There’s a good amount of ambition going into the beat-em-up genre as of late. At one point in time, everyone was trying to be Capcom’s Final Fight, as you could tell from a number of SNES releases following its arcade splendor. But nowadays, the sky’s the limit – and as a result, the genre is flourishing. Joining this party is Pixel Doors’ Mad King Redemption, which is currently in Early Access but shows immense progress heading towards its full release.
The game puts you in control of one of four heroes, and then you set forward to hack and slash demons. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. But Redemption has some neat elements that elevate it beyond the typical beat-em-up. It has a roguelite approach, which means each run offers something new to the table. And then you have the power-ups.
These are done via Forbidden Cards, which enable you to use dark powers with a heavy exchange in return. It’s a small moral feature that works very well for the gameplay, and keeps the action fresh. Not to mention it looks great with its 3D world integrated with 2D style sprites.
Mad King Redemption isn’t done just yet, but it’s come a long way. There’s some great promise here, and once the game is complete, I suspect it’ll have no trouble attaining its fair share of fans. Long live the King.
Let’s Fight With Mad King Redemption!
First off, the beat-em-up techniques in Mad King Redemption will instantly be relatable to fans of the genre. It feels like a souped up Golden Axe, with special abilities to unleash on hordes of monsters. And what’s more, the variety of characters – four in all – will give you plenty to return to. I do hope we see additional faces added to the final game, but it’s off to the right start.
The gameplay feels great thus far, if slightly repetitive. But that’s expected with a game of this type. What makes it stand out, however, are its roguelite elements. Yes, you’re going to experience death here. But there’s purpose behind it, as you can unlock some very cool techniques.
These come in the form of power-ups, as well as those tempting Forbidden Cards. They provide the player with dark, dangerous abilities that can be used against enemies. But they come at a price, adding a bit of a moral twist to the proceedings. I think it’s cool, and really allows you to weigh just what kind of consequences you want from the game. Plus they’re awesome once you get them attached. (Yes, I’m evil at the moment, but it’ll pass. Really.)
Whatever the case, you’ll power up nicely for each new run, keeping the game fresh with each go-around. That’s a nice thing to have in a beat-em-up. The Early Access build has plenty to offer, but I have a feeling the team at Pixel Doors isn’t done adding on content just yet. The release is still a little ways off, so we’ll see what comes from it.
But, man, the promise this game has. Those who invest in the Early Access build likely won’t be sorry, as Mad King Redemption really runs with the beat-em-up theme in a new direction. It’s familiar, but fresh. As I’ve said in the past, that’s an extravagant trick to pull off.
So How Does Mad King Redemption Perform?
I think the developers at Secret Mission are on the right track with Mad King Redemption’s progress.
Are there wrinkles in the Early Access build? Sure. But that’s to be expected. The combination of 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds, though, is smoother than I thought it’d be. Plus the navigation is surprisingly fluid, allowing you to explore, pick up items and, of course, pummel foes into oblivion with ease. The final game is bound to look like an absolute banger.
Likewise, the sound design is impressive. The soundtrack comes across with some epic tunes, including some softer tunes for when you’re shopping. Think of it as a rock soundtrack along the lines of Thor Ragnarok, but with a bit of nuance. On top of that, the voice acting (the king, really) is very gruff; and the sound effects wrap up the package nicely.
Do Not Deny the Mad King!
Mad King Redemption is still a work in progress, so we’ll stop just short of giving it a review score. But it’s definitely built to a significant level, and offers a brawling experience that sets its own standard. Not to mention those Forbidden Cards being so damn tempting. To play or not to play…hmmm.
All the same, definitely check it out. It’s a reasonably priced brawler with a great deal to offer. And I have a feeling that more content will truly make it a knockout with its final release. Denying the King would be foolish. Foolish, I say!
Thanks to the team at Reverb Communications for providing us with a review code! Mad King Redemption is available in Early Access now on Steam/PC, and works great on Steam Deck. It will also see a final release on Xbox when it’s ready!
Need more brawling fun? Check out our review of Beat ‘Em Up Collection!
