Madison is a first-person Psychological Horror video game developed independently by Bloodious Games. It was their debut game that released on July 8, 2022, for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and later on Nintendo Switch August 26, 2022.
Set in 2022, Madison centers on Luca Maxwell, who is trying to escape his grandfather's home. As he explores, he begins to unfold the traumatic events that led him there, as well as understanding his family history with a strange entity.
Tropes found in Madison:
- All for Nothing: It is implied at first that Luca is trying to escape the house in order to prevent Madison from using the ritual to revive herself. However by the time you place the needed items on the alter its abundantly apparent that you’re going to continue the ritual.
- Anti-Frustration Features: Whenever you are pursued by an entity that can kill you, the game will save your progress and you can pick up directly before you died.
- Arc Number: 7, the number of sacrifices needed for Madison to return to the world of the living.
- Always Night: No matter how long you play, the night will never go away and the rain will never stop.
- Black Eyes of Evil: Blue Knees has no eyes and where they should be is pure black.
- Big Bad: Madison is the demonic entity that is manipulating you from the start.
- Big, Screwed-Up Family: The Maxwells full stop.
- Albert bought a home in a rural town that was plagued with problems. Chose to dismiss both his wife and son until it was too late and to top it off also bought the camera Luca owns which turns out to be the possessed item Madison inhabits. While he spent the majority of his later life trying to apologize to those he harmed it didn’t help.
- Elizabeth was hunted by Blue Knees and slowly driven insane. Eventually turning on her husband and almost running away with her son. While she was trying to keep it at bay the monster eventually killed her and she left two broken individuals.
- Johnny was absolutely terrified of Blue Knees and slowly began to recover only for his father to gift Luca the camera that would house Madison’s spirit which in turn killed both his wife and daughter.
- Contrived Coincidence: Albert manages to purchase the camera a serial killer desperately wanted during their dying breath. It is eluded to that it was a rather expensive but the camera is rather old and in an era digital devices it would’ve made far more sense to just gift him that.
- Creepy Basement: Averted at first, near the mid game you will once again delve further into the basement wherein Madison will start playing with your surroundings.
- Creepy Cathedral: Midway through the game Madison causes the player to teleport there to grab her skull for the ritual.
- Expy: Blue Knees has similar characteristics to that of a certain creepypasta monster. A book bought by the family at a garage sale. The being watching and slowly stalking the family. A gaunt and slender frame and concave eyes. Pretty much an alternate universe The Rake. Although it lacks its sharp claws and rather morbid history.
- Facial Horror: Both Madison and Blue Knees have malformed faces. You won’t be able to see them in the dark but Madison doesn’t have a lower jaw and Blue Knees is missing his eyes.
- Ghostapo: In the church after listening to a confession of a crying woman she writes you a note clarifying that her dead husband is now after you. When he was alive he served under the Nazi Germany and now he is ghost capable of overpowering Madison if need be.
- Gorn: While the game is light on gore. Madison’s well is filled with limbs. Being the only place where gore is shown.
- Inner Monologue: Luca will comment on the goings on in the game.
- Jump Scare: Essentially many players consider it to be Jumpscare: The game. Not that’s a bad thing though.
- Locked Door: In order to progress the game almost every door needs to be opened by a key or special item. It becomes absolutely necessary in the end game since you will have a good collection by this point.
- Magical Camera: Luca’s camera can reveal hidden doors, walls, and cause time to shift. Also hurt supernatural brings to some degree.
- Nightmarish Nursery: When you encounter Blue Knees Johnny’s old room is in the form of a nursery like the one in his childhood. This time however there is a large hole in the center that contains a large amount of eyes gathered by Blue Knees.
- Right Hand Versus Left Hand: Despite them both being supernatural beings both Madison and Blue Knees get in each others way. While Madison definitely trapped Hans Goring she has absolutely no idea how to handle Blue Knees. She doesn’t attempt to use her power to stop him or try to stop Luca from furthering the progress towards Blue Knees. Plus Blue Knees clearly couldn’t even be bothered with her either. Both of them need Luca alive but don’t seem to want to communicate that.
- Repressed Memories: Luca initially forgets that he killed both his sister and mother. Later on he begins to accept the truth and believes he is a monster.
- Shout-Out: To P.T. for obvious reasons. Alone in a house with a supernatural presence. The haunting atmosphere and paranoia.
- Villain: Exit, Stage Left: Despite playing a major part of the church area Hans Goring ends up pursuing Luca into Madison’s hallway where he attempts to kill him. He never reappears despite his ongoing pursuit..
- Villain Song: Blue Knees has song that drives his victims mad. You have to use the gramophone to both listen to it and stop him.
