There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will cost $9 at launch ($9.99 normal price with a 10% launch discount to reward early players) when it releases March 22, 2024.

To arrive at this price, I examined similar games both in terms of their price on Steam (non-sale price, rounded to the nearest dollar for simplicity) and length (completionist play length taken from howlongtobeat.com, rounded to the nearest hour for simplicity), arranged from cheapest to most expensive, and then compared against There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. Here are the reference games, along with the same info for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight:

• Vera Blanc: Full Moon; 3 hours; $5 (not on Steam, so Switch price used)
  
• Undercover Agent; 6 hours (no time listed on HLTB, so estimated based on Steam review playtimes); $5
  
• Framed Collection; 3 hours; $10
  
• Henchman Story; 7 hours; $15
  
• Batman - The Telltale Series; 9 hours; $15
  
• Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise; 6 hours; $20

• There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight; 4 hours (it's 2 hours for a single playthrough, so I'd consider 2 playthroughs for 4 hours combined as a rough time estimate for a completionist to experience the game to its full extent, plus I would recommend a very short 3rd playthrough where you decline the mission); $10 price

Since There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight is meant to feel like you're in a spy thriller, I've also examined substitute goods in other media available digitally, again arranged from cheapest to most expensive:

• A Jack Ryan novel on Kindle (The Hunt for Red October); $8
  
• A Jason Bourne novel on Kindle (The Bourne Identity); $10
  
• A James Bond novel on Kindle (Goldfinger); $11
  
• Kingsman: The Secret Service graphic novel on Kindle; $13
  
• The first James Bond film (Dr. No) on iTunes; 2 hous; $15
  
• The first Mission: Impossible film on iTunes; 2 hours; $17
  
• The latest Mission: Impossible film (Dead Reckoning Part One) on iTunes; 3 hours; $20
  
• The latest James Bond film (No Time to Die) on iTunes; 3 hours; $20

In general, similar games range from $5 to $15, similar novels are around $10, and films are in the $15-$20 range. As such, I feel comfortable setting the price for There's Always a Madman at $10, putting the game in the middle of the pack for what you'd pay for a similar experience elsewhere. However, rather than getting yourself a spy novel where things turn out exactly the same way no matter how many times you read it, you can pick up the interactive spy novel There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight, put yourself in the shoes of a spy, and see how your own story turns out.


Yes, There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will receive regional pricing via Valve's recommended regional prices. In most cases, this results in the price being lower than it would normally be if the price was calculated based off of current exchange rates. I do not pretend to be an expert in buying power for each country across the globe, so I will instead rely on Valve's expertise here.


So there you have it. I hope you pick up There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight for only $9 (or whatever you're regionally-adjusted launch discount price is) when the game releases on March 22, 2024. In the meantime, please wishlist and try out the free demo on Steam here: https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2390500/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight

I am thrilled to announce that There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight has passed Valve's certification checks and can be considered to have "gone gold" roughly two months ahead of its release on Friday March 22, 2024 (for reference, "going gold" generally means when a game starts being physically printed onto discs, which typically happens about a month before the release date. There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will be a digital-only release, so I am considering the point at which the storefront approves a build of the game to be my "going gold" point).

In addition, the instrumental title track for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will go on sale the same day as the game - Friday March 22, 2024. You can wishlist the soundtrack on this page which just launched: https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2415260/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight_Soundtrack

There will also be a Deluxe Edition where you can pick up the game and the soundtrack together. Please note that the soundtrack is limited to the one track mentioned above - the game of course has many more tracks than that, but this is the only one I have the ability to sell due to licensing agreements for the other tracks.


Although a build of the game has been approved, there are still plenty of things left to do, including but not limited to:

• Prototyping achievements
  
• Playtesting the game
  
• Fixing bugs identified through playtesting
  
• Marketing tasks leading up to launch

I hope you pick up There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight - either the base version or the Deluxe Edition - when the game releases on Friday March 22, 2024. In the meantime, please wishlist and try out the free demo on Steam here: https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2390500/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight

I'm pleased to announce the spy thriller interactive novel There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight now has a store page for the game's soundtrack:

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2415260/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight_Soundtrack

That means you can wishlist the soundtrack right now (along with wishlisting the main game too, of course) ahead of its release on March 22, 2024, coinciding with the release of the game (the game was previously announced for a March 15 release date, but has been moved back one week to March 22).

The soundtrack will only contain a single song but will be priced accordingly - only $1, or the regional pricing equivalent. So it's a cheap addition if you're picking up the game.

The song that will be on the soundtrack is the same instrumental tune There's Always a Hero you can hear on the title screen in the game's already-released demo. And that same song plays a few times throughout the game.

There is of course other music in the game besides this one song - as you can already tell by playing the demo, which has four songs in it - but this is the only music created exclusively for this game (meaning it’s the only song I own the full rights to); all other music in the game is licensed for use in the game only and cannot be sold separately as part of a soundtrack.

As mentioned above, the soundtrack will be priced accordingly for the fact that it only consists of only a single song and not the entire suite of music in the game.

Here are the relevant links once again:

Wishlist the main game There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight

Wishlist the soundtrack for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight

Please enjoy this developer playthrough for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. Note that it contains the first two chapters from the full game, with a major spoiler at the end of chapter 2.

The free demo which is available now on the game's Steam page contains 5 of the 11 chapters from the full game, so you can play it right now and see much more of the game than is shown in this 15-minute developer playthrough.

While you're on the game's Steam page, don't forget to wishlist and follow!

And there's also a Kickstarter campaign going on for the game RIGHT NOW, so please back the Kickstarter campaign for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. Secure your copy of the game for <$10, and at higher tiers, you can get your name in the credits, play the game up to two weeks before the release date, or even have a character in the game named after YOU.

If you want to catch this video from the beginning, the very same developer playthrough is uploaded to the company YouTube channel.

Please enjoy this developer playthrough for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. Note that it contains the first two chapters from the full game, with a major spoiler at the end of chapter 2.

The free demo which is available now on the game's Steam page contains 5 of the 11 chapters from the full game, so you can play it right now and see much more of the game than is shown in this 15-minute developer playthrough.

While you're on the game's Steam page, don't forget to wishlist and follow!

And there's also a Kickstarter campaign going on for the game RIGHT NOW, so please back the Kickstarter campaign for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. Secure your copy of the game for <$10, and at higher tiers, you can get your name in the credits, play the game up to two weeks before the release date, or even have a character in the game named after YOU.

If you want to catch this video from the beginning, the very same developer playthrough is uploaded to the company YouTube channel.

That's right - there will be a Kickstarter campaign for the spy thriller There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight launching October 9, 2023. Here are all the details so you know exactly what to expect when the Kickstarter launches.

Q: What is the Kickstarter for? Just the game or something else?
A: The Kickstarter is to add a James Bond-esque title track (with lyrics) to the game. There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will be released March 15, 2024 whether or not the Kickstarter is funded (I already have the funds I need to make the game), but this is your chance to fund the addition of a great title track, secure your copy of the game and soundtrack before anyone else, and get other Kickstarter-exclusive rewards as detailed below.

Q: What is the funding goal for the campaign?
A: The funding goal for the campaign is $5,000 (i.e. 5,000 US dollars). This money will be used to hire a composer and a singer, as well as cover other costs necessary for the creation of the song.

Q: How long will the Kickstarter last?
A: The Kickstarter campaign will run for 30 days, from October 9, 2023 to November 7, 2023.

Q: Is there any incentive to pledge earlier in the Kickstarter rather than waiting until later?
A: Yes, there will be early bird discounts for those pledging ASAP. These early bird discounts will be in limited supply, so make sure to act fast.

Q: Will the Kickstarter campaign have any stretch goals? If so, what?
A: To reduce complexity for the campaign, there is only a single stretch goal. If the campaign reaches double the funding goal (i.e. $10,000 on a $5,000 funding goal), then the game will conclude by revealing the title of the sequel game (e.g. "Franklin Benjamin will return in ABC" game), in similar fashion to how James Bond movies used to end with "James Bond will return in XYZ" film.

Q: What are the exact rewards tiers? What will each one get me? And how much will each one cost?
A: Here are the reward tiers for the campaign, along with the cost for each one.

• Bystander ($1) - Receive updates about the project. But that's it - you'll be an innocent bystander while others are secret agents saving the world from a madman
  
• Junior Agent ($8 early bird, $9 regular) - Get a copy of the game so YOU can be the secret agent who saves the world from a madman!
  
• Seasoned Agent ($11 early bird, $12 regular) - Get a copy of the game AND soundtrack so you can be the secret agent who saves the world AND hear a song to your greatness!
  
• Licensed Agent ($20 early bird, $25 regular) - Receive a copy of the game, the soundtrack, and get your name in the credits. Everyone will know YOU helped save the world from a madman!
  
• Determined Agent ($50 regular) - Receive a copy of the game, the soundtrack, get your name in the credits, and move the tracker 1% all by yourself. Some agents just work best alone!
  
• Feared Agent ($75 early bird, $99 regular) - Receive the game, soundtrack, your name in the credits, and even get the game + soundtrack at least 1 week before the release date. Save the world before others even know it's in danger!
  
• Legendary Agent ($499, limited to 5 people) - Receive a copy of the game, soundtrack, your name in the credits AS A PRODUCER, exclusive never-before-seen concept artwork of Franklin Benjamin in different poses and suit colors, and get your game + soundtrack at least 2 weeks before the release date. Only the best agent prepares for their mission this early and this thoroughly!
  
• Madman ($999, limited to 3 people) - Receive a copy of the game, soundtrack, your name in the credits AS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, exclusive never-before-seen concept artwork of Franklin Benjamin in different poses and suit colors, get your game + soundtrack at least 2 weeks before the release date, and HAVE A CHARACTER IN THE GAME NAMED AFTER YOU. Which means you'll be able to say that you met the secret agent Franklin Benjamin. If you back at this price, then you truly are a madman!

Q: Do any of the tiers have a limited number of backers?
A: Yes, the two highest tiers (Madman and Legendary Agent) are restricted to a limited number of backers. The highest tier (Madman) will only have a maximum of 3 backers, while the second-highest tier (Legendary Agent) will only have a maximum of 5 backers. So if you want to have a character in the game named after you (Madman tier) or you want to play the game before anyone else (2 weeks before release, via the Madman or Legendary Agent tiers), then you should act fast to secure one of those limited slots.

In addition, the early bird versions of the lower tiers have a limited number of backers, so whatever tier you want, you should pounce on it quickly.

Q: Will there be any physical rewards? Or is everything digital?
A: All rewards are digital. This reduces the complexity of fulfillment and increases the likelihood of rewards being delivered on time.

Q: Is it possible to see the campaign page before it goes live?
A: Yes, you can use this link https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight?ref=dsenu4&token=24dc0302 to view the campaign's pre-launch page in its entirety before it goes live. This is intended to gather feedback from future backers of the campaign, so feel free to leave any feedback you want to share with me. I can't guarantee that I'll act on all feedback received, but if you have any questions or happen to see any errors, please let me know via the feedback tool, of course. On that page, you can also sign up to receive a notification when the campaign goes live.

Q: If I want receive a notification when the Kickstarter campaign goes live without viewing the campaign's entire pre-launch page, is that possible?
A: You can receive a notification when the campaign goes live by signing up here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight

Q: Can I try the game before I back it?
A: Yes, there's a free demo on the game's Steam page right here https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2390500/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight containing 5 of the 11 chapters from the full game. And you don't even have to wait until the Kickstarter campaign to play this demo - the demo is already there at the time of this post.

Q: What happens if the funding goal is not met?
A: If the $5,000 goal is not met, There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight will still be released as scheduled on March 15, 2024 - but it will not have a James Bond-esque title track with vocals. I'm counting on you to secure the funding needed to succeed in this mission, agent!

Q: Is there anything else I can do to help the campaign?
A: Of course! You can wishlist There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight as well as play the free demo on Steam here https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2390500/Theres_Always_a_Madman_Fight_or_Flight but most of all, you can share the Kickstarter on social media, tell you friends to back it, and do whatever you can to get the word out. This is one mission that's anything but secret!

Ahead of the Steam Visual Novel Festival running 8/7-8/14, here are some major announcements for the spy thriller interactive novel There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight:

1. A new free demo is available right now with the following updates: (a) contains 5 out of the 11 chapters from the full game (the previous demo had only 2 chapters), (b) the default volume sliders have been decreased from 100% to 50% so the sound should be at a reasonable volume with the ability to turn it up if you find it too soft, (c) more tracks and better-fitting music used in the pre-existing chapters (and added new music for the new chapters, of course). This new demo covering five chapters will remain up indefinitely (at least through the October Steam Next Fest) and is not limited to the one-week Visual Novel Festival
   
2. A new release date trailer has been added to the game's Steam page showing off more of the story and what you'll do in the game, including a glimpse of something NOT in the newly-released demo. The new trailer has also been added to the company YouTube page.
   
3. March 15, 2024 selected as the release date for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight. The game's main antagonist is someone named Brutus, so definitely fitting that players should beware the Ides of March (3/15). Plus, one of the many reference points for the game is Mission: Impossible, and the climactic scene on the train in the first Mission: Impossible film is referred to in-movie as "Job 3:15" (after most of the film centers around something known as "Job 3:14")
   
4. The end slate for the new trailer also announces that the game's Kickstarter will launch on October 9, 2023. I will write a separate news piece about the specific Kickstarter reward tiers, but for now, you can sign up to be notified for free when the Kickstarter launches right here. And you can see info about what Kickstarter-exclusive rewards there will be like getting your name in the credits or getting the game up to two weeks early in this previous Steam announcement post

Remember to wishlist and try out the new demo on the Steam store page for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight.

Because there's always a madman, and you're the best agent we've got, Franklin Benjamin!

There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight now officially has a free demo you can play. And it plays well on Steam deck with one small tweak.

I've done some initial testing for There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight on the Steam Deck, and I'm happy to report that the game plays well with the "Mouse Only" layout (configured directly to the right of the "play" button before you launch the game - look for the picture of the video game controller). So before you fire up the game, simply select the picture of a game controller - it's right next to the launch button - and swap to "Mouse Only" controls for the best experience.

This allows you to use the right trackpad to control the on-screen mouse cursor, and you can use the "A" or "R2" buttons to make your selections (feel free to use whichever button is more convenient for you).


There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight is primarily designed to be played with the mouse so that players (even those who want to live the life of a secret agent without having ever held a video game controller before) can make their selections as easily as moving their mouse cursor to the option they want to make and clicking the mouse.

The game can be played on PC with a controller (I've tested it with controller on PC and found that to work just fine), but in my early testing on the Steam Deck, I found that the Steam Deck controls would take some additional development to get right, so for now, a more mouse-like experience is the recommended course for players.

If you really don't want to change the default control scheme, the same effect of playing with a mouse cursor can be accomplished by holding down the Steam button - the one labeled "..." - whenever you use the trackpad. However, I personally found this to be cumbersome and therefore recommend swapping to the "Mouse Only" control scheme before starting up the game, which removes the need to hold down the Steam button while using the trackpad.

As development continues, I may add in better support for the controls on the Steam Deck for a more console-like experience, but this simple change to "Mouse Only" allows for a great PC-like experience playing the game on Steam Deck.

I'd also like to mention that regardless of control scheme selected, you can also play by simply using the Steam Deck's touchscreen interface to advance the text (by tapping anywhere) and make your choices (by tapping the desired on-screen textbox).


And in case you didn't see the previous announcement about an upcoming Kickstarter campaign, I'll mention here that There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight has a Kickstarter pre-launch page.

Sign up now for free to be notified when the Kickstarter campaign launches later this year: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight

Rewards exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign:

• Get your name in the credits (everyone will know YOU helped save the world)
  
• Get the game up to 2 weeks before the official release date (save the world before others even know it's in danger)
  
• Get exclusive concept artwork with alternate poses and suit colors (prepare more deeply than the average agent)
  
• A character in the game is named after YOU (you can say YOU met the unparalleled secret agent Franklin Benjamin; limited availability, so make sure you sign up to be notified at launch)
  
• Early backers get early bird discounts on the game and soundtrack (save money while saving the world)

Sign up now for free (all it takes is a click) to be notified when the Kickstarter launches so you'll have the best shot at early bird discounts and exclusive rewards sure to sell out!

Here's the link to the Kickstarter pre-launch page again: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight

Play the demo and then sign up for the Kickstarter now - you'd have to be a madman to let this opportunity slip through your fingers!

There's Always a Madman: Fight or Flight now has a Kickstarter pre-launch page!

Sign up now for free to be notified when the Kickstarter campaign launches later this year: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight

Rewards exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign:

• Get your name in the credits (everyone will know YOU helped save the world)
  
• Get the game up to 2 weeks before the official release date (save the world before others even know it's in danger)
  
• Get exclusive concept artwork with alternate poses and suit colors (prepare more deeply than the average agent)
  
• A character in the game is named after YOU (you can say YOU met the unparalleled secret agent Franklin Benjamin; limited availability, so make sure you sign up to be notified at launch)
  
• Early backers get early bird discounts on the game and soundtrack (save money while saving the world)

Sign up now for free (all it takes is a click) to be notified when the Kickstarter launches so you'll have the best shot at early bird discounts and exclusive rewards sure to sell out!

Here's the link to the Kickstarter pre-launch page again: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnydemeanorgames/theres-always-a-madman-fight-or-flight

Sign up now - you'd have to be a madman to let this opportunity slip through your fingers!