Source of Madness

Inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Source of Madness is a side-scrolling roguelite that features some of the most mind-bending art and scenarios we’ve ever seen in a video game. Thanks to its AI-generated components, you’ll never know what to expect in this despairingly maddening gaming experience.

While the game’s unique approach to worldbuilding and asset creation makes for some weirdly nonsensical stuff, it all ties neatly with the general idea of madness at the core of the whole experience. So brace yourself to experience a Metroidvania in a way that you’ve never seen before, and it’s all thanks to the blessings – and horrors – of AI.

Imagined Aberrations

Like so many other great horror titles, Source of Madness bases its mythology on the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. It worked for Bloodborne and it almost worked for The Sinking City, so there’s no reason to believe that the Lovecraftian inspiration shouldn’t fit a Metroidvania like Source of Madness.

The story follows an acolyte that embarks on a journey full of nightmares to venture deeper into the Loam Lands. Deep in this world of shadows and monsters lies the Tower of Madness: an edifice that’s said to lie in the middle of the moon’s citadel. If all that sounds interesting to you, then get ready: it gets even weirder.

At the heart of Source of Madness lie the game’s complex AI-generated visuals. Every creature the player faces, and almost every piece of the background, is randomly generated by using machine learning each time the player boots up the game. This means that no two monsters are the same for any player that ever dares to play Source of Madness.

While the concept sounds amazing on paper, results may vary in practice. Most monsters look like perfect eldritch abominations, but there are some times when the AI gets a bit too carried away and creates some creatures with wonky physics that can ruin your run immediately.

Roguelite Action

As a roguelite Metroidvania-style game, much of the fun in Source of Madness comes from randomly crafting builds to see what works and what doesn’t. Most of the combat in the game is handled using close-quarters magic attacks – which would be easy to use if your character didn’t insist on flopping around every room.

Hitting the enemies from a distance also works, and in some cases can prove to be even more effective than how the game was meant to be played. Due to the game’s erratic procedural generation model, some enemies can accidentally trap you in their tendrils, leading to glitchy encounters that can sour the overall experience.

Keep in mind that Source of Madness can be a rather challenging game. If you’re in the mood for a game that invites a trial-and-error approach and isn’t afraid to punish the player for their mistakes, then this title might be just right for you.

It’s also worth mentioning that the developers poured their hearts out into crafting the lore and the backstory for this game. There are dozens of secrets to discover and secrets to find, just be careful not to lose your mind as you explore the terrifying Loam Lands.

Pros

• Interesting use of AI to create unique monsters and locations
• Fast-paced gameplay
• Complex lore and backstory

Cons

• Unpredictable encounters
• Some of the monsters have wonky physics
• Challenging difficulty