Source Of Madness | PS4 Review

Source Of Madness is an inspired Soulsborne roguelike done up in Metroidvania fashion. It is an action adventure title centered around Lovecraftian horror, and a particular cult that must enact a ritual at the Third Gate in order to stop an invasion of otherworldly monstrosities. Ultimately to bring back into focus the Bloodshot Moon, and summon the aid of their God, Yog-Sothoth. 

As named cultists of specialist fame you will journey forth into the heart of darkness making your way to wherever the Third Gate lies. Along the way you will face off against grotesque AI generated creatures assembled together like a lump of limbs. Void of definitive description, but fear inducing all the same. At your disposal are two rings of power, trinkets, and support items that will come together to create a favored elemental build worthy of besting the beastly invaders. Boosting performative, and passive stats which will aid in your long term survival ...

Like many other side-scrolling Soulsborne, and Metroidvania experiences progress in "Source of Madness" is an exploration driven kind of ordeal. You'll find randomly generated platforming environments built upon the detailed ruins of long forgotten cities. Among the dilapidated structures of past civilization you'll also find hidden rooms, and gates to new locations wherein more horrors lie in wait. Rewarding those who can overcome with precious loot, currency, and treasures. Looting, by the way, is a crucial part of the gameplay formula, and killing creatures is how you will capitalize on the bounties. Eventually spending your collective of currencies, and equipping items that you earn. A growth process which will be done via vendor, skill trees, and an equipment menu with limited inventory space.

In the way of shops you'll find that along the way exists shopkeepers Roger, and Roy. A merchant and tradesman duo who are about as grotesque and gaunt in build as their enemy counterparts. Paid salesmen who will sell, trade, and buy your collected loot for a price. Giving you the opportunity to secure more rare items. Rarity, as it were, is definitely a thing in this game. Much like with Diablo. As such equipment items not only come with tacked on stat boosts, but also numerical rankings as well as colored coded rarity rankings. Offering up elementally aligned abilities, and supportive buffs/debuffs to the attached elemental damage types of the two core ring based attacks, and extra lesser items that you place in certain sized equipment slots that are made specifically for them. Attacks being either melee or projectile in the mixed and matched sense. Tethered to the rings which also come in varying degrees of rarity. 

The pursuit of loot isn't the only thing you'll be minding in "Source of Madness". Each run you play through will begin with a selection of a named cultists. A cultist with pre-determined stats, and two rings. This is but one part of the experience that is randomly generated, and roguelike. After selecting the cultist you will venture forth into the Loam Lands via an inner castle gate located within the prologue's hub area. It is here where you'll brave the outer world, and it's many hazards. Including AI generated horrors of Lovecraftian design. Indescribable masses of mutant flesh put together with no rhyme or reason. Driven by one objective only, and that is to kill you. These malformed monsters come complete with a health bar, and range in size from smaller to screen filling, gargantuan even. Taking them down is easier said than done though unless you are well equipped, and well versed with the mechanics.

Aside from the equipment aspect of gameplay your floaty robed cultist can jump, double jump, and teleport dash. The latter of which is crucial in avoiding incoming damage. This accompanied by two attack, and two support functions tied to the four shoulder buttons will give you the tools needed to deal with what's ahead. Like yourself the horrors of the outer world can attack with melee attacks or projectiles. They can even set turrets like you, and create barriers that will deflect your own projectiles, among other things. Making each creature a unique encounter in and of itself. Thankfully enemy attacks are choreographed with color coded light indicators that will let you know when damage potential is incoming. Otherwise bumping into them does no physical harm, and allows for strategic close quarters combat if that is the kind of build you are rocking.

Beyond the creatures, and creature bosses lies gated pathways, hidden rooms, NPCs and alters of benefit that will open up the world to you in a number of ways. Giving ways to lore and save points that will explain things to you in greater detail as well as allow you to pick up, and continue onward from where you last left off. Environments like most everything else in "Source of Madness" are randomly generated, and make each run unique. Never once will you experience the same playthrough even though you start at the Loam Lands. While you will eventually succumb to a grisly death what you unlock from the three skill trees will carry over. Adding starting benefits that will offer more options in the way of cultist specialization (classes), skills, and starting items like vials of health which will help you to survive longer. All of which costs the price of blood or green pearls that you collect from downed creatures along the way. Currency that carries over even beyond death. Also worth noting is the game's 'Book of the Dead' which catalogs how each cultist died, their specialization, and their birth and death dates. A little something extra for record's sake. 

The verdict ...

I was pleasantly surprised by "Source of Madness". I had initially thought about buying it, and probably would have had the review copy not been supplied. I'm a sucker for these types of games. It being a roguelike, a Soulsborne, and a Metroidvania struck all the right chords for me. It's all of my favorite things, and to that end it did not disappoint. I encountered no bugs, and the gameplay was both fluid and responsive. Properly challenging too. Even the art style was worth noting. It's a sight to behold, and dare I say it, I do believe it lives up to Lovecraft's world of horrors. The soundtrack is very complimentary as well. Somber, and haunting. Filled with the groans, and clattering of AI applied appendages, and insectoid masses that come bursting forth upon approach like a madness made manifest. Kudos to the developer on making a worthy Lovecraftian game in this genre. It's brilliant, and highly commendable. It gets my full support, and I do recommend it as a buy. Don't miss out!!!