Mad King Redemption Review Summary

Its striking nostalgic art, polished Golden Axe-style combat, excellent hit feedback, and satisfying local co-op shine, but persistent bugs plague the experience.

Striking and nostalgic art style: Reviewers repeatedly praise the distinctive, attractive art style that evokes nostalgia and childhood memories. The visuals are described as gorgeous, memorable, and rare. (Clusters 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 26)

Fun and polished gameplay: Players widely describe the game as fun, polished, and replayable with great overall gameplay. It is consistently praised as enjoyable and unique in its gameplay loop. (Clusters 1, 5, 8)

Nostalgic Golden Axe arcade vibes: The game strongly reminds players of Golden Axe and classic arcade beat 'em ups. It recaptures the joy of childhood arcade gaming and retro atmosphere. (Clusters 10, 17, 18, 22)

Excellent hit feedback and combat: Hit feel, hit feedback, and combat rhythm are repeatedly praised as tight and satisfying. Hammering monsters feels great and feedback has been optimized. (Clusters 14, 19, 21, 27)

Satisfying local co-op support: Local two-player co-op is available and makes the game more enjoyable and easier with a partner. Players highlight co-op mode as a major fun factor. (Clusters 4, 6)

Game plagued by bugs: Reports of game-breaking and frequent bugs are widespread, including freezes, progression blockers, and unresponsive controls. Many players describe the game as unplayable or unfinished.

Platforming sections cause frustration: Platforming is frequently cited as tense due to instant-death pits and restarting, and it feels out of place in a roguelike beat 'em up. Controls and camera issues worsen the experience.

Enemies lack attack telegraphs: Many enemies attack without warning or have unfair mechanics like invincibility frames and instant knockdowns. This makes combat feel cheap and unpredictable.

Progression blocked by bugs: Numerous bugs prevent unlocking areas, completing objectives, or advancing the story. Players get stuck in rooms or cannot reach the third dungeon despite meeting requirements.

Poor combat feel and depth: Combat lacks impact, feedback, and variety, often reduced to button mashing. Reviewers note weak hit detection, no combos, and unsatisfying weight.

Co-op multiplayer support: The game supports both local and online two-player co-op, including remote play together. This makes it easy to play with a friend.

Beat 'em up gameplay: It is a side-scrolling beat 'em up with classic arcade-style combat, including strafing, button mashing, and weapon-based fighting.

Roguelite structure: The game features roguelike elements such as runs, perma-death, and secret rooms. It combines arcade action with roguelite progression.

Out-of-run progression: Players can unlock permanent upgrades outside of runs, including gold-based leveling. This adds meta-progression to the roguelite loop.

Retro arcade style: The visuals and gameplay evoke an old-school arcade feeling with retro classic art style and action.

Poor optimization reported: Multiple clusters highlight poor optimization, with one rating it 3 out of 10 and another noting it requires a system similar to Darksiders 3. These indicate performance is a widespread concern.

Runs well on Steam Deck: Players report the game runs without issues and flawlessly on the Steam Deck. This suggests good compatibility and performance on Valve's handheld hardware.

Control loss after attacking: After attacking enemies, players lose all control with both controller and keyboard. This is a severe gameplay-breaking bug that prevents continued play.

Freezing on second map: The game freezes on the second map, halting progress and requiring a restart. This is a critical issue that affects players reaching that area.

Infinite loading screen: An infinite loading screen occurs when trying to load an area, preventing players from accessing content. This is a major blocker.

Nostalgia for Golden Axe: A recurring theme is nostalgia for classic Golden Axe and similar arcade beat-em-ups. Reviewers recommend the game to those who miss the golden age of arcade cabinets and want a modern take on that style.

Worth buying at right price: Several reviewers consider the game worth its price, especially when on sale or discounted. However, some feel it is not worth full price until it is more polished or finished.

Best experienced in co-op: Many reviewers emphasize that playing with a friend or in two-player co-op significantly improves the experience. The game is frequently described as fun and more enjoyable when shared with others.

General positive recommendations: Many reviewers simply recommend the game without specific conditions. It is described as worth playing and highly recommended to grab.

Appeals to beat-em-up fans: Fans of classic beat-em-ups and arcade games highly recommend this title. It is also recommended for those who enjoy roguelites and games like TMNT, Simpsons Arcade, and Castle Crashers.

Game completion: 10.0h.

Session length: 0.5h.

Early difficulty, platforming friction, and grinding can delay enjoyment, but many players report the game becomes fun after getting used to it, playing co-op, or unlocking meta-progression and talents.

Friction: Starts off difficult and takes time to get used to; Platforming can be tedious until the player gets the hang of it; Early gold and talent grinding required for meta-progression; Out-of-run progression is grindy and needs a lot of gold; Some action wind-ups are long; Bugs and lost control issues.

Unlock drivers: Playing co-op makes the game more fun and easier; Getting used to platforming and controls; Unlocking talents and meta-progression; Late-game skill choices and roguelike build attributes improve; Retaining collected gold after failed runs reduces grind.

Arcade Nostalgia Veteran: Side-scrolling beat-em-up combat, clearing stages and mobs with combos. Motivation: Reliving classic arcade beat-em-up nostalgia with modern polish. Stance: buy.

Co-op Duo Player: Local co-op sessions with a partner, relying on teamwork and shared forgiveness. Motivation: Sharing the game with a friend or partner in co-op. Stance: buy.

Roguelite Build Grinder: Run-based grinding, picking heroes and dark skills to tune damage and healing. Motivation: Optimizing builds and grinding to grow stronger across runs. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: The Steam Deck feedback is predominantly seamless. Two reviews explicitly confirm that the game runs without issues or flawlessly on Steam Deck, while one review notes only minor control awkwardness during platforming. There is no evidence of external launchers, Proton Experimental requirements, anti-cheat errors, crashes, battery drain, or unreadable UI.

Linux and Proton: The available feedback is limited but consistently positive for Steam Deck compatibility. Users report no issues launching or playing the game on Steam Deck, with one noting flawless performance. No Linux-specific friction, Proton workarounds, crashes, anti-cheat blockers, or native port concerns are mentioned.

Frequent comparisons to Golden Axe: Many reviewers compare the game to classic arcade beat 'em up Golden Axe, often describing it as a modernized or HD-2D version. Similar comparisons are also drawn to other retro side-scrollers like Double Dragon and TMNT.

Current early access status: The game is currently in early access, with content still being added. Reviewers note that this version is already much better than the original demo.

Active development and community feedback: Players consistently note that the developers are highly responsive to community feedback and regularly update the game. Frequent patches and significant updates are being released during the early access period.

Small development team of three: The game was developed by a very small team of only three people. Some reviewers encourage supporting this small dev team by purchasing during early access.

Planned future content and updates: The developers have a roadmap for future updates, including plans to add new characters, a story mode, endless mode, and an achievement system. Some players hope the developers will not abandon the game and will add more content.