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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
SummaryBattle Princess Madelyn is a game that follows the journey of a young knight in training, Madelyn, and her ghostly pet dog, Fritzy. They set out on a journey to save her kingdom and her family from the clutches of an evil wizard.