Battle Princess Madelyn Critic Reviews

I’d highly suggest checking out Battle Princess Madelyn, or possibly revisiting the game if you already played it around launch. The changes made so far have all been positive, and it’s certainly one of the best attempts at nailing the Ghosts ‘n Goblins formula that I’ve seen in recent years.

If you love retro arcade action games, and more precisely, Ghost'n Goblins wannabes, you'll love Battle Princess Madelyn. Maybe the adventure mode it's a bit harsh, not for everybody's tastes and with a high difficulty level... but if the Capcom classic it's among your all time favorite games, here you'll find a worthy heir for Capcom's legacy.

With all this packaged together, the player is presented with a well-balanced package that gives gamers a taste of what it used to be like to be called a gamer but never pushing so hard as to cause a rage quit, tip over the arcade machine and demand your quarters back.

Battle Princess Madelyn is a frantic, fun and very challenging title that has two different game modes, with a magnificent audiovisual design and that despite its slight technical problems is highly recommended for all players who are looking for a challenge.

Too much hand-holding in games can be a problem, but Battle Princess Madelyn goes in the opposite direction with its main Story mode and is just as annoying (if not more so) as a result. Thankfully, its alternative Arcade mode really does save the day, stripping away all the convoluted and confused exploration and leaving nothing but pure, unfiltered arcade action goodness. It’s just a shame its main mode – and perhaps the key reason the developer wants your £15.79 / $19.99 – is so frustratingly unhelpful and awkward to play. Still, fans of Capcom's Ghouls ‘n Ghosts will most definitely want to check this out.

Battle Princess Madelyn is certainly a time capsule from a few decades ago for better and worse. Where the game succeeds, it does so well and with style. But, the multitude of minor pitfalls that inhibits gameplay progression and causes frustration held Madelyn back from being a true indie gem.

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, the mode you choose to play will influence your impression of Battle Princess Madelyn. For arcade mode players, the game retains the spirit of Ghosts 'n Goblins, and while there are a few concessions to make the game seem a touch easier for newcomers, some of the design decisions suck away that enjoyment. For story mode players, those flaws are compounded by more design issues that make it a frustrating Metroidvania clone. In the end, the game's charm isn't enough to attract anyone but genre die-hards who are looking for a near-impossible challenge.

A nonlinear Ghosts 'n Goblins styled game is an interesting but surprisingly bad choice for a video game design. Yet even though it's far from perfect, it still manages to hit hard on those few nostalgia points, and give you an enjoyable experience.

Questionable design choices and lack of gameplay explanations detract from the overall satisfaction. After spending time with Battle Princess Madelyn, I’m left with one lasting impression: I really want to replay Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts.

Battle Princess Madelyn looks and sounds fantastic, and half the game is a delightful spiritual throwback to a beloved action game series. It's a shame that the other half drags down the whole package--and performance issues on Switch like slowdown and stalling when moving through menus don't help, either.

The game’s love for Ghosts ‘N Goblins is obvious but its refusal to cater for anyone but hardcore fans results in a frustrating and tedious slog – especially in story mode.

Battle Princess Madelyn tries to deliver a new twist to the old Ghosts'n Goblins formula. Unfortunately, its broken level design forbids Causal Games homage to reach the same heights as Arthur's adventure. With no clues on what to do or where to go, even players looking for a tough challenge will only consider the arcade mode worthy of interest, if they want to enjoy the game's gorgeous graphics and art direction.

Battle Princess Madelyn seeks to emulate the likes of Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, to some success. The old-school gameplay may hinders the modern elements from its History mode, but the game still delivers a fun experience.

Battle Princess Madelyn is not without its problems. While its arcade mode is easily the most enjoyable, it also ends up defeating the purpose of including a metroidvania component in the game. With a high difficulty level and some memorable cut scenes, it also has some gameplay issues that require solving and which stand on the way of making this a more recommended title.

The arcade mode trims most of the fat, but it lacks the challenge and polish that defined the arcade era.

If you have a love for punishing old school platformers that provide no handholding and really test your endurance, there may be something here. For those of us who aren’t gluttons for punishment though, you’ll likely find this adventure too archaic for its own good. There’s no shortage of excellent side-scrolling adventures on the Switch that pay homage to the great games of old whilst providing a modern twist, but unfortunately, Battle Princess Madelyn leans too hard on design choices that were perhaps best left in the past.