Reviewed on PC.
A Love Letter to B-Movie Horror
I’ll admit it, MADHOUSE completely caught me off guard.
What initially looked like a simple retro-inspired horror game quickly turned into one of the most charming indie experiences I’ve played this year. Solo developer Paul Hubans has crafted something that feels deeply nostalgic while still managing to carve out its own identity.
From the moment you boot the game up, you’re hit with chunky SNES-inspired pixel art, VHS grime, buckets of gore, and a soundtrack that absolutely slaps. The entire experience oozes late-night horror marathon energy. It’s weird, bloody, funny, and honestly? I couldn’t get enough of it.
Retro Style With Genuine Substance
The visual presentation here is fantastic.
The chibi-style characters somehow manage to be both adorable and disturbing, while the grim environments perfectly capture that low-budget ’90s horror aesthetic. There’s a ton of personality packed into every location, from creepy dungeons to rundown town areas.
What impressed me most, though, is that the art style never feels like a gimmick.
A lot of retro-inspired indies lean heavily on nostalgia and forget to build an engaging game underneath. MADHOUSE avoids that trap entirely. There’s real depth here, and it’s clear this project has been made by someone who genuinely loves the genre.
Fast, Brutal, and Surprisingly Deep Combat
Combat is where MADHOUSE truly comes alive.
The top-down action feels snappy, responsive, and gloriously messy in the best possible way. You’re constantly slashing, blasting, rolling, and using special abilities as enemies swarm from every direction.
Boss encounters deserve special praise too.
A few of them genuinely pushed me harder than I expected. Some fights almost have a light Souls-like rhythm to them, forcing you to learn attack patterns and pick your moments carefully rather than simply button mash your way through.
And when you finally take down one of these monsters after several failed attempts? Pure satisfaction.
The Story Mode Keeps Getting Better
The recently added Act 1 update has massively expanded the single-player campaign, and it shows.
What starts as a pulpy B-horror revenge tale slowly evolves into something much more engaging. The pacing feels brisk, exploration is rewarding, and the cast of NPCs is surprisingly memorable.
I particularly enjoyed how the game balances tension with moments of warmth and humor. It’s a strange combination, but it works incredibly well. “Cozy horror” is probably the best way to describe it.
The new dungeons, animated cutscenes, and climactic finale all add a lot to the experience and leave me genuinely excited to see where Act 2 goes.
Multiplayer Is Absolute Mayhem
As much as I enjoyed the campaign, multiplayer might secretly be the star of the show.
MADHOUSE’s completely separate versus mode supports up to four players locally, with Remote Play Together making online sessions easy enough to set up.
And chaos absolutely erupts.
With 17 playable characters, each featuring their own unique abilities and mechanics, every match feels unpredictable. Whether you’re playing Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, or objective-based modes, the result is usually the same: absolute carnage and plenty of laughter.
Some of my favourite moments came from ridiculous last-second victories and complete accidental disasters caused by friends.
It’s the kind of multiplayer experience that creates stories you’ll still be laughing about weeks later.
Incredible Value for Money
At just $4.99, MADHOUSE honestly feels underpriced.
You get an engaging single-player campaign, an extremely replayable multiplayer suite, fantastic music, memorable art direction, and a clear sense of passion throughout.
You can feel the heart that’s been poured into every aspect of this project.
Early Access always comes with a degree of uncertainty, but MADHOUSE already feels like an indie gem in the making.
Final Thoughts
MADHOUSE is exactly why I love indie games.
It’s creative, weird, unapologetically itself, and bursting with personality. Between its expanded story campaign, addictive combat, fantastic soundtrack, and wonderfully chaotic multiplayer, there’s already a lot to love here.
More importantly, it feels like a game with a bright future ahead of it.
If you’re a fan of retro horror, old-school action games, or simply want to support a genuinely passionate indie developer, this is an easy recommendation.
8.5/10
