MADiSON Reviews
MADiSON is simultaneously one of the most tantalizing, yet enraging horror experiences I’ve ever played. The atmosphere and story are rich and engaging, and the scares are turned up to 11. But the puzzles are so baffling that it’s tough to recommend this game even to devoted horror fans. That said, I’d love to see Bloodious Games take another stab at a horror project with more streamlined gameplay.
Maybe you'll find something to like if you've never played a horror game like this before, but for anyone well-versed in the genre, the ground MADiSON covers is very well-worn.
MADiSON is a psychological horror game without any psychological horror. It has jump scares galore, and at least on PC, it’s a completely broken mess for me before launch. I’d advise taking a wait-and-see approach for both PC and Console due to all of these issues. Priced at $35.99 US it’s a steep cost for something that isn’t very good even when it’s working. If you love yourself a good horror game I’d give this one a little time post-launch, and take a look at it eventually on a deep sale.
Imagine MADiSON akin to liking a nice picture that's out of focus: there's still a special attribute for genre fans to appreciate, but others will be put-off by the inconsistent craftsmanship.
MADiSON has an oppressive atmosphere and ingenious puzzles that keep the player in tension from start to finish. However, the Bloodious Games game abuses jumpscares and has technical problems that weigh down the experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
MADiSON had what it takes to be a great horror game, but there is unnecessary exaggeration here. In addition, the lack of maturity of the character in the narrative makes you think that it is stuck all the time at the beginning, making the title tiring, especially with Luca's unbearable whimpering.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A fun game and concept with a specific audience. The issues with the brightness and layout knocked it down a few points. But the overall graphics and uniqueness still made MADiSON a fairly enjoyable experience.
While it's built around an interesting mechanic and features tense, sometimes terrifying moments, MADiSON is frequently derailed by tedious puzzles and an irritating amount of backtracking.
MADiSON is an okay game if it didn't have everything it has behind it. This added to its bumpy PS4 version makes the road rough for it. Still, I don't advise against playing it to horror diehards.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For fans of the genre, it will be a nice ride with enough quality to keep you interested until the end.
Review in Greek | Read full review
MADiSON is a horror game that had everything to please, but only on paper.
Review in French | Read full review
MADiSON might get lost in the deluge of modern horror adventure games, but it stands out thanks to the unusually high puzzle difficulty and a well-told story.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
MADiSON starts out strong with pristine graphics, scary audio, an intriguing story, great level design and interesting puzzles. It's a shame then that the latter half unravels to a degree as you recognize that the creaks and shrieks are a harmless audio loop, a few puzzles become obtuse and the narrative gets messy with poorly explained demons. Overall, I did enjoy the game though, perhaps because it so closely scratched that P.T. itch.
Although MADiSON is a good proposal that ends up drowned by its flaws, it is not a horror game that you should avoid either, since it has moments that are very worthwhile.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all, MADiSON is a good game but a mediocre horror. I have some serious issues with it, but I can’t dismiss the potential. I believe the next game will be able to compete with Visage, and I’m already waiting for it impatiently.
Review in Polish | Read full review
If you're a fan of horror games that focus more on atmosphere and scares rather than combat, then MADiSON is a no-brainer. It's not the most original game and it mostly follows the lead of pioneers like the aforementioned Outlast or even Hideo Kojima's P.T, but that doesn't matter. What you've got here is an effective horror experience regardless, and one that you're going to enjoy from start to finish.
Madison does so much well that it makes genre tropes succeed. From atmosphere to execution, this short horror romp takes you and doesn't let go. It's not without issues, with one progression point halfway through the game lacking the kind of intention and care that the rest of the game receives. Then there's the save corrupting error. However, once that error gets patched out, Madison will have the complete package worthy of anyone up for a good scare.
Although the story doesn't deliver anything fresh, it serves the game well and provides a platform for the game's excellent design and well-crafted horror. Go into MADiSON without any pretense of a groundbreaking story to find a terrifying journey through the minds of pained and neglected killers. Overall, MADiSON is a great first game by a new developer and is sure to provide plenty of scares.
Madison is a creepy crawl through a twisted haunted house with enough genuine out-of-your-seat scares to leave you shaken like a Polaroid picture.
Despite my misgivings, Madison still offers a respectable evening of frights and is worth a look for fans of psychological horror. It succeeds in building tension and puzzle variety, stumbling when it becomes obsessed with bamboozling players with head-tilting solutions and stopping their hearts with lame jump scares. But when the game hits right, you’ll be glad no one caught the look on your face.