- Mad King Redemption test footage highlights combat, heroes, upgrades, and early progression.
- Controller support is recommended, while keyboard controls remain available for PC players.
- Valraven offers a sword-focused style, while Branok emphasizes stronger close-range attacks.
- Early runs teach movement, parrying, item collection, shops, and randomized route choices.
- Current status: the game launched in Early Access on May 14, 2026.
Mad King Redemption test: What to Expect
The Mad King Redemption test experience centers on short, repeatable runs through a fallen kingdom controlled by a corrupted ruler. The game combines old-school beat ’em up combat with roguelite progression, randomized elements, upgrade purchases, and multiple playable heroes.
The core loop is easy to understand: choose a hero, enter a run, defeat enemies, collect gold and items, make route decisions, and try again after defeat. Each attempt can reveal new encounters, stronger equipment, or a different path through the dungeon.
The official Mad King Redemption Steam page lists the game as an action, adventure, indie, and strategy title in Early Access. It supports single-player and shared or split-screen cooperative play, with Remote Play Together also listed among its features.
Video Highlights:
- The playtest covers hero selection, movement, jumping, parrying, attacks, and special abilities.
- Early areas include shops, tutorial-style NPC interactions, destructible objects, and dungeon routes.
- The run recap records enemies defeated, damage dealt, damage received, and objects destroyed.
- The footage demonstrates both controller-oriented prompts and keyboard input during combat.
| Test Area | What It Includes | Practical Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Hero selection | Valraven, Branok, and Eloin shown during the test | Choose a combat style that matches your comfort level |
| Combat | Attacks, jumps, parries, specials, and enemy encounters | Learn timing before entering difficult rooms |
| Progression | Gold, upgrades, equipment, passives, and run choices | Spend resources carefully between encounters |
| Exploration | Corridors, lifts, rooms, barrels, bookcases, and route splits | Check the environment before committing to a path |
| Run recap | Defeated enemies, damage totals, objects destroyed, and used powers | Review mistakes before starting another attempt |
Treat the opening run as a tutorial rather than a score chase. Use it to identify every action, test the parry timing, and learn which buttons trigger attacks, jumps, and special moves.
Controls and Playtest Setup
Controls are one of the most important parts of the test. The playtest supports both a joystick or controller and a keyboard, but the on-screen prompts can feel easier to follow with a controller. The official store listing also recommends playing with a controller and lists support for Xbox, DualShock, and DualSense controllers.
Keyboard players should spend time in the options menu before beginning a serious run. The test footage uses movement keys alongside several nearby action keys, including separate inputs for jumping, parrying, and other abilities. That layout may require adjustment, particularly during fast enemy attacks.
The most reliable setup is the one that makes every combat action easy to reach without looking away from the screen. If your hands feel strained or you repeatedly press the wrong action, pause the run and review the control layout rather than forcing the same configuration.
| Input Category | Test Function | Recommended Check |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | Walk through rooms and approach objects | Confirm directional input before entering combat |
| Jump | Clear gaps and reach elevated spaces | Practice near safe platforms |
| Attack | Damage enemies and break objects | Test range against a basic enemy |
| Parry | Defend against incoming attacks | Learn the timing against slower enemies |
| Special | Trigger a stronger combat ability | Save it for groups or tougher targets |
| Interaction | Speak with NPCs and purchase upgrades | Confirm the correct action prompt before spending gold |
Open the Options Menu
Check audio, sound effects, controller detection, and the displayed control scheme before starting a run. The test footage shows that sound effects can be adjusted separately, so confirm that combat feedback is audible.
Test Every Action Safely
Move around the starting area and try the attack, jump, parry, special, and interaction inputs. Do not enter the first difficult room until you know which button performs each action.
Choose a Comfortable Layout
Controller players should verify that the face buttons and defensive input feel natural. Keyboard players should prioritize familiar keys and avoid placing essential actions too close together.
Begin a Learning Run
Enter the dungeon with the goal of learning enemy patterns and route structure. Record which actions caused mistakes, then change the setup before the next attempt.
Do not rely on a familiar PC keybind convention without checking the in-game prompts. The test uses action labels that may not match the keys you normally expect for jumping, parrying, or attacking.
Heroes, Combat, and Enemy Encounters
The test presents several heroes with different combat identities. Valraven is introduced as a sword master, while Branok is shown using powerful close-range strikes. Eloin is also available in the selection screen, although the test provides less combat detail for that character.
Combat rewards deliberate movement more than constant button pressing. Enemies can surround the hero, interrupt an attack, or punish a missed defensive action. Jumping can help reposition, while parrying provides an important answer to incoming attacks when its timing is understood.
Environmental objects are also part of the run. Barrels and other breakable objects can contain useful pickups or contribute to the run’s destruction totals. Some rooms include elevated furniture or platforms that affect enemy reach and positioning, but these areas should be treated as temporary advantages rather than guaranteed safety.
Valraven
- Sword-focused hero
- Balanced starting option
- Good choice for learning attack range and spacing
Branok
- Strong close-range attacks
- Punch-based combat style
- Suitable for players who prefer direct pressure
Eloin
- Available in the hero selection screen
- Combat profile requires additional testing
- Consider after learning the basic systems
Parry Practice
- Defensive timing is central to survival
- Test against slower enemies first
- Avoid button mashing during crowded encounters
| Combat Situation | Safer Response | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| One basic enemy | Attack, step away, and repeat | Standing inside the enemy’s range |
| Several enemies | Create space, then use a special | Fighting the whole group in one corner |
| Incoming heavy attack | Attempt a timed parry or retreat | Pressing defensive input too early |
| Elevated platform | Use it to reposition temporarily | Assuming enemies cannot reach you |
| Tough encounter | Save healing and special resources | Spending every ability on weak targets |
A good early pattern is to attack once or twice, observe the enemy response, and then reposition. This creates more room to identify attack timing. When a parry fails, do not immediately repeat the same input; back away and reset the encounter instead.
Survival comes before destruction totals. A slower fight that preserves health and special resources is usually more valuable than a fast exchange that leaves the hero exposed.
Gold, Upgrades, and Run Progression
Gold is used at shop-style NPCs to purchase improvements during a run. The test shows options connected to maximum stamina, throwable knives, strong armor, and an artifact. Available funds may not cover every option, so each purchase should support the hero’s immediate needs.
Equipment can appear as a pickup during exploration. Strong armor and a life bottle are shown as useful discoveries, with the life bottle restoring health. Because runs contain randomized elements, the exact order of encounters, items, and routes may vary between attempts.
The game’s progression model combines temporary run decisions with broader hero development. The Steam listing describes customizable stats, multiple skills, and deep roguelite elements. Early Access begins with four playable characters and one complete world containing multiple stages, while the planned full version is intended to expand the number of heroes, worlds, enemies, and bosses.
| Upgrade or Pickup | Function | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum stamina | Increases stamina capacity | Useful when movement or defensive actions feel limited |
| Throwable knives | Adds a ranged option | Helpful for creating distance or weakening targets |
| Strong armor | Provides a defensive improvement | Prioritize before a difficult combat route |
| Artifact | Adds a special progression effect | Select when its benefit matches your build |
| Life bottle | Restores health | Save for a dangerous section or after major damage |
| Gold | Purchases run upgrades | Spend at a shop after checking upcoming needs |
Playtest Preparation Checklist:
- Confirm every movement and combat input
- Test the parry against a slow enemy
- Collect and inspect the first useful pickup
- Spend gold only after comparing available upgrades
- Review the run recap after defeat
The most useful upgrade depends on the current run. Defensive improvements are attractive when health is low or enemy damage is rising. Stamina matters when repeated movement, jumping, or defensive actions are required. Offensive or utility options become more valuable when the hero already has enough survivability to reach the next route.
Spend gold with the next encounter in mind. A modest defensive upgrade can be more valuable than a stronger offensive option if the upcoming route contains unfamiliar enemies or limited room to maneuver.
A Reliable Test Route for New Players
A structured first session makes the game easier to evaluate. Instead of restarting after every mistake, complete one full learning attempt and record the systems that need more practice. This approach reveals whether the problem comes from controls, combat timing, route selection, or resource use.
Start by checking the hub area and speaking with available NPCs. Shopkeepers can explain upgrade opportunities, while training characters introduce combat concepts such as fighting and parrying. After that, enter the first route and inspect objects, pickups, and environmental gaps.
Route choices may change between runs. The test demonstrates different outcomes involving a lift and separate dungeon paths, suggesting that players should remain flexible rather than memorizing only one sequence. When a run ends, use the recap to identify whether damage taken, missed parries, or poor resource spending caused the defeat.
| Phase | Objective | Success Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Configure sound and controls | Every action is easy to identify |
| Hub | Speak with NPCs and inspect upgrades | You understand where gold can be spent |
| First room | Practice attacks and movement | Basic enemies can be handled without panic |
| Route choice | Follow the available dungeon path | You identify how the current run differs |
| Review | Read the run recap | You know what to change next attempt |
Change only one major variable between attempts. If you change the hero, controls, route, and upgrade plan at the same time, it becomes harder to determine which decision improved the run.
Q: What is the Mad King Redemption test focused on?
The test focuses on the game’s early combat loop, including hero selection, movement, jumping, parrying, special attacks, shop upgrades, environmental objects, randomized routes, and run recaps.
Q: Is a controller recommended for Mad King Redemption?
Yes. The Steam listing recommends a controller and lists support for Xbox, DualShock, and DualSense controllers. Keyboard input is also available, but players should verify the layout before beginning a serious run.
Q: Which hero should a new player choose first?
Valraven is a sensible starting point because the test introduces the character as a sword master and provides a straightforward way to learn spacing. Branok is a strong alternative for players who prefer close-range attacks.
Q: What happens after a failed run?
The run ends with a recap showing statistics such as enemies destroyed, damage taken, damage dealt, objects destroyed, and powers used. Use those results to adjust controls, route choices, combat timing, or resource spending.