Madness Beverage

In the sci-fi themed first-person shooter, ‘Madness Beverage’, the deranged space warlord Manos opens a portal to unleash hordes of hellish demons across the galaxy, aiming for galactic domination. Players assume the role of Caleb, a disgruntled bounty hunter who takes the fight to Manos, battling through waves of monstrous foes with an arsenal of powerful weapons, including a massive plasma launcher, to stop the evil tyrant’s reign of terror.

Madness Beverage: A Flawed but Fascinating FPS Experiment

Introduction

In the crowded landscape of first-person shooters, Madness Beverage stands out as a curious relic of 2021—a game that boldly attempts to blend retro aesthetics with modern gameplay mechanics. Developed by Blue Sunset Games and published by Console Labs S.A., this sci-fi shooter tasks players with battling demonic hordes unleashed by the villainous Manos. While it pays homage to classic FPS titles like DOOM, its execution is marred by technical and design flaws that overshadow its ambitious vision. This review will dissect Madness Beverage across its development history, narrative, gameplay, and legacy, ultimately assessing its place in gaming history.

Development History & Context

Madness Beverage was developed by Blue Sunset Games, an indie studio based in Gdansk, Poland, and published by Console Labs S.A. and PlayWay. The game was initially released on July 28, 2021, for Xbox One, with subsequent ports to Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X|S. Built using the Unity engine, the game was conceived as a tribute to classic shooters but struggled to reconcile its retro inspirations with contemporary expectations.

The late 2010s and early 2020s saw a resurgence of interest in “boomer shooters,” with titles like DOOM (2016) and Ultrakill revitalizing the genre. Madness Beverage aimed to capitalize on this trend, but its development was hampered by a limited budget and a rushed release. The game’s art style, while stylized, often feels amateurish, and its level design suffers from a lack of cohesion, suggesting that the development team may have struggled to unify their vision.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Madness Beverage‘s narrative is thin, serving primarily as a vehicle for its shooter gameplay. The story follows Caleb, an ex-soldier turned bounty hunter, who seeks to take down Manos, a space warlord who has unleashed demonic forces upon the galaxy. The plot is delivered through radio broadcasts and cutscenes, with Manos taunting Caleb and the player with grandiose speeches about his plans for galactic conquest.

The game’s themes revolve around chaos and rebellion, with Caleb positioning himself as a lone hero fighting against the forces of evil. However, the execution of these themes is hampered by weak writing and uninspired character interactions. Caleb’s dialogue is delivered with a flat affect, and the game’s attempts at humor fall flat. The narrative’s lack of depth is further compounded by its reliance on tropes, such as the “chosen one” archetype and the villain monologue, which feel tired and unoriginal.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Madness Beverage‘s core gameplay loop revolves around combat, exploration, and resource management. Players navigate a series of levels, battling waves of enemies and solving simple puzzles to progress. The game features a variety of weapons, including assault rifles, shotguns, and a BFG-style plasma launcher, as well as “Madness Drinks” that grant temporary abilities.

The combat is the game’s strongest suit, with a satisfying weight to the weapons and a variety of enemy types to keep engagements dynamic. However, the game’s balance is severely lacking. Many weapons feel underpowered or redundant, and the AI is often predictable. The “Madness Drinks” mechanic, while innovative, is poorly implemented. The drinks grant powerful abilities but come with significant drawbacks, such as health penalties or temporary vulnerabilities, making them riskier than they should be.

The game’s UI is functional but uninspired, and the controls are clunky, with a lack of customization options and a slow weapon-switching system that hinders gameplay. The save system is particularly egregious, with only a single save file and no way to restart a level, forcing players to grind through entire stages if they encounter a difficult section.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Madness Beverage‘s art style is a mix of stylized 3D models and pixelated textures, evoking a retro aesthetic. However, the execution is uneven, with some environments looking polished while others appear hastily assembled. The game’s levels are diverse, ranging from alien planets to medieval castles, but the transitions between these settings feel jarring and lack cohesion.

The sound design is similarly inconsistent. The soundtrack is minimal and unmemorable, and the sound effects are often muted or repetitive. The voice acting is a particular low point, with Caleb’s delivery lacking emotion and Manos’ dialogue feeling over-the-top and cartoonish.

Reception & Legacy

Madness Beverage received mixed reviews upon release, with critics praising its combat and retro aesthetic but criticizing its technical issues and lack of polish. The game’s Metacritic score is currently “tbd” due to a lack of critic reviews, but user reviews on Steam are overwhelmingly negative, with players citing its bugs, poor balance, and frustrating design choices.

Despite its flaws, Madness Beverage has developed a cult following among fans of retro shooters. Its unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, as well as its experimental “Madness Drinks” mechanic, have sparked discussions among players and critics alike. However, its legacy is likely to be overshadowed by more polished and innovative titles in the genre.

Conclusion

Madness Beverage is a flawed but fascinating experiment in retro-inspired FPS design. While its combat and art style show promise, its technical issues, weak narrative, and poor balance hold it back from greatness. It serves as a cautionary tale about the challenges of blending retro aesthetics with modern gameplay expectations, but its boldness and ambition make it a noteworthy entry in the FPS genre. Ultimately, Madness Beverage is a game that will be remembered more for its missteps than its successes, but it offers valuable insights into the evolution of first-person shooters in the 2020s.