Every game has a story. Whether it’s raising money to finance an army for world domination, a deeply engaging plot of political espionage or something as simple as ‘shoot the bad guys’, there is a reason the hero (or in this case, heroine) is doing something extraordinary. From developer, Causal Bit Games Inc, Battle Princess Madelyn is a simple and fun Ghouls n’ Ghosts homage whose story is made all the more sweet by its Kickstarter campaign which has far exceeded their initial goals. Creative Director Christopher Obritsch created the game for his daughter Madelyn, who wanted to be in the games her father would play.
The love between a father and daughter is evident in this game as Madelyn, the heroine, battles through unending waves of enemies on her way to defeat an evil wizard to save her family. While the dialogue may come off as a little childish for the average player, it’s important to remember this game was built with Obritsch’s daughter in mind. That being said, this makes it an excellent game for aspiring young gamers who are forced to watch their parents and older siblings play the really cool games while they get stuck with infinite runners and match 3 games on a mobile device.
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“Battle Princess Madelyn truly feels like it’s made with everyone in mind; young gamers will have fun with basic puzzle solving and controls, seasoned gamers will feel comfortably familiar with a new experience.”
Graphically this game looks phenomenal and is guaranteed to draw you in for some Super NES nostalgia. Levels are much bigger in scope than you realize and there are multiple paths and obstacles to overcome. Once you realize that, you want to explore every possible nook and cranny just in case you missed something which is great for replayability. Combat has been very well designed with Madelyn beginning the game with rapid-fire throwing spears packing excellent range, with upgraded gear providing stronger armor and faster, more powerful attacks. Battle Princess Madelyn is full of subtle details that greatly improve the experience including exploding enemies, accessible background platforms, and some very enthusiastic voice work from Madelyn (the character) herself.
The controls are not particularly intuitive, nor in fact, did I have an option to see the button mapping or have a tutorial mode. I simply had to try every key to see what they did but I doubt the final product would launch with such a glaring oversight. Somewhere this game really stands out is the soundtrack; when the game begins you are prompted to choose between an Arcade or Orchestral soundtrack, however, it can be switched on the fly, mid combat, with the tap of a key. Both versions sound fantastic and really the hardest decision you will have in this game is which one you want to listen to at any given moment.
While some games are rated Everyone, this truly feels like it’s made with everyone in mind; young gamers will have fun with basic puzzle solving and controls, seasoned gamers will feel comfortably familiar with a new experience. Battle Princess Madelyn is shaping up to be a great game for all ages and it should definitely be on everyone’s radar.
*** PC key provided by the publisher ***
