of humor and grimness that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The art style is unique and consistent, showcasing a distinct visual identity.”
- “I love the graphics and story, which complement each other beautifully.”
- “The pixel art style is excellent, and the game is filled with collectibles and secrets to discover.”
- “If you're rocking older graphics cards, avoid running the game in fullscreen, it'll crash like no tomorrow.”
- “The art style is quite dark, and lacks the silly gross-out humor found in The Binding of Isaac.”
- “The visuals are a touch drab and the soundtrack recycles itself like it's trying to distill compost, but the game itself has a curiously addictive gimmick to be found in the mystery of which Frankenstein's monster of a character build it'll cobble together for you next.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's story features a mix of original and familiar elements, drawing comparisons to "The Binding of Isaac" with its tragic backstories and character dynamics. While some players appreciate the unique narrative and atmosphere, others find it lacking in coherence and originality, particularly in its execution and ending. Overall, the story is engaging but could benefit from further development to enhance its depth and clarity.
- “There are a lot of brilliant and original ideas that made me like this game even more than The Binding of Isaac, like secret stages, a lot of details and fluff, and obviously the plot itself.”
- “The way the story unfolds is amazing and for those who say it's a knockoff of The Binding of Isaac, I think it's much better; however, it needs more work done, as a lot of things don't make any sense.”
- “The story involves two children, Emma (the oldest) and her little brother Timmy, who survive pretty much on their own.”
- “The bosses seem to be well designed but the rooms themselves hardly and the story from what I've seen--hardly original or curious.”
- “As far as story, it's not strong.”
- “I mean it holds a very similar take of the Isaac story that people have accustomed themselves to, but instead of a hateful mother, you're the loving big sister.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a seedy cartoon aesthetic that blends humor with a grim undertone, enhanced by subdued and atmospheric music. Players appreciate the fast-paced gameplay and the eerie environment, noting that the art and sound design contribute significantly to the overall experience, making it a standout title on the Steam store.
- “Though there is some humor in the game, most of it seems pretty straight-faced and grim, and the music, which is mostly subdued and atmospheric, adds to that aesthetic.”
- “It's definitely fast-paced, has an enjoyable environment and atmosphere, and requires some point awareness at times.”
- “I recommend it 100%. The gameplay is exciting and challenging, the art and music are fantastic, there's a wonderfully done eerie atmosphere, the controls are spot-on, and overall this is a really nice hidden gem on the Steam store.”
- “The game tries to create a unique atmosphere, but it ends up feeling more cartoonish than immersive.”
- “While the concept is intriguing, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to draw players into the experience.”
- “The seedy cartoon atmosphere feels forced and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Overall, players find "The Madness of Little Emma" to have significant replayability, with a wealth of content and unlockables that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some comparisons to other rogue-lites, like "The Binding of Isaac," suggest that while enjoyable, it may not reach the same level of replay value.
- “I greatly recommend The Madness of Little Emma for anyone who likes rogue-lites and challenging games with tons of replayability.”
- “There is a surprising amount of content and a great deal of replay value.”
- “I enjoy it immensely, the game having huge replayability, and a ton of unlockables (with more to come, hopefully).”
- “That being said, I don't feel like the replay value is anywhere near that of Binding of Isaac - but maybe that doesn't really say much, since I have about a thousand hours in that game across the original, Rebirth, and Afterbirth.”
- “The game lacks the depth and variety needed to keep me coming back for more after the initial playthrough.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in, as the gameplay feels repetitive and lacks new challenges.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively slow and tedious, drawing unfavorable comparisons to "The Binding of Isaac." This has led to a generally negative perception of the grinding experience.
- “Like Binding of Isaac, but extremely slow and tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward.”
- “It takes forever to level up, making the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report experiencing a range of emotions while playing Tmole, including moments of joy and frustration, ultimately leading to a sense of satisfaction. The inclusion of a "casual mode" allows for a more relaxed experience, but some feel it detracts from the excitement of striving for high scores and experimenting with gameplay.
- “Tmole made me feel three separate emotions during different periods of playing it: good, bad, and good about feeling good.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is described as dark and subdued, lacking the silly gross-out elements found in similar titles like The Binding of Isaac. While there are moments of humor, they are often overshadowed by a grim atmosphere and a serious art style, complemented by atmospheric music.
- “The art style is quite dark, and lacks the silly gross-out humor found in The Binding of Isaac.”
- “Though there is some humor in the game, most of it seems pretty straight-faced and grim, and the music, which is mostly subdued and atmospheric, adds to that aesthetic.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is well-received, particularly in how the leaderboards effectively and intelligently track and measure player performance.
- “Leaderboards are also nice and pretty smart at measuring your performance.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability aspect is designed to maintain balance within the game, ensuring that no items become excessively powerful, such as those that can freeze all enemies or reverse time. This approach helps to create a fair and engaging gameplay experience.

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6h Median play time

6h Average play time

6-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Madness of Little Emma is a shooter game with horror theme.

The Madness of Little Emma is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing The Madness of Little Emma.

The Madness of Little Emma was released on December 21, 2015.

The Madness of Little Emma was developed by hugeowl.

The Madness of Little Emma has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its graphics.

The Madness of Little Emma is a single player game.

Similar games include Neon Abyss, Dungeon Souls, Deathstate, Starward Rogue, Caveblazers and others.

The Madness of Little Emma

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