Step into the shoes of the suave secret agent Franklin Benjamin in this single-player spy thriller interactive novel. In this high-octane, two-hour satire of James Bond and Mission: Impossible, you'll drive fast cars, seduce beautiful women, take on false identities, and do whatever is necessary to save the world
But as a secret agent, your best weapon isn't your firearm - it's your quick thinking and your quick wit. Because there's always a madman, and you're the best agent we've got!
Your Mission
In short, your mission is to save the day, same as always. This time, there's a madman threatening the world with weaponized satellite technology that can strike anywhere at any time, including wiping out other satellites. So it's up to you to ferret out his identity and bring him to justice - or take him out entirely. You're the only one who can stop him, so we're counting on you to accept this mission
Assisting you in this endeavor is the usual team - your experienced partner in the field, Virginia, and our resident tech whiz, Hatcher. But the success or failure of this mission rests on your shoulders and yours alone. This is a single-player game, after all
There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight can be played with just a mouse. Gameplay consists of selecting the action or dialog you wish to take given the situation you’re facing. Although the life of a secret agent is complicated, playing There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight is simple
Uncover the Identity of the Madman du jour
Our intel for this mission unfortunately doesn't give us a precise identity for this particular madman, but if he gains control of the airspace above the Earth, then he effectively controls the world. So flush him out and foil his scheme
Think Before You Shoot
As a secret agent, it's not about who has the fastest trigger finger. Put your mind to good use and make intelligent in-the-moment decisions on how best to handle your current predicament. Only by out-thinking your opponents can you survive to tell the tale
Save the World in Style
Make use of any and all gadgets in your arsenal to get the job done. And then after you best your foes, rub it in their faces with a well-chosen pun, of course
Sounds Like a Winner
Although the game is text-based like a novel, an emphasis is placed on visuals and music to set the appropriate mood for each scene, changing based on whether you're in a safe location or you're exposed to danger
Short and Not-So-Sweet
There's Always A Madman: Fight or Flight aims to be about the length of a movie for a single playthrough (roughly two hours). During that time, you may very well have to do some not-so-nice things to succeed. You know, like engaging in shootouts, fistfights, and high speed chases. But that's okay - as they say, nice guys finish last. And we need you to come out on top
For reference, here are some similar games to help you get a further sense for what There's Always A Madman is like: GoldenEye 007 (and other James Bond games like Everything or Nothing), Mission: Impossible N64, Alpha Protocol, Hitman games, Splinter Cell games, Henchman Story, Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise, Framed, I Expect You To Die, Batman Telltale Series, The Wolf Among Us
Q: Why make this game text-based? Why not use visuals?
A: James Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, and Jack Ryan all started off in text format with novels. I believe this is the right move for the project - as they say, the book is always better, so I think a more book-like experience works here. The game's text will of course be supplemented with music to set the appropriate mood, such as whether you're in danger or in a safe spot
We're all counting on you to save the day. After all - if you don't save the world, then there can't be a sequel
Each game in the There's Always a Madman series is designed as a standalone adventure, but if you wish to play the games in order, this is the order of release (and the recommended order to play):
1. There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight
2. There's Always a Madman: Do Your Worst
3. There's Always a Madman: Bring the Thunder
4. There's Always a Madman: The MacGuffin
5. There's Always a Madman: V.I.C.T.O.R.
And don't forget to check out my previous game, the cozy RPG A Weekend in Puzzleburg. There's Always a Madman is technically a spin-off of A Weekend in Puzzleburg since this new game is based on the Franklin Benjamin character first seen on a channel from the Puzzleburg hotel room TV
