Side-scrolling roguelite action-RPG, Source of Madness, is out now, and is described as ‘a Lovecraftian odyssey with ever-changing landscapes to explore and new monstrosities to face on every run.’ An all-new launch trailer, new information, and of course the game itself released today, and there’s a lot to dig into and stare at. If you’re not familiar, this official description of the game puts the setup best; ‘Take on the role of an acolyte in an alternate reality controlled by cosmic entities. These worlds warp and distort each day, leaving the Loam Lands unpredictably terraformed and inhabited by grotesque beings of celestial origins. To get to the source of this unknowable evil, your voyage will take you across nine biomes, from the depths of Dungeon of Forgotten Knowledge, the eerie landscape of the Forest of Lies, to the grand non-euclidean citadel R’Lyeh, all the way up to celestial bodies on the rims of the universe.’
I, Lovecraft
One of the most interesting things about this game are the enemies. Not only is every enemy fully physics rigged and equipped with machine-learning AI, but the levels and enemies are randomly generated. An official description of how this plays into the game says; ‘Each playthrough will feature not only unpredictable terrain, but up to billions of permutations of procedurally-generated beasts born of a neural network that concocts creatures from a seemingly endless abyss, offering a unique spin on the genre. These physics-rigged monstrosities climb and stretch in billions of different ways as they’re brought to life by a powerful machine-learning AI that will do anything to make your life a living hell!’
You’ll get a wide variety of spells to fight with, with five classes to choose from you can upgrade your skills to unlock these magical abilities as you collect equipment and items left behind by others. On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Source of Madness runs with up to 4K resolution at 60fps, keeping the action fluid and responsive.
“With Source of Madness we wanted to make a roguelite that does more than simply rearrange level layouts and enemy combinations, but rather creates all new unholy beasts to face off against in each playthrough,” said Per Fornander, CEO at Carry Castle. “We’ve been working hard on adding to and improving the game throughout its time on Early Access, and we’re really excited to launch today with a smooth and polished title that runs fantastically on consoles and PC”.
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Source of Madness, is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The game also moves into full launch on PC, exiting Early Access run. The game is available for $19.99 / €19.99 / £16.99. If you want to keep up with the game’s development you can follow Thunderful and Carry Castle on Twitter.
