If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Golden Axe met Hades in a dark, cursed kingdom—Mad King Redemption might just be your answer. This upcoming indie title from SECRET MISSION mixes old-school beat ’em up combat with roguelite progression and deckbuilding strategy. It’s gritty, stylish, and full of medieval madness—just the way we like it.

The Story: A Kingdom Consumed by Madness

The once-prosperous realm of Aetheria has fallen into ruin. In a desperate act of grief, the king turned to forbidden magic to resurrect his lost queen—but instead, the spell shattered his sanity and unleashed corruption across the land.

Players take control of a brotherhood of broken heroes, each seeking redemption for their own sins. Their mission is as tragic as it is dangerous: to fight their way through the cursed lands, confront the Mad King, and bring peace (or vengeance) to a world drowning in darkness.

The setup oozes dark fantasy charm—tragic backstories, cursed powers, and that perfect balance between heroism and damnation.

Gameplay: Where Classic Brawling Meets Modern Roguelite Chaos

At its heart, Mad King Redemption is a side-scrolling beat ’em up, but with plenty of modern twists. Think classic arcade action—combos, crowd control, dodges—but layered with progression systems that keep every run fresh.

⚔️ Beat ’Em Up Core

Combat feels fast, fluid, and heavy-hitting. Each hero brings their own fighting style and abilities, giving you multiple ways to tackle the game’s relentless hordes. If you’re into classics like Streets of Rage or Castle Crashers, this will feel familiar—but far deeper.

Deckbuilding & Forbidden Cards

Here’s where things get spicy: between battles, players can acquire and upgrade cards that alter stats, abilities, and even story outcomes. Some cards grant powerful blessings—others, known as Forbidden Cards, grant dark powers at a heavy price. It’s a clever mechanic that ties gameplay directly to the game’s theme of sin and redemption.

Think of it as building your own cursed destiny—one card at a time.

Roguelite Progression

Death isn’t the end in Mad King Redemption. Each failed run makes you stronger, unlocking new heroes, weapons, and cards for your next attempt. Every journey through the corrupted biomes is slightly different, keeping you on your toes while rewarding persistence.

It’s that addictive “just one more run” formula done right.

Heroes, Biomes, and Bosses

The demo gives players a taste of what’s coming—four playable heroes, each with unique combat abilities and redemption arcs. You’ll hack and slash your way through the first major biome, Baron Morgrim’s Dungeon, packed with undead knights, twisted cultists, and traps that punish the careless.

Future updates promise more biomes, bosses, and story chapters as the game builds toward its full release. The team’s focus on hero variety and replayable stages should give it strong legs in the roguelite scene.

Release Info & Platforms

The Mad King Redemption demo launched on Steam during the 2025 Next Fest and is available now for free. You can check it out here on Steam.

The full version is planned for an Early Access release in Q1 2026 on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), with Xbox versions coming later.

If you’re curious, visit the official site at madkingredemption.com for trailers, lore teases, and dev updates.

Why You Should Keep an Eye on Mad King Redemption

Mad King Redemption has all the ingredients for something special. The mix of brawler combat, roguelite structure, and deckbuilding gives it real replay value. The art style is dark yet colorful, the combat looks crunchy, and the atmosphere absolutely nails the gothic-fantasy tone.

If it manages to balance its randomness and polish its combat responsiveness, this could easily become a standout indie hit of 2026.

For fans of Hades, Slay the Spire, or Blasphemous, this one’s worth adding to your wishlist now.

🕹️ Try the Demo:

Download Mad King Redemption Demo on Steam
Visit the Official Website

Mad King Redemption might just be the redemption story the beat ’em up genre didn’t know it needed.