This Way Madness Lies

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 217 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • music
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

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 217 reviews
story25 positive mentions
grinding8 negative mentions
  • The combat system is engaging and rewards strategic planning, with unique abilities for each character and a fun unite mechanic.
  • The game features charming graphics and a humorous story that blends Shakespearean themes with magical girl elements, making it a delightful experience.
  • It's a short and concise RPG that respects the player's time, allowing for a satisfying playthrough in around 7-10 hours.
  • The narrative pacing is fast, which can lead to a lack of character development and emotional investment in the story.
  • Players are often forced to use specific party members, which can disrupt team synergy and limit character exploration.
  • Some players found the humor hit-or-miss, with certain jokes feeling predictable or lacking depth compared to previous titles from the developer.
  • story108 mentions

    The story is a lighthearted and humorous blend of magical girl themes and Shakespearean elements, designed to entertain rather than provide a deep narrative. While the plot is simple and often silly, it features engaging character interactions and comedic moments that keep players entertained, despite a lack of character development and backstory. Overall, the game is best enjoyed with lowered expectations for a serious storyline, focusing instead on its quirky charm and fun gameplay.

    • “The plot of the game is that you're a group of magical girls traveling from dimension to dimension to save every play of Shakespeare under attack by vicious nightmares.”
    • “The story blends Shakespeare, magical girl anime, and high school relationship building together with a large dose of humor.”
    • “The story is lighthearted and enjoyable.”
    • “As for the story and characters, don't go into this game expecting a deep narrative or thought-provoking character writing.”
    • “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.”
    • “I can't care about the plot because the game doesn't care to tell me what's going on and just prefers to make shockingly bad jokes and memes mocking Shakespeare.”
  • humor96 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by clever writing, quirky dialogue, and a playful blend of Shakespearean themes with modern sensibilities. While some players found the humor inconsistent, many appreciated the witty translations of Shakespearean lines and the overall silliness of the plot, making it a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy lighthearted, humorous narratives in a turn-based RPG format.

    • “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 'modern translations' of the Shakespeare and Shakespeare-esque dialogue, which you can press right to see on each applicable line, manage to be genuinely semantically helpful, illuminating on the subtext of the plays, and side-splittingly funny all at once.”
    • “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 two original plays I got to see were similarly unfunny.”
  • music81 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high energy, engaging quality, and impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The transformation sequences are particularly highlighted for their accompanying tracks, and the music is described as both well-crafted and enjoyable enough to warrant a separate purchase. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The soundtrack is truly impressive.”
    • “The music absolutely slaps (the transformation scene music is fire).”
    • “It's exactly as long as it needs to be, has one of the year's best soundtracks, and is on-point with its comedy.”
    • “This way madness lies is filled with rockin' jams throughout, and more than a few times, I stopped what I was doing on stream just to listen to the music.”
    • “The music is really well made.”
    • “Each girl has their own music and slight differences in stance and headpiece, and you can get a good sense of who they are without the need for dialogue.”
  • gameplay76 mentions

    The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring engaging mechanics and a humorous narrative that keeps players entertained. While the combat system is simple and streamlined, some players wish for more freedom in party member experimentation and find the initial pacing slow. Overall, the game offers a solid RPG experience with unique mechanics and replayability, though it may feel short for those seeking deeper engagement.

    • “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 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.”
    • “The gameplay has been distilled down to just the fun bits, sans any kind of padding.”
    • “Minor critiques would include that the training wheels that allow the player to choose his 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.”
    • “Sure, dialogue and sprites look cool, but... how does that make up for a failed core gameplay loop?”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming art style, expressive character designs, and well-crafted handmade sprites, reminiscent of classic SNES visuals. While the battle and UI art receive high marks, some reviewers note that the map graphics can feel plain and less creative compared to other elements. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's magical girl aesthetic and engaging gameplay experience.

    • “The graphics, style, art, battle system, and comedy all hit high marks!”
    • “The music and graphics are awesome, with always a lot of references to their past works.”
    • “A fun and engaging RPG with beautiful graphics and a bouncy pace.”
    • “The graphics are handmade sprites - and they are really well made, but outside of the main characters they don't really feel unique for some reason.”
    • “The map graphics are a bit plain, but still very serviceable and very varied between the different dungeons.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players appreciate the game's approach to grinding, noting that it respects their time by minimizing unnecessary experience farming. The combat is enjoyable enough to engage with, but not so compelling that grinding feels essential, allowing for a more relaxed gaming experience. Overall, the game is seen as a short and sweet RPG that can be completed without extensive grinding.

    • “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.”
    • “This was a pleasant weekend's diversion and I feel it's a great choice for a relaxing weekend RPG that respects your time, (code speak for short and sweet, rather than long and grindy.)”
  • character development4 mentions

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

    • “Were the character designs done by ResetEra?”
    • “Were the character designs done by ResetEra?”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers a degree of replayability through its customization options and branching choices, allowing players to experiment with different team setups and abilities. However, its short length limits the opportunity to fully explore higher-level content, leading to mixed feelings about its overall replay value.

    • “It's a quick, funny little JRPG with some nice mechanic innovations. Stats and traits are tied together, allowing for extensive team customization, especially with the various options for abilities and how traits modify them. While the game is short and limits higher-level experimentation, it includes enough choice branches to enhance replayability.”
    • “The game offers a delightful mix of humor and innovative mechanics, making it a joy to replay. The customization options for your team, combined with the different abilities and traits, provide a fresh experience each time you play.”
    • “With its engaging mechanics and multiple choice branches, this game encourages players to explore different strategies and team compositions, significantly boosting its replayability.”
    • “The game is so short you don't get to try out as much as you'd like at the higher levels, which limits its replayability.”
    • “[abrupt ending, lack of replay value.]”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is not characterized by a sprawling, epic narrative unfolding over an extended period, but players are encouraged to adjust their expectations and still engage with the experience, suggesting that it offers a different yet impactful emotional journey.

    • “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 4 analyzed playthroughs

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