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Game_Overview  
An introduction to the game's fundamental ideas
Updated Oct 18, 2010 by ispeakze...@gmail.com

Summary: Madness is a game of insanity. The main character – let's call him Jack – has suddenly lost the ability to tell fiction from reality. Jack now lives entirely in his fantasy land. He begins in a happy version of Eden populated by woodland creatures. Soon, “Shox” the electric squirrel and “Dr.Woodchuck” accompany Jack on his increasingly dark and humorous journey of self doubt and discovery. Who is Jack, really? Why is he in his own twisted imagination? What caused his insanity? Why did he imagine a woodchuck with a medical degree? Unfortunately for Jack, the deeper into the story he goes, the crazier the environment and battles get. These questions are to be answered when Jack fights his own mind through several bosses and eventually his own subconscious mind. Each boss he faces represents a different facet of his condition, until he ultimately faces himself – but which him is the sane him? Hopefully, he doesn't end up catatonic.

Gameplay: The avatar of Jack represents this little shred of sanity left he has in his world of madness. So, instead of mana, Jack uses his sanity to fight foes. He can hallucinate spells, items, and allies, but it will cost him during battle if he loses his grip on reality. Panic attacks, aphasia, delusions, obsessive compulsion and psychosis are just some of the limitless status effects available to trip him up. If Jack maxes his sanity meter out and has a nervous breakdown, he may end up attacking allies instead – or even himself. However, if he manages his craziness correctly, he may perform a team-up attack with allies to “go postal” on enemies. To help keep Jack sane, allies may slap, pinch, medicate or strap a straight-jacket on Jack so he calms down. Accordingly, any crazy sounding item can be a power up: crazy straws, marbles, and walnuts alike. Jack would receive bonuses for battling more methodically or more impulsively to manage his illness (implemented as a karma system or talent system) as he levels up to better combat his various ailments.

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