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{{Short description|1999 video game}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2007}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Infobox video game
|title = Shadow Madness
| title = Shadow Madness
|image = [[File:Shadow Madness.jpg|256px]]
| image = Shadow Madness.jpg
| image_size = 256px
⚫
|developer = [[Craveyard Studios]]
| caption = European PlayStation cover art
⚫
|publisher = [[Crave Entertainment]]
⚫
| developer = [[Craveyard Studios]]{{efn|Additional work by [[Lobotomy Studios]].}}
⚫
|producer= [[Ted Woolsey]]
⚫
| publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|[[Crave Entertainment]]|EU|[[Sony Computer Entertainment]]}}
⚫
|designer= Paul Reed
⚫
| producer = [[Ted Woolsey]]<br />Tracey Montoya
⚫
|artist= Annabella Serra
| designer = Ted Woolsey<br />Paul Reed
|engine =
⚫
| artist = Annabella Serra
⚫
|released = {{vgrelease|NA=April 30, 1999|EU=February 25, 2000}}
⚫
| writer = Paul Reed
⚫
|genre = [[Tactical role-playing game|Tactical role-playing]]
| composer = Brad Spear
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|modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
⚫
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|May 25, 1999|EU|February 25, 2000}}
⚫
|platforms = [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
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| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
⚫
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
⚫
| platforms = [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
}}
}}
'''''Shadow Madness''''' is a [[role-playing video game]] developed by [[Craveyard Studios]] and published by [[Crave Entertainment]] for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]. Set in the fictional world of Arkose, the player takes the role as Stinger, whose town has just been destroyed as a result a mysterious plague that is spreading quickly across the land. Stinger meets many friends and foes on his way to finding out how the chaos started and how it can be stopped. In traditional RPG fashion, gameplay consists of exploring towns and dungeons, collecting equipment and items, and interacting with [[non-player character]]s in environments featuring [[3D computer graphics|3D]] polygonal models set on [[2D computer graphics|2D]] pre-rendered backgrounds. [[Random encounter|Random]], turn-based battles take place in fully-3D environments, where the player can execute various attacks and spells against enemies, gain [[experience point]]s, and increase characters' attributes.


Development of ''Shadow Madness'' began with ex-[[Square (video game company)|Square]] employees who remained in [[Redmond, Washington]] when its North American division moved to [[Los Angeles]]. The group, called Big Rain, was led by [[Ted Woolsey]], a translator responsible for localizing Square's prominent [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (SNES) RPGs. After announcing ''Shadow Madness'' during the summer of 1997, publisher [[ASCII Corporation|ASCII Entertainment]] quickly dropped the game. The rights were subsequently purchased by [[Seattle]]-based Crave, which absorbed Big Rain and renamed the team Craveyard Studios. The developer put a large emphasis on crafting the game's story for older audiences and chose to develop it on the PlayStation due to the console's ability to display [[full motion video]] (FMV) cutscenes. [[Lobotomy Software|Lobotomy Studios]] aided development by creating the game's [[first-person perspective]] [[minigame]]s.
'''''Shadow Madness''''' is a turn-based [[Tactical role-playing game|tactical role-playing]] video game, the first video game developed by [[Crave Entertainment]]. The game achieved mixed reviews. ''Shadow Madness'' was packaged with a separate demo disc for ''[[Jade Cocoon]]''.<ref name="shadow_cocoon">{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=March 18, 1999 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/19/shadow-madness-cocoons-a-demo | title=Shadow Madness Cocoons a Demo | publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>

After numerous delays, ''Shadow Madness'' was released in North America in mid-1999 and in Europe in early 2000. The game was met an overall mixed response from critics, who universally compared the game to Square's ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. Reviewers for ''Shadow Madness'' largely panned the graphics and gameplay but made positive comments regarding its plot, script, and musical score. ''Shadow Madness'' was a commercial failure, leading to the dissolution of both Craveyard and Lobotomy. A version of the game was released by [[Piko Interactive]] and [[Bleem!]] was released for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] via [[Steam (service)|Steam]] on February 15, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-01 |title=PlayStation RPG Shadow Madness coming to PC on February 15 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/02/playstation-rpg-shadow-madness-coming-to-pc-on-february-15 |access-date=2022-07-08 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
The player's party consists of three members, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In battle, the player has a choice of using physical attacks, magic, items and escape. It plays the same on the field in terms of using inventory, moving about and talking to [[non-player character]]s.
The player's party consists of three members, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In battle, the player has a choice of using physical attacks, magic, items and escape. It plays the same on the field in terms of using inventory, moving about and talking to [[non-player character]]s.


Battles in ''Shadow Madness'' are random, but one unique aspect of this system lets players avoid some battles. When exploring, the growl of a monster is heard. Pressing L2 and R2 simultaneously will make Stinger "hide" on the ground and doing this allows the player to possibly avoid a battle altogether. ''Shadow Madness'' uses some elements of Square's [[Active-Time Battle]] system. In particular, enemies will not wait to attack. The maximum level of experience a character can reach is 15. Characters can unleash powerful "summons" during battle.
Battles are random. When exploring, the growl of a monster is heard. Pressing L2 and R2 simultaneously will make Stinger "hide" on the ground and possibly avoid a battle altogether.<ref name=OPMUK>{{cite magazine | last=Nicholson | first=Zy | url=https://archive.org/details/Official_UK_Playstation_Magazine_Issue_055_2000-02_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n119 | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[PlayStation Official Magazine – UK|Official UK PlayStation Magazine]] | publisher=[[Future Publishing]] | issue=55 | date=February 2000 | page=121}}</ref> ''Shadow Madness'' uses some elements of Square's [[Active-Time Battle]] system. In particular, enemies will not wait to attack. As in ''[[Super Mario RPG]]'', performance in battle is largely determined by the timing of button presses.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The RPG Revolution|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=106 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=May 1998|page=81}}</ref> The maximum level of experience a character can reach is 15. Characters can unleash powerful "summons" during battle.


''Shadow Madness'' features 3D polygonal models on 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, with the battle scenes taking place in a fully 3D environment. The game includes CG cutscenes to further the storyline.
''Shadow Madness'' features 3D polygonal models on 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, with the battle scenes taking place in a fully 3D environment. The game includes CG cutscenes to further the storyline.
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===Story===
===Story===
The storyline is centered on saving the world from a mysterious plague that is spreading quickly. The player takes the role as Stinger, whose town has just been destroyed. The player meets many friends and foes on their way to finding out how the chaos started and how it can be stopped.
The storyline is centered on saving the world from a mysterious plague that is spreading quickly.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Shadow Madness |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=105 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=April 1998|page=66}}</ref> The player takes the role as Stinger, whose town has just been destroyed. The player meets many friends and foes on their way to finding out how the chaos started and how it can be stopped.


===Characters===
===Characters===
* '''Stinger''' &mdash; When the chaos wipes out his hometown, he vows to end the chaos.
* '''Stinger''' &mdash; When the chaos wipes out his hometown, he vows to end the chaos.
* '''Windleaf''' &mdash; Joins Stinger after her secluded sylvan village gets attacked.
* '''Windleaf''' &mdash; Joins Stinger after her secluded sylvan village gets attacked.
* '''Harv-5''' &mdash; Robot originally created for harvesting crops, but when the demons destroy his fields and home he sets out to find out his purpose. His catchphrase of sorts is "There will be death."
* '''Harv-5''' &mdash; A robot originally created for harvesting crops, but when the demons destroy his fields and home he sets out to find out his purpose. His catchphrase of sorts is "There will be death."
* '''Xero Von Moon''' &mdash; Mage Warrior who has been resurrected from his deep sleep, he has no body so floats around with just his head.
* '''Xero Von Moon''' &mdash; A Mage Warrior who has been resurrected from his deep sleep, he has no body so he floats around with just his head.
* '''Clemett''' &mdash; He is a native Gadgeteer, but he didn't agree with how they lived so went to live with humans, and when the chaos started he vowed to protect his 'Friends'.
* '''Clemett''' &mdash; He is a native Gadgeteer, but he didn't agree with how they lived so he went to live with humans, and when the chaos started he vowed to protect his 'Friends'.
* '''Jirina''' &mdash; She is a proud Org-Ta and a native of the underground world known as Wyldern. Her people have been enslaved by the Darg who turned a once peaceful land into a twisted hell. She vows to get revenge.
* '''Jirina''' &mdash; She is a proud Org-Ta and a native of the underground world known as Wyldern. Her people have been enslaved by the Darg who turned a once peaceful land into a twisted hell. She vows to get revenge.


==Development==
==Development==
Conception of ''Shadow Madness'' began with Big Rain, a small group of employees of the North American branch of Japanese developer [[Square (video game company)|Square]], located in [[Redmond, Washington]].<ref name="asciispeaks">{{cite web | author=Douglas, Adam | date=August 4, 1997 | title=ASCII speaks | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/08/05/ascii-speaks | publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=February 3, 2019 | archive-date=October 7, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007090848/https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/08/05/ascii-speaks | url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the English localization of its [[role-playing video game|RPG]] ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'', Square moved its operations from Redmond to [[Los Angeles]]. Square's old offices were purchased by the group, which included [[Ted Woolsey]], a translator for Square's popular [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] RPGs including ''[[Secret of Mana]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', and ''[[Chrono Trigger]]''.<ref name="rpgamer">{{cite web | author=PSMOnline | date=1998 | title=At the Mouth of Madness | url=http://archive.rpgamer.com/games/other/psx/smad/text/info/twint.html | publisher=RPGamer | accessdate=February 9, 2019 | archive-date=May 31, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531173633/https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/other/psx/smad/text/info/twint.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Woolsey served as Vice President of Internal Development for Big Rain and acted as a designer, [[video game producer|executive producer]], and one of several script writers for ''Shadow Madness''.<ref name="gamasutra">{{cite web | author=Cifaldi, Frank | date=August 29, 2005 | title=Playing Catch-Up: Ted Woolsey | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6361 | work=[[Gamasutra]] | publisher=[[UBM Technology Group]] | accessdate=February 3, 2019 | archive-date=October 7, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007150612/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6361 | url-status=live }}</ref> The Japanese company [[ASCII Corporation|ASCII Entertainment]] signed on as the game's initial publisher while production began in earnest in mid-1997.<ref name="asciispeaks"/><ref name="gamedeveloper">{{cite magazine | author=Guymon, Mel | title=Artist's View: So, You Want to Make a Console Game? | magazine=[[Game Developer (magazine)|Game Developer]] | publisher=[[UBM Technology Group]] | date=December 1998 | pages=22–4 | issn=1073-922X}}</ref> ASCII formally announced ''Shadow Madness'' during the summer 1997 [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]] (E3) with a projected first quarter 1998 release.<ref name="asciispeaks"/><ref name="gamefan">{{cite magazine | author=''GameFan'' staff | date=August 1997 |title=''GameFan'' Presents 1997 E3 | magazine=[[GameFan]] | publisher= Shinno Media Corp | volume=5 | issue=8 | page=77 | issn=1092-7212}}</ref> Development stalled when ASCII dropped the game shortly thereafter due to lack of funds.<ref name="rpgamer"/><ref>{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=August 22, 1997 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/08/23/ascii-drops-rpg-2 | title=Ascii Drops RPG | publisher=IGN | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref> Big Rain eventually merged with the newly established [[Crave Entertainment]], a [[Seattle]]-based company which bought the publishing rights to ''Shadow Madness'' from ASCII.<ref name="gamasutra"/><ref>{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=November 17, 1997 | title=Return of the Madness | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/11/18/return-of-the-madness | publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=February 3, 2019 | archive-date=March 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312135436/https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/11/18/return-of-the-madness | url-status=live }}</ref> Big Rain was renamed Craveyard and assigned development of all the company's future RPG releases.<ref>{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=April 9, 1998 | title=Exclusive Interview: Crave Entertainment | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/04/10/exclusive-interview-crave-entertainment | publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=February 3, 2019 | archive-date=April 4, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404005201/https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/04/10/exclusive-interview-crave-entertainment | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Cifaldi, Frank | date=August 29, 2005 | title=Interview: Microsoft's Woosley On What It Takes To Be Published On XBLA | url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/125548/Interview_Microsofts_Woosley_On_What_It_Takes_To_Be_Published_On_XBLA.php | work=[[Gamasutra]] | publisher=[[UBM Technology Group]]|accessdate=February 3, 2019}}</ref>
''Shadow Madness''{{'}} development team Big Rain included [[Ted Woolsey]], who helped script the story. Paul Reed, who wrote game's story, previously worked on the Super Nintendo action role-playing game ''[[Secret of Evermore]]'' before making ''Shadow Madness''. He later worked on ''[[Metroid Prime]]'' for the GameCube. Most of Shadow Madness' development staff were new to the industry, learning as they went along while designing the game.{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}}


Despite its overt similarities to ''Final Fantasy VII'', Woolsey insisted that ''Shadow Madness'' was not developed as a [[video game clone|clone]] of that game.<ref name="gia">{{cite web | author=Vestal, Andrew | date=January 1, 1999 | title=Interview with Ted Woolsey | url=http://archive.thegia.com/features/f990101b.html | publisher=The Gaming Intelligence Agency | accessdate=February 9, 2019 | archive-date=March 11, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311223121/http://archive.thegia.com/features/f990101b.html | url-status=live }}</ref> As such, the developer focused heavily on crafting the game's plot in order to distinguish it from other RPGs.<ref name="rpgamer"/><ref name="gia"/><ref name="psm">{{cite magazine | author=''PSM'' staff | date=February 1999 | title=Monitor: Q & A with Ted Woolsey | magazine=[[PlayStation: The Official Magazine|PSM 100% Independent PlayStation Magazine]] | publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] | volume=3 | number=2 | pages=22–3 | issn=1095-4163}}</ref> He claimed that the purpose of ''Shadow Madness'' was "to tell a great story" and did refer to the commercial and critical success of ''Final Fantasy VII'' as proof that players of the time were interested in darker, more mature storylines than previous Japanese RPGs that had made their way to Western territories.<ref name="rpgamer"/> As such, the text in ''Shadow Madness'' was aimed more towards teenagers and young adults than towards children and was written to make players empathetic to the characters' situations.<ref name="psm"/> Woolsey described the game's themes as realistic, including how widespread disease and the ensuing "rumor" about such disease could affect a person's life. He stated, "It's a matter of being thrown out there, unprepared, and trying to learn about the world around you and come up with some reason for what's happened to you."<ref name="rpgamer"/> Similarly, Woolsey explained how this approach to storytelling would still use the more traditional RPG paradigm of a hero's journey to obtain power and eventually defeat a malevolent force. "Part of this game is the notion that 'evil' is transmitted through ideas, through communication, and will exist at least until the idea of the 'hero' is powerful enough to supplant the idea of the 'other'."<ref name="gia"/>
Prior to its release, publisher [[ASCII (company)|ASCII Entertainment]] dropped the game, possibly due to the company's lack of funds.<ref>{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=August 22, 1997 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/08/23/ascii-drops-rpg-2 | title=Ascii Drops RPG | publisher=IGN | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref> ''Shadow Madness'' was later picked up by Crave Entertainment. Woolsey looked to ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' as proof that players were interested in mature role-playing games with realistic graphics.<ref>http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/psx/smad/text/info/twint.html</ref>


To help present the storyline, the design team chose to develop ''Shadow Madness'' on the PlayStation because of the platform's ability to display non-interactive [[full motion video|FMV]] cutscenes. Once the project started, the art team was formed to work on its FMVs and more than 800 stationary backgrounds.<ref name="gamedeveloper"/> This team was led by [[art director]] Annabella Serra, who previously worked at [[Industrial Light & Magic]] and helped create the [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] visual effects in the film ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]''.<ref name="gameinformer">{{cite magazine | last1=McNamara | first1=Andy | last2=Anderson | first2=Paul | last3=Reiner | first3=Andrew | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | title=''Shadow Madness'' | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | issue=72 | date=April 1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408140914/http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | archivedate=April 8, 2000 | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref> Artists for the game were made up of professional animators, clay modelers, and military cartographers.<ref name="rpgamer"/> A separate engineering team was formed to implement the art into the game's 3D [[game engine|engine]] via a toolset. Pre-rendered content was built on [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations running the [[PowerAnimator]] (Alias) 3D graphics suite and [[RenderMan Interface Specification|RenderMan]]. Real-time 3D characters and static backgrounds were achieved using [[Autodesk 3ds Max|3D Studio Max]] software in conjunction with the [[Non-uniform rational B-spline|NURBS]] tool in PowerAnimator.<ref name="gamedeveloper"/> For interactive portions of the game, two different graphical formats were used due to the team's financial budget and the PlayStation's limited [[Random-access memory|RAM]] storage space. In "weeble mode" players navigate 2D backgrounds containing low-[[Image resolution|resolution]] 3D models. To give these backgrounds a cinematic feel, the team employed various filmmaking skills such as camera control, field-of-view manipulation, and the use of overlays for [[parallax]] effects. In "battle mode" high-resolution models exist in fully-rendered 3D environments shown with a moving camera.<ref name="gamedeveloper"/> A large amount of the project's expense came from adjusting 3D character animation and geometry. Characters and objects were detailed with [[texture mapping]] and [[Graph coloring|vertex coloring]]. The team took advantage of the PlayStation's unconventional .HMD format, which would allow for real-time [[interpolation]] between [[key frame]]s for smooth animation and low memory use.<ref name="gamedeveloper"/> The game's [[first-person perspective]] [[minigame]]s were developed by members of [[Lobotomy Software]], another Seattle-based studio whose previous work entailed porting [[personal computer|PC]] [[first-person shooter]]s to consoles and developing the [[Playmates Toys#Playmates Interactive|Playmates Interactive]] original shooter ''[[PowerSlave]]''.<ref name="gia"/><ref name="ign">{{cite web | author=Harris, Craig | date=June 7, 1999 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/08/shadow-madness | title=Shadow Madness | publisher=IGN | accessdate=March 8, 2016 | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308110650/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/08/shadow-madness | url-status=live }}</ref> After being renamed Lobotomy Studios, senior staff members were integrated into Crave in 1998.<ref>{{cite web | author=Fielder, Lauren | date=March 30, 1998 | title=Crave Gets a Lobotomy | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2463119,00.html | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020220213612/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2463119,00.html | work=[[GameSpot]] | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | accessdate=February 10, 2019 | archivedate=February 20, 2002}}</ref>
A version for the [[Game.com]] was in development, but was ultimately cancelled.


===Music===
==Release==
After being showcased at the summer 1998 E3 show, ''Shadow Madness'' was on track for a November release that year.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=''GamePro'' staff | date=August 1998 | title=E3 Showstoppers! Role-Player's Realm | magazine=[[GamePro]] | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] | issue=109 | page=66 | issn=1042-8658}}</ref> However, it was delayed to early 1999 so that the developer could add new features and refine both the gameplay and screen text.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Game Informer'' staff | date=October 1998 | title=''GI'' News: Crave Holds Back on ''Shadow Madness'' | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | publisher=Sunrise Publications | issue=66 | page=24 | issn=1067-6392}}</ref> With a projected North American launch in April, customers who preordered ''Shadow Madness'' from [[EB Games|Electronics Boutique]], [[GameStop#History|Software Etc.]], and [[GameStop#History|Babbages]] received a [[game demo|demo disc]] of the game.<ref>{{cite web | author=GIA staff | date=March 17, 1999 | title=''Lunar'' and ''Shadow Madness'' demos soon available | url=http://thegia.com/archive/news/n990317a.html | publisher=The Gaming Intelligence Agency | accessdate=February 9, 2019}}</ref> Customers who reserved the Crave-published RPG ''[[Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu]]'' through Electronics Boutique also received a demo of ''Shadow Madness'', a rebate towards the retail version of ''Shadow Madness'', and a cloth map of the ''Shadow Madness'' overworld.<ref>{{cite web | author=GIA staff | date=March 7, 1999 | title=''Shadow Madness'' reservation offer | url=http://thegia.com/archive/news/n990307a.html | publisher=The Gaming Intelligence Agency | accessdate=February 9, 2019}}</ref> The release for ''Shadow Madness'' was pushed back to its final, North American launch date of May 25, 1999 to allow the developer to further test and amend its gameplay.<ref>{{cite web | author=GIA staff | date=April 25, 1999 | title=''Shadow Madness'' pushed back | url=http://thegia.com/archive/news/n990429a.html | publisher=The Gaming Intelligence Agency | accessdate=February 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Chu, Ken | date=May 1, 1999 | title=''Shadow Madness'' delayed | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/1999/281.html | publisher=RPGFan | accessdate=February 9, 2019 | archive-date=September 5, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905223220/http://www.rpgfan.com/news/1999/281.html | url-status=live }}</ref> The two-disc game was packaged with a separate demo disc for ''Jade Cocoon''.<ref>{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=March 18, 1999 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/19/shadow-madness-cocoons-a-demo | title=''Shadow Madness'' Cocoons a Demo | publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016 | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308061557/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/19/shadow-madness-cocoons-a-demo | url-status=live }}</ref> ''Shadow Madness'' sold poorly.<ref name="gamasutra"/> Crave Entertainment allowed Craveyard and Lobotomy to complete a European version of the game to be released by [[Sony Computer Entertainment]] before closing both studios and giving their employees the option to relocate to the parent company's new base of operations in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web | author=Mullen, Michael | date=June 2, 1999 | title=Crave Clarifies | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2450983,00.html | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020412073731/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2450983,00.html | work=[[GameSpot]] | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | accessdate=February 10, 2019 | archivedate=April 12, 2002}}</ref>
Much of the music throughout ''Shadow Madness'' is deliberately dark, ambient and mood-setting. Unlike most other turn-based role-playing games, ''Shadow Madness'' has multiple battle themes, most of which are orchestral in nature.

A version of ''Shadow Madness'' for the [[Tiger Electronics]] handheld [[Game.com]] was ultimately cancelled.<ref name="retrogamer68">{{cite magazine | author=''Retro Gamer'' staff | date=October 2009 | title=RetroInspection: Tiger game.com | magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] | publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] | page=41 | issue=68 | issn=1742-3155}}</ref> Prior to Craveyard's closure, a planned sequel to ''Shadow Madness'' was also in its initial conceptual phase, as announced by Woolsey.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=''OPM'' staff | title=News: Third-Parties Pledge Support for PS2 | magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] | date=July 1999 | volume=2 | issue=10 | page=26 | publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] | issn=1094-6683}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Kennedy, Sam | date= | title=''Shadow Madness'' Gets A Sequel | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shadow-madness-gets-a-sequel/1100-2460570/ | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | work=[[GameSpot]] | accessdate=February 17, 2019 | archive-date=March 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312135436/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shadow-madness-gets-a-sequel/1100-2460570/ | url-status=live }}</ref> A version of the game for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] was released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] by publishers [[Piko Interactive]] and [[Bleem!]] on February 15, 2022.<ref>{{cite web | author=Radcliff, Ryan | date=February 2, 2022 | title=Shadow Madness Heading to Steam in February | url=https://rpgamer.com/2022/02/shadow-madness-heading-to-steam-in-february/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202155958/https://rpgamer.com/2022/02/shadow-madness-heading-to-steam-in-february/ | archive-date=February 2, 2022 | accessdate=March 12, 2022 | publisher=RPGamer}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 65%<ref name=GR>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198598-shadow-madness/index.html | title=Shadow Madness for PlayStation | publisher=[[GameRankings]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GR = 65%<ref name=GR>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198598-shadow-madness/index.html | title=Shadow Madness for PlayStation | website=[[GameRankings]] | publisher=CBS Interactive | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527000845/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198598-shadow-madness/index.html | archivedate=May 27, 2019 | url-status=dead | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
| Allgame = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web | last=Baker | first=Christopher Michael | url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17094&tab=review | title=Shadow Madness - Review | publisher=[[AllGame]] | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114235906/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17094&tab=review | archivedate=November 14, 2014 | deadurl=yes | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| Allgame = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web | last=Baker | first=Christopher Michael | url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17094&tab=review | title=Shadow Madness - Review | website=[[AllGame]] | publisher=[[All Media Network]] | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114235906/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17094&tab=review | archivedate=November 14, 2014 | url-status=dead | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GI = 6/10<ref>{{cite web | last1=McNamara | first1=Andy | last2=Anderson | first2=Paul | last3=Reiner | first3=Andrew | date=April 15, 1999 | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | title=Shadow Madness | publisher=''[[Game Informer]]'' | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408140914/http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | archivedate=April 8, 2000 | deadurl=yes | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GI = 6/10<ref name=GI>{{cite magazine | last1=McNamara | first1=Andy | last2=Anderson | first2=Paul | last3=Reiner | first3=Andrew | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | publisher=[[GameStop|FuncoLand]] | issue=72 | date=April 1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408140914/http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3123 | archivedate=April 8, 2000 | url-status=dead | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GameFan = 84%<ref name=GameFan1>{{cite magazine | last1=Weitzner | first1=Jason "Fury" | last2=Chau | first2=Anthony "Dangohead" | last3=Mylonas | first3=Eric "ECM" | url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_05/page/n27/mode/2up | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[GameFan]] | publisher=Shinno Media | volume=7 | issue=5 | date=May 1999 | page=27 | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref><br />(G.N.) 83%<ref name=GameFan2>{{cite magazine | last=Ngo | first=George "Eggo" | url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_05/page/n53/mode/2up | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=GameFan | publisher=Shinno Media | volume=7 | issue=5 | date=May 1999 | pages=52–53 | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=GamePro>{{cite journal | author=Air Hendrix | url=http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/69.shtml | title=Shadow Madness Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com | magazine=[[GamePro]] | year=1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050215231222/http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/69.shtml | archivedate=February 15, 2005 | deadurl=yes | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GameRev = B<ref>{{cite web | last=Leong | first=George | date=July 1999 | url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/shadow-madness | title=Shadow Madness Review | publisher=[[Game Revolution]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=GamePro>{{cite magazine | author=Air Hendrix | url=http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/69.shtml | title=Shadow Madness Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com | magazine=[[GamePro]] | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG Entertainment]] | year=1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050215231222/http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/69.shtml | archivedate=February 15, 2005 | url-status=dead | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GSpot = 4.3/10<ref name=GSpot>{{cite web | last=Bartholow | first=Peter | date=June 4, 1999 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadow-madness-review/1900-2549260/ | title=Shadow Madness Review | publisher=[[GameSpot]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GameRev = B<ref>{{cite web | last=Leong | first=George | date=July 1999 | url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/34157-shadow-madness-review | title=Shadow Madness Review | website=[[GameRevolution]] | publisher=CraveOnline | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926094125/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/shadow-madness | archivedate=September 26, 2015 | url-status=live | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
| IGN = 7/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Harris | first=Craig | date=June 7, 1999 | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/08/shadow-madness | title=Shadow Madness | publisher=IGN | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
| GSpot = 4.3/10<ref name=GSpot>{{cite web | last=Bartholow | first=Peter | date=June 4, 1999 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadow-madness-review/1900-2549260/ | title=Shadow Madness Review | website=GameSpot | publisher=CBS Interactive | accessdate=March 8, 2016 | archive-date=May 27, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527000847/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadow-madness-review/1900-2549260/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
| IGN = 7/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Harris | first=Craig | date=June 7, 1999 | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/08/shadow-madness | title=Shadow Madness | website=IGN | publisher=Ziff Davis | accessdate=March 8, 2016 | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308110650/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/08/shadow-madness | url-status=live }}</ref>
| OPM = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite journal | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] | year=1999}}</ref>
| PSM = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite journal | title=Review: Shadow Madness | magazine=[[PlayStation: The Official Magazine|PSM]] | year=1999}}</ref>
| NGen = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=NGen>{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_53/page/n95/mode/2up | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] | publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] | issue=53 | date=May 1999 | page=94 | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
| OPMUK = 6/10<ref name=OPMUK/>
| OPM = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name=OPM>{{cite magazine | last=MacDonald | first=Mark | url=https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_2_Issue_7_1999-04_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n53/mode/2up | title=Shadow Madness | magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] | publisher=Ziff Davis | volume=2 | issue=7 | date=April 1999 | page=54 | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
| RPG = 6.5/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Tidwell | first=Mike | year=1999 | url=https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/other/psx/smad/reviews/smadstrev1.html | title=Shadow Madness - Review | website=RPGamer | publisher=CraveOnline | accessdate=November 16, 2020}}</ref>
}}
}}


''Shadow Madness'' received "mixed" reviews according to video game [[review aggregator]] [[GameRankings]].<ref name=GR/>
''Shadow Madness'' received "mixed" reviews according to video game [[review aggregator]] [[GameRankings]].<ref name=GR/> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' said in an early review that the game "emulates the genre well, but does little to enhance it."<ref name=NGen/> Other magazines gave the game average to favorable reviews months before it was released Stateside.<ref name=GI/><ref name=GameFan1/><ref name=GameFan2/><ref name=OPM/>


''[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]]'' gave the game the award for worst character design in its 1999 Editors' Awards.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} [[GameSpot]] summed it up by saying, "Whoever said 'Graphics don't matter' never played ''Shadow Madness''."<ref name=GSpot/> ''[[X-Play]]'' placed it at number 3 on their top 5 worst role-playing games video.<ref>{{cite web | author=xplay | date=December 10, 2009 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEgRV_4RtzU | title=X-Play Presents: The Top 5 Worst RPGs Ever | publisher=[[YouTube]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>
''[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]]'' gave the game the award for worst character design in its 1999 Editors' Awards.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} ''[[GameSpot]]'' summed it up by saying, "Whoever said 'Graphics don't matter' never played ''Shadow Madness''."<ref name=GSpot/> ''[[X-Play]]'' placed it at number 3 on their top 5 worst role-playing games video.<ref>{{cite web | author=xplay | date=December 10, 2009 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEgRV_4RtzU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805212336/http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=xEgRV_4RtzU |archive-date=2010-08-05 |url-status=dead| title=X-Play Presents: The Top 5 Worst RPGs Ever | website=[[YouTube]] | accessdate=March 8, 2016}}</ref>


{{clear}}
{{clear}}

==Notes==
<references group="lower-alpha" />


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{moby game|id=/playstation/shadow-madness}}
* {{moby game|/shadow-madness}}


[[Category:1999 video games]]
[[Category:1999 video games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Game.com games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Game.com games]]
[[Category:Crave Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Crave Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Lobotomy Software games]]
[[Category:Piko Interactive games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console) games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console) games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console)-only games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console)-only games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games with pre-rendered 3D graphics]]

Latest revision as of 12:49, 31 December 2024

Shadow Madness
European PlayStation cover art
Developer(s)Craveyard Studios[a]
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Ted Woolsey
Tracey Montoya
Designer(s)Ted Woolsey
Paul Reed
Artist(s)Annabella Serra
Writer(s)Paul Reed
Composer(s)Brad Spear
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: May 25, 1999
  • EU: February 25, 2000
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Shadow Madness is a role-playing video game developed by Craveyard Studios and published by Crave Entertainment for the PlayStation. Set in the fictional world of Arkose, the player takes the role as Stinger, whose town has just been destroyed as a result a mysterious plague that is spreading quickly across the land. Stinger meets many friends and foes on his way to finding out how the chaos started and how it can be stopped. In traditional RPG fashion, gameplay consists of exploring towns and dungeons, collecting equipment and items, and interacting with non-player characters in environments featuring 3D polygonal models set on 2D pre-rendered backgrounds. Random, turn-based battles take place in fully-3D environments, where the player can execute various attacks and spells against enemies, gain experience points, and increase characters' attributes.

Development of Shadow Madness began with ex-Square employees who remained in Redmond, Washington when its North American division moved to Los Angeles. The group, called Big Rain, was led by Ted Woolsey, a translator responsible for localizing Square's prominent Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) RPGs. After announcing Shadow Madness during the summer of 1997, publisher ASCII Entertainment quickly dropped the game. The rights were subsequently purchased by Seattle-based Crave, which absorbed Big Rain and renamed the team Craveyard Studios. The developer put a large emphasis on crafting the game's story for older audiences and chose to develop it on the PlayStation due to the console's ability to display full motion video (FMV) cutscenes. Lobotomy Studios aided development by creating the game's first-person perspective minigames.

After numerous delays, Shadow Madness was released in North America in mid-1999 and in Europe in early 2000. The game was met an overall mixed response from critics, who universally compared the game to Square's Final Fantasy VII. Reviewers for Shadow Madness largely panned the graphics and gameplay but made positive comments regarding its plot, script, and musical score. Shadow Madness was a commercial failure, leading to the dissolution of both Craveyard and Lobotomy. A version of the game was released by Piko Interactive and Bleem! was released for Windows via Steam on February 15, 2022.[1]

Gameplay

[edit]

The player's party consists of three members, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In battle, the player has a choice of using physical attacks, magic, items and escape. It plays the same on the field in terms of using inventory, moving about and talking to non-player characters.

Battles are random. When exploring, the growl of a monster is heard. Pressing L2 and R2 simultaneously will make Stinger "hide" on the ground and possibly avoid a battle altogether.[2] Shadow Madness uses some elements of Square's Active-Time Battle system. In particular, enemies will not wait to attack. As in Super Mario RPG, performance in battle is largely determined by the timing of button presses.[3] The maximum level of experience a character can reach is 15. Characters can unleash powerful "summons" during battle.

Shadow Madness features 3D polygonal models on 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, with the battle scenes taking place in a fully 3D environment. The game includes CG cutscenes to further the storyline.

Plot

[edit]

Story

[edit]

The storyline is centered on saving the world from a mysterious plague that is spreading quickly.[4] The player takes the role as Stinger, whose town has just been destroyed. The player meets many friends and foes on their way to finding out how the chaos started and how it can be stopped.

Characters

[edit]
  • Stinger — When the chaos wipes out his hometown, he vows to end the chaos.
  • Windleaf — Joins Stinger after her secluded sylvan village gets attacked.
  • Harv-5 — A robot originally created for harvesting crops, but when the demons destroy his fields and home he sets out to find out his purpose. His catchphrase of sorts is "There will be death."
  • Xero Von Moon — A Mage Warrior who has been resurrected from his deep sleep, he has no body so he floats around with just his head.
  • Clemett — He is a native Gadgeteer, but he didn't agree with how they lived so he went to live with humans, and when the chaos started he vowed to protect his 'Friends'.
  • Jirina — She is a proud Org-Ta and a native of the underground world known as Wyldern. Her people have been enslaved by the Darg who turned a once peaceful land into a twisted hell. She vows to get revenge.

Development

[edit]

Conception of Shadow Madness began with Big Rain, a small group of employees of the North American branch of Japanese developer Square, located in Redmond, Washington.[5] Prior to the English localization of its RPG Final Fantasy VII, Square moved its operations from Redmond to Los Angeles. Square's old offices were purchased by the group, which included Ted Woolsey, a translator for Square's popular SNES RPGs including Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger.[6] Woolsey served as Vice President of Internal Development for Big Rain and acted as a designer, executive producer, and one of several script writers for Shadow Madness.[7] The Japanese company ASCII Entertainment signed on as the game's initial publisher while production began in earnest in mid-1997.[5][8] ASCII formally announced Shadow Madness during the summer 1997 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with a projected first quarter 1998 release.[5][9] Development stalled when ASCII dropped the game shortly thereafter due to lack of funds.[6][10] Big Rain eventually merged with the newly established Crave Entertainment, a Seattle-based company which bought the publishing rights to Shadow Madness from ASCII.[7][11] Big Rain was renamed Craveyard and assigned development of all the company's future RPG releases.[12][13]

Despite its overt similarities to Final Fantasy VII, Woolsey insisted that Shadow Madness was not developed as a clone of that game.[14] As such, the developer focused heavily on crafting the game's plot in order to distinguish it from other RPGs.[6][14][15] He claimed that the purpose of Shadow Madness was "to tell a great story" and did refer to the commercial and critical success of Final Fantasy VII as proof that players of the time were interested in darker, more mature storylines than previous Japanese RPGs that had made their way to Western territories.[6] As such, the text in Shadow Madness was aimed more towards teenagers and young adults than towards children and was written to make players empathetic to the characters' situations.[15] Woolsey described the game's themes as realistic, including how widespread disease and the ensuing "rumor" about such disease could affect a person's life. He stated, "It's a matter of being thrown out there, unprepared, and trying to learn about the world around you and come up with some reason for what's happened to you."[6] Similarly, Woolsey explained how this approach to storytelling would still use the more traditional RPG paradigm of a hero's journey to obtain power and eventually defeat a malevolent force. "Part of this game is the notion that 'evil' is transmitted through ideas, through communication, and will exist at least until the idea of the 'hero' is powerful enough to supplant the idea of the 'other'."[14]

To help present the storyline, the design team chose to develop Shadow Madness on the PlayStation because of the platform's ability to display non-interactive FMV cutscenes. Once the project started, the art team was formed to work on its FMVs and more than 800 stationary backgrounds.[8] This team was led by art director Annabella Serra, who previously worked at Industrial Light & Magic and helped create the CGI visual effects in the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day.[16] Artists for the game were made up of professional animators, clay modelers, and military cartographers.[6] A separate engineering team was formed to implement the art into the game's 3D engine via a toolset. Pre-rendered content was built on Silicon Graphics workstations running the PowerAnimator (Alias) 3D graphics suite and RenderMan. Real-time 3D characters and static backgrounds were achieved using 3D Studio Max software in conjunction with the NURBS tool in PowerAnimator.[8] For interactive portions of the game, two different graphical formats were used due to the team's financial budget and the PlayStation's limited RAM storage space. In "weeble mode" players navigate 2D backgrounds containing low-resolution 3D models. To give these backgrounds a cinematic feel, the team employed various filmmaking skills such as camera control, field-of-view manipulation, and the use of overlays for parallax effects. In "battle mode" high-resolution models exist in fully-rendered 3D environments shown with a moving camera.[8] A large amount of the project's expense came from adjusting 3D character animation and geometry. Characters and objects were detailed with texture mapping and vertex coloring. The team took advantage of the PlayStation's unconventional .HMD format, which would allow for real-time interpolation between key frames for smooth animation and low memory use.[8] The game's first-person perspective minigames were developed by members of Lobotomy Software, another Seattle-based studio whose previous work entailed porting PC first-person shooters to consoles and developing the Playmates Interactive original shooter PowerSlave.[14][17] After being renamed Lobotomy Studios, senior staff members were integrated into Crave in 1998.[18]

Release

[edit]

After being showcased at the summer 1998 E3 show, Shadow Madness was on track for a November release that year.[19] However, it was delayed to early 1999 so that the developer could add new features and refine both the gameplay and screen text.[20] With a projected North American launch in April, customers who preordered Shadow Madness from Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., and Babbages received a demo disc of the game.[21] Customers who reserved the Crave-published RPG Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu through Electronics Boutique also received a demo of Shadow Madness, a rebate towards the retail version of Shadow Madness, and a cloth map of the Shadow Madness overworld.[22] The release for Shadow Madness was pushed back to its final, North American launch date of May 25, 1999 to allow the developer to further test and amend its gameplay.[23][24] The two-disc game was packaged with a separate demo disc for Jade Cocoon.[25] Shadow Madness sold poorly.[7] Crave Entertainment allowed Craveyard and Lobotomy to complete a European version of the game to be released by Sony Computer Entertainment before closing both studios and giving their employees the option to relocate to the parent company's new base of operations in Los Angeles.[26]

A version of Shadow Madness for the Tiger Electronics handheld Game.com was ultimately cancelled.[27] Prior to Craveyard's closure, a planned sequel to Shadow Madness was also in its initial conceptual phase, as announced by Woolsey.[28][29] A version of the game for Windows was released on Steam by publishers Piko Interactive and Bleem! on February 15, 2022.[30]

Reception

[edit]

Shadow Madness received "mixed" reviews according to video game review aggregator GameRankings.[31] Next Generation said in an early review that the game "emulates the genre well, but does little to enhance it."[40] Other magazines gave the game average to favorable reviews months before it was released Stateside.[33][34][35][41]

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gave the game the award for worst character design in its 1999 Editors' Awards.[citation needed] GameSpot summed it up by saying, "Whoever said 'Graphics don't matter' never played Shadow Madness."[38] X-Play placed it at number 3 on their top 5 worst role-playing games video.[43]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Additional work by Lobotomy Studios.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "PlayStation RPG Shadow Madness coming to PC on February 15". Gematsu. February 1, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Nicholson, Zy (February 2000). "Shadow Madness". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. No. 55. Future Publishing. p. 121.
  3. ^ "The RPG Revolution". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 106. Ziff Davis. May 1998. p. 81.
  4. ^ "Shadow Madness". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 105. Ziff Davis. April 1998. p. 66.
  5. ^ a b c Douglas, Adam (August 4, 1997). "ASCII speaks". IGN. Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f PSMOnline (1998). "At the Mouth of Madness". RPGamer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Cifaldi, Frank (August 29, 2005). "Playing Catch-Up: Ted Woolsey". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e Guymon, Mel (December 1998). "Artist's View: So, You Want to Make a Console Game?". Game Developer. UBM Technology Group. pp. 22–4. ISSN 1073-922X.
  9. ^ GameFan staff (August 1997). "GameFan Presents 1997 E3". GameFan. Vol. 5, no. 8. Shinno Media Corp. p. 77. ISSN 1092-7212.
  10. ^ IGN staff (August 22, 1997). "Ascii Drops RPG". IGN. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  11. ^ IGN staff (November 17, 1997). "Return of the Madness". IGN. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  12. ^ IGN staff (April 9, 1998). "Exclusive Interview: Crave Entertainment". IGN. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  13. ^ Cifaldi, Frank (August 29, 2005). "Interview: Microsoft's Woosley On What It Takes To Be Published On XBLA". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c d Vestal, Andrew (January 1, 1999). "Interview with Ted Woolsey". The Gaming Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  15. ^ a b PSM staff (February 1999). "Monitor: Q & A with Ted Woolsey". PSM 100% Independent PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 3, no. 2. Imagine Publishing. pp. 22–3. ISSN 1095-4163.
  16. ^ McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (April 1999). "Shadow Madness". Game Informer. No. 72. Archived from the original on April 8, 2000. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  17. ^ Harris, Craig (June 7, 1999). "Shadow Madness". IGN. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  18. ^ Fielder, Lauren (March 30, 1998). "Crave Gets a Lobotomy". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 20, 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  19. ^ GamePro staff (August 1998). "E3 Showstoppers! Role-Player's Realm". GamePro. No. 109. IDG. p. 66. ISSN 1042-8658.
  20. ^ Game Informer staff (October 1998). "GI News: Crave Holds Back on Shadow Madness". Game Informer. No. 66. Sunrise Publications. p. 24. ISSN 1067-6392.
  21. ^ GIA staff (March 17, 1999). "Lunar and Shadow Madness demos soon available". The Gaming Intelligence Agency. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  22. ^ GIA staff (March 7, 1999). "Shadow Madness reservation offer". The Gaming Intelligence Agency. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  23. ^ GIA staff (April 25, 1999). "Shadow Madness pushed back". The Gaming Intelligence Agency. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  24. ^ Chu, Ken (May 1, 1999). "Shadow Madness delayed". RPGFan. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  25. ^ IGN staff (March 18, 1999). "Shadow Madness Cocoons a Demo". IGN. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  26. ^ Mullen, Michael (June 2, 1999). "Crave Clarifies". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 12, 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  27. ^ Retro Gamer staff (October 2009). "RetroInspection: Tiger game.com". Retro Gamer. No. 68. Imagine Publishing. p. 41. ISSN 1742-3155.
  28. ^ OPM staff (July 1999). "News: Third-Parties Pledge Support for PS2". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 10. Ziff Davis. p. 26. ISSN 1094-6683.
  29. ^ Kennedy, Sam. "Shadow Madness Gets A Sequel". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  30. ^ Radcliff, Ryan (February 2, 2022). "Shadow Madness Heading to Steam in February". RPGamer. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  31. ^ a b "Shadow Madness for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  32. ^ Baker, Christopher Michael. "Shadow Madness - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  33. ^ a b McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (April 1999). "Shadow Madness". Game Informer. No. 72. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on April 8, 2000. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  34. ^ a b Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Chau, Anthony "Dangohead"; Mylonas, Eric "ECM" (May 1999). "Shadow Madness". GameFan. Vol. 7, no. 5. Shinno Media. p. 27. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  35. ^ a b Ngo, George "Eggo" (May 1999). "Shadow Madness". GameFan. Vol. 7, no. 5. Shinno Media. pp. 52–53. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  36. ^ Air Hendrix (1999). "Shadow Madness Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 15, 2005. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  37. ^ Leong, George (July 1999). "Shadow Madness Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  38. ^ a b Bartholow, Peter (June 4, 1999). "Shadow Madness Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  39. ^ Harris, Craig (June 7, 1999). "Shadow Madness". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  40. ^ a b "Shadow Madness". Next Generation. No. 53. Imagine Media. May 1999. p. 94. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  41. ^ a b MacDonald, Mark (April 1999). "Shadow Madness". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 7. Ziff Davis. p. 54. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  42. ^ Tidwell, Mike (1999). "Shadow Madness - Review". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  43. ^ xplay (December 10, 2009). "X-Play Presents: The Top 5 Worst RPGs Ever". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 5, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
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