If I was the little girl who’s had the misfortune of being MADchen‘s protagonist, I’d be scared out of my mind, honestly. She is after all stuck in a haunted house full of ghastly creatures and creepy-looking things, like a bathtub dripping blood and uncannily massive cobwebs! Although maybe the darkness is simply playing tricks on her mind? Shedding some light on the situation certainly couldn’t hurt… right?
Or maybe that’s exactly what those things that lurk in the shadows want her to do? Nah, in fact, flipping light switches and igniting candles is the only way to escape this nightmare, as illumination literally changes your surroundings – monsters included. Besides, you know… fear itself.
There are times when you won’t be able to reach the closest light source without creating a distraction though, which is where her stuffed teddy comes into play. Surprisingly enough, if thrown within hearing range of a monster, it’ll give chase as if told to ‘go fetch!’. If only teddy bears had such power in the real world, eh? Then again, that’d imply the existence of monsters, which would be bad. Very bad.
Right. Anyway, seeing how the girl is unable to jump, for whatever reason, it’s a good thing that mirrors act as ‘gateways’, allowing you to teleport between them in the blink of an eye. That is, provided both entry and destination are illuminated, as it’s not gonna work otherwise. Puzzling, to say the least. Oh, and monsters, as well as sharp objects, are deadly to the touch. Just saying.
Now, while some may find the visuals a tad crude, I’d say the hand-drawn style pretty much compliments or even adds to an already tense atmosphere. Especially that of the later, larger levels, where a hasty step just might be your last ever. So tread carefully, and remember, the less darkness, the better, in… MADchen!