MADNESS: Project Nexus

Third-person beat 'em up with guns, gore, and arena combat

GIBBING TREE, LLC · Released Sep 29, 2021

Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive; 97% of 18K
Recent reviews: Very Positive; 93% of 79 in 30 days
Playing now: 92; peak 24h 137
Steam Deck: Playable
Last update: 5 months ago; Apr 15, 2026

Free demo available, 4 playing it now: get the demo.

What is MADNESS: Project Nexus?

A third-person run-and-gun beat 'em up set in the Madness universe, where you shoot, stab, and brawl through groups of enemies. The campaign follows antiheroes infiltrating guarded facilities and cult-filled tunnels while uncovering Project Nexus; it supports solo or four-player local co-op, while the solo Arena mode centers on a custom fighter, skill progression, weapon building, and enemy waves.

For you if...

+you like fast, gory combat mixing guns and melee
+you want a wave-based arena with character progression
+you want local co-op campaign play with friends

Not for you if...

−you want nuanced melee rather than button-mashing combat
−you need online campaign co-op instead of local play
−you avoid graphic gore and dismemberment

What players say

97% of 17,573 reviews are positive · 93% of 79 in the last 30 days

Players most often praise the combat, Arena mode, and campaign story. Common complaints focus on incomplete controller and local co-op input support, unhelpful tutorials, awkward weapon pickups, and companion AI that can cause falls or softlocks. Some players also find Arena mode repetitive or grind-heavy.