This Way Madness Lies

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 136 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • humor
This Way Madness Lies Game Cover
Original: “Give me an ounce of civit, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination.” Modern: “I need a freaking drink to write this.”
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"This Way Madness Lies" is a first-person puzzle adventure game that takes players on a journey through the mind of an unstable inventor. Explore surreal landscapes, solve intricate puzzles, and uncover the dark secrets of the inventor's past, while avoiding the dangers of his increasingly deranged mind. With a unique art style and immersive atmosphere, this game offers a mind-bending experience that will challenge and delight players.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews
story16 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features a fun and engaging turn-based combat system that encourages strategic planning and character customization.
  • The humor is consistently entertaining, with clever writing that blends Shakespearean references and modern jokes, making for a lighthearted experience.
  • The game is short and respects the player's time, providing a complete experience without unnecessary padding, making it ideal for casual play.
  • The story feels superficial and lacks depth, with minimal character development and a linear narrative that may leave players wanting more.
  • Combat can become repetitive, especially with forced party compositions that limit player choice and strategy for much of the game.
  • Some technical issues and awkward controls, such as a lack of clear indicators for buffs and status effects, can detract from the overall experience.
  • story75 mentions

    The story is a lighthearted and humorous blend of Shakespearean themes and magical girl tropes, though it lacks depth and character development, often feeling superficial and linear. Players are thrown into the action without much backstory, leading to a disjointed narrative experience, but the comedic writing and quirky premise keep it engaging. While not a deep or epic tale, the game offers enjoyable moments and character interactions that enhance the overall experience.

    • “The story blends Shakespeare, magical girl anime, and high school relationship building together with a large dose of humor.”
    • “The entire premise is just hilarious, and it's an absolute blast to go through the story.”
    • “The story is lighthearted and enjoyable.”
    • “The problem is that there's still no buildup in the story, so I'm not interested in what they're talking about.”
    • “By now there should have been a captivating plot point to bring depth to the story, but there's no feeling of a need to save the world or anything like that.”
    • “The bad part is that the game begins in the middle of a dungeon and assumes you understand all the characters, understand the plot, and understand what's going on.”
  • music59 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high quality, engaging soundtracks, and nostalgic vibes reminiscent of classic RPGs. While some noted a few inconsistencies, such as a poorly fitting vocalist, the overall consensus highlights the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience. Many players expressed a desire to purchase the soundtrack separately, emphasizing its impressive composition and variety.

    • “The soundtrack is truly impressive.”
    • “The music absolutely slaps (the transformation scene music is fire).”
    • “The presentation is top notch, the art & music are so beautiful.”
    • “This is a problem because the game plays rock music at maximum volume.”
    • “If I had to name one thing that could have been a bit different, it would be a larger variation in the background music.”
    • “The most notable aspect of This Way Madness Lies that a new player will undoubtedly appreciate is the soundtrack.”
  • humor56 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, quirky dialogue, and engaging blend of Shakespearean themes with modern references, resulting in a consistently funny experience. While some players feel that the humor can be hit or miss, many appreciate the game's lighthearted tone and whimsical nature, making it a delightful choice for fans of casual RPGs. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and entertainment value.

    • “Zeboyd style humor never fails to entertain.”
    • “The writing is consistently funny and although the story is hardly the next great gaming narrative, it's easily good enough to keep you playing.”
    • “The entire premise is just hilarious, and it's an absolute blast to go through the story.”
    • “The two original plays I got to see were similarly unfunny.”
    • “The jokes fell flat and lacked any real wit.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but the humor was stale and predictable.”
  • gameplay48 mentions

    The gameplay is generally well-received, particularly by turn-based RPG fans, who appreciate its engaging mechanics, character diversity, and humor. While some players desire more freedom in party composition and find certain mechanics limiting, the combat system is praised for its simplicity and depth, offering a satisfying experience with a good balance of challenge and strategy. Overall, the game delivers a fun, streamlined RPG experience with enough innovation to keep players entertained, despite some minor critiques regarding pacing and difficulty.

    • “Each girl has her own character without being overbearing on the screen or the script, the game doesn't overstay its welcome, and the mechanics are, actually, simple yet very engaging!”
    • “It's a quick, funny little JRPG with some nice little mechanic innovations (stats and traits are tied together, letting you customize your team a lot, especially along with all of the different options for abilities and how traits change them) my only complaint is the game is so short you don't get to try out as much as you'd like at the higher levels... but it's got enough little fluff choice branches in there to add some replayability.”
    • “Cut all that crap out and you're left with a really fun yet still deep combat system with a good progression system and challenging gameplay.”
    • “Minor critiques would include that the training wheels that allow the player to choose their party freely come off a bit too late for my personal taste. I understand that showcasing a character or two for the first few chapters to teach the player their mechanics and synergy with the others, but forcing character parties for most of the game works against full enjoyment.”
    • “This game has that combination of 'you can't run from combat,' and also 'you can stealth around enemy encounters (but there's no stealth gameplay),' and also 'there's no soft reset,' and also 'your grind is kinda not rewarded.' At 'normal' difficulty, the bosses are relatively easy to beat at what feels like a minimum level.”
    • “The gameplay systems are simple, so far it feels like the normal enemies are more of a time waste than a challenge since you start with full resources each battle, but even the boss fights felt good and required some strategy to stay standing.”
  • graphics22 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally well-received, featuring charming handmade sprites and a nostalgic SNES aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic RPGs. While the character and enemy designs are praised for their creativity, some players feel that the map graphics are less impressive and somewhat plain. Overall, the visuals complement the game's quirky style and humor, contributing positively to the overall experience.

    • “The graphics, style, art, battle system, and comedy all hit high marks!”
    • “The characters were fun, the visuals hit the SNES era nostalgia, and the music is outstanding.”
    • “Pretty pixel graphics and a bopping soundtrack.”
    • “Although this is not an RPG Maker game, it certainly feels like one, both from how it plays and from its okay artwork.”
    • “The graphics for the main game are basic, but it's fitting for the genre.”
    • “Map design is good but doesn't feel as creative as some of CSH's dungeons; and the graphics of the maps are a bit more plain when compared to the excellent battle, sprite, scene, and UI art.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Overall, players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game as it is largely optional, with no random battles and a fixed number of enemies in dungeons, allowing for a more streamlined experience. The combat mechanics are engaging, but the lack of necessity for grinding contributes to a more enjoyable and less tedious gameplay. However, some players find the repetitive transformation animations can become tiresome over time.

    • “The combat mechanics are unique and fun, but not so unique and fun to warrant grinding when I don't need the experience.”
    • “Took me 7 hours to beat on normal without doing any extra grinding (only fighting monsters that appear on the map) and, as far as I know, doing full map exploration.”
    • “The animation for the transformations is incredible...except I'm always stuck watching them every single time, which can get very tedious.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability due to its short length, which restricts players from fully exploring higher-level mechanics and customization options. However, the engaging story and various choice branches provide enough incentive for players to revisit the game.

    • “It's a quick, funny little JRPG with some nice mechanic innovations (stats and traits are tied together, letting you customize your team a lot, especially along with all of the different options for abilities and how traits change them). My only complaint is the game is so short you don't get to try out as much as you'd like at the higher levels, but it's got enough little fluff choice branches in there to add some replayability.”
    • “There isn't a lot of replay value, but you will enjoy the story enough that you'll want to play it again eventually.”
    • “The game is enjoyable, but once you finish it, there's little incentive to play again. The story doesn't change much, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
    • “While the mechanics are interesting, the overall experience feels too linear. After completing the game once, I found no reason to dive back in.”
    • “I loved the initial playthrough, but the lack of meaningful choices and consequences made replaying it feel like a chore rather than a fun experience.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game lacks significant character development and an engaging storyline, with some questioning the quality of character designs. Overall, players should not expect deep character arcs or AAA-level polish in this aspect.

    • “The character designs feel uninspired and lack depth.”
    • “There seems to be no real growth or change in the characters throughout the game.”
    • “The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any emotional connection.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    While the game may not offer a sprawling, epic emotional narrative over an extended period, it still provides a compelling experience that encourages players to adjust their expectations and engage with its unique storytelling approach.

    • “If you're looking for a sprawling, epic, emotional story played out over real-world weeks, this isn't that, but I highly recommend changing your expectations and giving this a shot anyway.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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