MADiSON Review

Initial Release Date: 2022

Developer: BLOODIOUS GAMES

Engine: Unity

Genres: Puzzle, Indie Game, Adventure, Action, Walking Simulation

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Publishers: BLOODIOUS GAMES, Perpetual Europe

Introduction: MADiSON is a Indie first-person atmospheric horror game developed by BLOODIOUS GAMES. You play as a possessed teenager named Luca. The entire game basically takes place in grandpa’s haunted house. You have puzzles pretty much anywhere and everywhere to solve. Most puzzles obfucate the player. The main timeline is set in 1987.

Presentation: MADiSON’s presentation had me fooled for it’s opening few hours. You can read my early impressions article HERE. I originally was having fun playing MADiSON until the game went for the “obfucate the player with puzzles” non-stop approach. Look, I love puzzles in games. I beat The Witness. I loved the puzzles in Uncharted series. I love puzzles that give that feeling of an epiphany.

I have no problems with puzzles until they say “here is a portrait you figure it out”. Or “hey here’s a clock bro you figure it out while it’s constantly dark with jumpscares”. MADiSON got tiresome because of it’s puzzles plain and simple. But not all is lost with MADiSON. I see potential but the game let me down the further I got into it. Keep reading to find out why.

Story: The story of MADiSON takes place in 1951, 1987 and 2022. You play as Luca who is possessed by the demonic spirit of Madison Hale. I quit this game about three quarters in so I cannot tell you how the story ends.

I can say from a purely story aspect it’s not bad but not good either. The jest is Lucas family is screwed up and he is possessed by a hand me down demonic entity he must get rid of.

Gameplay: This is where the game fell apart. The puzzles slowly became annoying as the game went on. Some are easy, some are pure guesses and some are explained well. Overall just way too many damn puzzles. Keep in mind you are in a house for like 90% of the game.

In The Witness to had an entire damn island to solve puzzles. In MADiSON you are in grandpa’s old ass house getting jump scared in the dark the entire time. To be fair there are notes to read that sort of helps with some puzzles (safes). You also solve puzzles to acquire tools like a lighter, hammer, radio etc. For me the puzzles needed to be paced and laid out in a fashion that doesn’t obfucate the player with clutter.

Outlast, Layers of Fear, SOMA all had puzzles, all are horror first person indie games that rely on horror, story and puzzles. None of those games made me want to quit due to it’s puzzles.

MADiSON needed to kill half it’s puzzles and make the game just a walking simulator where Luca talks to ghosts, or he looks at objects and reads notes with commentary. After the candlestick cathedral puzzle I had enough of MADiSON.

I mean no breaks at all. You go from one puzzle to another puzzle almost immediately. Too many puzzles and not enough chill time. This game needed to be toned downed. Pacing in very important in this type of game that takes place in a house that relies on so many jump scares.

Visuals/Graphics: MADiSON for the most part looked good running on my Playstation 5. Framerate wasn’t perfect 100% of the time but it sufficed. Grandpa’s house reminded me of Resident Evil 8’s house level with that creepy doll.

Artwork is based on 1987 for the most part. There were a few different locations besides just the house including a cathedral with light beaming in. Textures were good but not as good as big budget games understandably.

Sound Design and Music: Music really isn’t a factor in MADiSON. Sound design might be the best part about MADiSON. You will get jumpscared in this game guaranteed. The latter is due to it’s great sound elements.

Every few seconds you either hear a creek, a whisper, a snarl, TV pops on, wind, the statue moves etc. It’s a gimmick sure because the game is intentionally quite. It’s meant to cause anxiety in the player. You are waiting to be scared then BOOM!

Final Verdict: If MADiSON had better pacing, less jumpscares and less puzzles I would recommend it for $34.99. If puzzles do not bother you then go for it. As a gamer who plays any and everything I believe most players will not enjoy the perpetual dark jumpscares with non stop obtuse puzzles.

More light, less jumpscares and less but easier puzzles would be the way to go in MADiSON. Otherwise, like me they will lose motivation due to the lack of overall pacing. Thanks for reading – Jason

6/10