Mad King Redemption Early Access Review: Is This Retro Brawler Worth It?

A grieving king turns to forbidden magic, the kingdom collapses into madness, and four unlikely heroes have to fight their way through the wreckage. That is the setup for Mad King Redemption, a retro-styled beat 'em up with roguelite systems that launched into Early Access on Steam and quickly pulled in a much bigger crowd than most indie debuts manage. If you are weighing whether to buy in now or wait for the finished release, this Mad King Redemption early access review walks through the current content, the pricing, the roadmap, and what players are actually saying.

What Is Mad King Redemption?

Mad King Redemption is a side-scrolling brawler from developer and publisher SECRET MISSION. The story follows a kingdom ruined by its ruler, who used forbidden magic in an attempt to bring the queen back from death. The ritual backfired, the king lost his sanity, and the realm fell apart. You play as one of four heroes trying to cut through the chaos.

Mechanically, the game mixes old-school arcade combat with modern touches:

• Classic brawler combat built around deliberate button inputs rather than combo-mashing
• Roguelite structure with randomized elements on every run
• Hero progression that lets you upgrade characters and unlock new skills
• 3D environments paired with retro-inspired art direction and controls
• Four playable characters, each with a distinct combat style, customizable stats, and its own backstory

The developer describes the goal as building a modern beat 'em up for people who genuinely love the genre — not a nostalgia cash-in, but a fresh take on it.

Mad King Redemption Early Access: What's In the Build Right Now

The most important question for any Early Access purchase is simple: how much game is actually there? Here is the at-a-glance picture.

The developer has stated that all four heroes are fully implemented, and that the current build ships nine enemies with their own graphics, lore, and gameplay behavior. The stated target for the Early Access version is one complete world with multiple stages and a larger enemy roster that includes bosses — a figure the team has pegged higher than what is live today, so expect that number to climb as the world is finished.

On the audio and localization side, the game supports English plus thirteen additional languages for interface and subtitles, with English as the only full voice-over track.

Combat, Heroes, and Roguelite Progression

Combat is the heart of any brawler, and Mad King Redemption leans into the "careful button smashing" philosophy — you are rewarded for deliberate attacks, positioning, and timing rather than mindless input spam. Each of the four heroes plays differently enough that switching characters genuinely changes how a run feels.

The roguelite layer is what separates it from a straight arcade throwback. Runs are randomized, so enemy layouts and upgrade opportunities shift between attempts. Between runs, you invest in permanent upgrades and unlock skills, which softens the difficulty curve without removing it.

If you enjoy games where a bad run still teaches you something, this structure will feel familiar and welcoming. If you want a fixed, hand-tuned campaign with no randomness, the roguelite framing may frustrate you.

Price, Bundles, and the Early Access Roadmap

Pricing is one of the strongest arguments for buying now. The game lists at $14.99, and the developer has said it will be discounted during the Early Access period — a stated 50% off — with the price rising once the full version ships. That makes early adoption the cheapest entry point.

There are also bundles that pair the game with other indie titles at a 10% combined saving. According to the store listing, fifteen bundle options exist, so if you already own one of the partner games, check the bundle math before buying separately.

The stated plan is that the full version differs from Early Access mainly in scale — more heroes, more worlds, and a larger enemy roster including additional bosses — rather than a fundamental redesign. That is a reassuring shape for a roadmap, because it means the game you buy today should still be the game you are playing in six months.

Performance, Steam Deck, and System Requirements

Mad King Redemption is Steam Deck Verified, which is a meaningful signal for a brawler: short, repeatable runs are a natural fit for handheld play. The developer also recommends using a controller, and Xbox, DualShock, and DualSense pads are all supported over USB where applicable.

The PC requirements are modest on storage but noticeably hungry on memory.

The 16 GB minimum RAM figure is the one to watch. If your machine is running 8 GB, this is likely a hard blocker rather than a settings tweak. A macOS version is also listed on the store page.

Community Reception and Update Cadence

Player sentiment has been strongly positive so far. The Steam summary sits at "Very Positive," with roughly 84% of 160 user reviews recommending the game. Community reports also point to a healthy launch window — the developer announced a peak of more than 50,000 new players across all platforms in a single week.

Update frequency looks solid for an Early Access title. A recent patch — labeled Patch 5, version 1.20.15 — added a new room and quest, reworked a boss, and delivered bug fixes plus audio improvements. That combination matters: adding content and fixing foundations at the same time is the pattern you want to see from a small studio.

One caveat worth stating plainly: Early Access review scores are volatile. A strong first impression does not guarantee that later patches land well, and with only a few hundred reviews recorded, the numbers can swing quickly.

Should You Buy Mad King Redemption Early Access Now?

Here is the honest split.

Buy now if you:

• Love beat 'em ups and want to support a genre that rarely gets new entries
• Want the lowest price, since the developer has confirmed a discount during Early Access
• Enjoy roguelite progression and randomized runs
• Want to influence development through Discord feedback and playtests
• Plan to play on Steam Deck or with a controller

Wait if you:

• Only play finished, feature-complete games
• Want the full roster of heroes, worlds, and bosses before spending money
• Are sensitive to bugs or balance changes that come with an in-progress build

At $14.99 with a stated discount, the risk is low and the ceiling is high. If you are on the fence, wishlisting the game and watching the next two or three patches is a perfectly reasonable middle path.

FAQ

Is Mad King Redemption early access worth buying in 2026? For beat 'em up fans, yes. The game holds a Very Positive rating, receives regular patches, and costs less during Early Access than it will at full launch. If you only buy complete games, waiting is equally valid.

How long will Mad King Redemption stay in Early Access? The developer has said they expect roughly six to nine months in Early Access after the initial release, with the full version expanding the number of heroes, worlds, and enemies.

Does Mad King Redemption have co-op? Yes. It supports shared/split-screen co-op along with Remote Play Together and Family Sharing, so you can play locally or stream to a friend.

Will the price increase after Early Access ends? The developer has stated the game is discounted during Early Access, which implies a higher price at full release. Buying early is the cheaper option if you already know you want it.

For the most current details on patches, bundles, and system requirements, check the official Mad King Redemption store page on Steam, which is updated with each new build.