Game Review: Save little Aya in Mad Father
We’re back to the horror RPG review after a long break which gave me the time to play even more amazing games and return with many additions. Today’s review is about Mad Father, a prequel to Misao (reviewed here), that focuses on a different family but with an interesting connection to Misao. Developed by Sen, Mad Father is a freeware horror adventure game made in WOLF RPG Editor. It follows the same pattern as Misao but with a few variations.
Plot
Aya Drevis is a 10 year old girl living in a mansion in Germany with her father and the maid Maria. Her mother passed away a long time ago and Aya is very attached to her father. His work however, is not so normal…he is a scientist, always locked in his lab and strange noises and screams can be heard from inside. When all hell breaks loose demanding revenge, Aya must do her best to survive and discover the secrets behind the monsters and her father’s work. Will you help her in this gothic and bizarre game full of terror and puzzles?
Gameplay
Similar to Misao, Mad Father is also focused on solving puzzles, escaping dangers, collecting items and exploring around the huge mansion. The controls are simple; you press Space or Enter to interact or to collect items, and Esc to open your inventory. The save points appear in many locations in the form of a crow and I suggest you always return to the last known save point to update after you overcome a difficult situation, be it a monster or a puzzle because dangers lurk all around and nothing promises you that you won’t stumble upon something sinister on your next step.
Among the items you need to collect, gems are the most important because by collecting them all you can get extra material after getting the True End. Some of them are very easy to get but for some other you’ll need to perform certain acts to be able to get. If you don’t want to miss any, then I suggest you take a look at the official English translation site’s walkthrough but try not to spoil yourself because the fun lies in solving he puzzles and uncovering the plot by yourself.
Without spoiling anything, I have to say the jump scares are strong with this one, although not at the same level as the Witch’s House (you can read the review here). Most of the game is taking place in the dark which makes the spookiness levels rise more and the creepy sounds and cries will quicken your heartbeat. The game also has many flashbacks important to understand the characters better and unlike Misao it comes with a twist at the end.
Mad Father has many Bad Endings and only one Good Ending, or better the True Ending. Getting a bad ending is easier than you think as the result lies in the small details. With its occasional dark-comical moments like Misao, it is definitely a horror game that stands out.
Graphics & Sounds
Mad Father is a 2D game with pixalated graphics and retro sound effects. The anime designs are very detailed and the BG music is top-notch and distinct. I am actually impressed by the soundtrack of both Misao and Mad Father and how addictive the tunes are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mad Father is a great addition to Sen’s work and I’m sad that he has no plans for now to continue this saga that started with Misao if any of you have heard anything regarding this, please let us know in the comments below. I hope you will enjoy the game as much as I did and I will see you again on the next RPG review.
Download Mad Father for PC here.
An updated Steam version is also available here.
Mad Father screenshots
