Source of Madness is a downright brutal roguelite game wrapped up in the Lovecraftian nightmare world of the Loam Lands. Source of Madness tasks new acolytes with exploring the Loam Lands in hopes of finding an ethereal gateway to a distant moon where the Towers of Ruin lie in wait. The Loam Lands are brutal places where monstrous aberrations will decimate players around each and every corner.
Players can take solace in knowing there is always a new acolyte available should the previous one perish in their dark and disturbing missions. The Old Gods are close and they are sending their monstrosities after the cult that seemingly worships them. This intense and harrowing tale is both cryptic and haunting which means it's good to go into this action roguelite with as much knowledge as possible. Finding the Source of Madness won't be an easy feat.
7 Which Acolyte Should Be Chosen?
Source of Madness is a procedurally generated and highly randomized game due to the game's AI neural network that creates a fresh new experience each and every time. However, this randomized nature makes for a game that is often too punishing, making players perish over and over again.
Each time a player dies in the game, a new acolyte must be chosen from one of the various disciplines such as Generalists, Pyromancers, Bloodmancers, etc. Choosing a new acolyte really just comes down to viewing the stats relevant to a player's preferred playstyle. Each acolyte also has unique magic rings but these can be swapped on the fly during exploration.
6 The Overwhelming Confusion Is Part Of The Experience
Make no mistake about it, Source of Madness is one heck of a confusing, ambiguous, and often esoteric gaming experience. Much of this is related to the Lovecraftian inspirations regarding Cthulu, the Old Gods, and mysterious universes. All of this makes sense in terms of the story, but it doesn't stop the game from being entirely cryptic, even down to the gameplay.
A good rule of thumb with Source of Madness is to just keep moving forward, even if confusion sets it. Oftentimes just exploring the Loam Lands, interacting with the rare NPCs, and obtaining tidbits will provide just enough context. Even when it all seems out of whack, the game mostly just wants you to explore and battle the monsters.
5 Swapping Out Magic Rings And Equipment
Battling the diverse and downright creepy and otherworldy Lovecraftian monsters in this game comes down to utilizing a host of magic rings. These magic rings might have fireball powers, arcana bolts, bamboo and nature bolts, poison clouds, and even lightning zaps. Of course, this only barely scratches the surface of the magic powers at an acolyte's disposal.
While the game can be incredibly difficult, there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to swapping out rings and equipment. Oftentimes players will come across new rings, various magical hoods, and other magical secondary items that completely change how a given run plays out. Simply open up the menu and swap out each piece of equipment on the fly in order to find a playstyle that works for the situation.
4 Stay On The Move At All Times
As mentioned previously, Source of Madness is a brutal game, both in terms of atmosphere and gameplay. Players are going to want to get the upper hand in each and every encounter, especially when swarmed by monsters, or during a mini-boss or major boss battle. The best way to stay out of harm's way is to stay mobile at all times.
That is easier said than done, however, since monsters can attack seemingly out of nowhere, oftentimes hiding in plain sight, camouflaged in dark environments. Acolytes have a super handy dodge dash that can be used on a cooldown. Plus, this dodge dash move can be upgraded from the skill tree to include two or three dashes in a row. This move allows players to dash through monsters as well with a few frames of invulnerability.
3 Seek Out The Shopkeepers
It's not all grim gloom and doom in Source of Madness. Along the journey through the Loam Lands, players can stumble across various doors that lead to some quirky yet kindhearted shopkeepers. These shopkeeps sell players all sorts of rings, hoods, and trinkets to make the adventure just a tad more forgiving overall.
Acolytes can also sell any unwanted items to gain some coveted gold. These areas of respite are incredibly welcome within the Loam Lands. The best items will, of course, be quite expensive so it's encouraged to prioritize buying a new ring, a new health trinket, or a new hood. One of these items should give players a good edge when heading back to the dark lands outside.
2 Understanding The Extensive Skill Tree
Source of Madness has an incredibly deep and nuanced skill tree back at the home temple area. This skill tree is actually broken up into two separate trees, one for acolytes and one for overall progress. The acolyte skill tree gives players the option to spend blood points to unlock new rings, skills, specialties, and general advancements for specific classes.
The other skill tree utilizes both blood points and these green circular orb things called Evenstar that can be used to purchase health flasks, additional dashes, and upgrades to each of these, among other powerful things. However, each skill tree upgrade requires a good deal of currency so it's encouraged to save as much as possible at first in order to get the stronger abilities, items, and skills.
1 Find The Hidden Rooms And Portals
While Source of Madness is a mostly linear affair, despite the highly randomized procedural generation, there are still plenty of secrets to uncover in the Loam Lands. One such secret to discover is the various portals strewn about the lands.
These portals generally lead to one of three locations; a secret treasure chest room, a room full of monsters to defeat to earn coveted loot, or a mini-boss room that, upon defeat, gives players loot and an Evenstar to spend back at the skill tree.