BATTLE PRINCESS MADELYN Review for PlayStation 4

Bad guys should know by now not to mess with a person’s dog. BATTLE PRINCESS MADELYN for PS4 is the newest adventure side-scroller from Casual Bit Games. This game packs quite the powerful punch in the form of a scorned little girl. Think pixelated John Wick, only this time the canine best friend is resurrected and instead of high-velocity lead, send bad guys to an early grave with arrows and other medieval implements of badassery.

I think we can all admit that the twenty-first century retro revival of side-scrollers is getting a bit out of hand, but if authentic nostalgia is what you seek, BATTLE PRINCESS MADELYN will satisfy that craving. The arcade music, the good versus evil storyline, and the no-nonsense dialogue are the time machine trifecta to the first generation classics of yore. Choose between story mode for equal parts adventure and action, or arcade mode for an extraordinary challenge.

I simply cannot get enough of the incredible artwork put into every scene in this game. Enjoy varied landscapes and villains throughout all ten levels. Dodge bomb hurling plants, battle massive crab-like creatures and creepy spiders, wander into spooky houses—expect the unexpected, and love it.

Gameplay hints are plentiful and I love that—however—they are not as helpful as one might expect a hint to be. Allow me to save you the trouble of head scratching moments, like trying to milk gifts out of statues by saying you need to kneel for a decent amount of time before the stone sculptures will give up the goods. Ghosts do not require as lengthy of an homage and normally have more lucrative parting gifts. If you think I’m talking crazy, spend five minutes in the game, you’ll know exactly what I’m saying.

Copious collectibles and upgrades always do well by me. Be advised that these precious goodies do not come quickly in this game, but are well worth the wait. Princess Madelyn’s born-again pup, Fritzy, is not only an adorable companion, but an excellent partner in crime along this budding-knight’s journey and in battle.

Admittedly I have never been the best at side-scrollers, but completing BATTLE PRINCESS MADELYN is no breezy feat. With retro graphics also comes the frustrating, quasi-functioning retro controls. Trying to cross a den of sharp objects or leaping from one platform to another is about as easy as Sonic avoiding the spikes that steal all your coins. You will eventually lose count of how many times you die, but with better gear comes better chances of fairly-uninterrupted survival. I’d be lying to say you get used to this agony—you don’t—you just come to accept your fate and keep your blood pressure meds within arms reach.

Patience and tenacity are this game’s golden tickets to success. If the days of pixelated side-scrollers are before your time, more than likely you will fail to appreciate and understand the appeal. Children of the eighties and nineties, welcome home.

Rating: 7/10

Check Out the Battle Princess Madelyn Trailer:

Battle Princess Madelyn is available for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam), with the Wii and Vita versions to follow later in the new year.

Related: BATTLE PRINCESS MADELYN Releases New Trailer