Gridd: Retroenhanced

GRIDD: Retroenhanced is a nostalgic trip for anyone who was around when the game’s visuals were state of the art. As a game, it does very little wrong once you get used to your ship's momentum, while the inclusion of ‘Glove of Power’ mode makes the Switch version the definitive one to play. If you have exhausted the joys of Thumper and are looking for something new to challenge your reflexes, you have just found your next hurdle.

90%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

atmosphere, replayability

94% User Score Based on 47 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $10.83

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About

Gridd: Retroenhanced is a fast-paced action arcade game with retro-futuristic aesthetics. Players control a ship, the "Retro," and must navigate through neon vector lines while avoiding obstacles and battling enemies in various game modes. With a synthwave soundtrack and a variety of challenges, Gridd offers a fresh take on classic arcade shooters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews

music17 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a captivating synthwave soundtrack that immerses players in a retro cyberpunk aesthetic.
Gameplay is fast-paced and addictive, with a simple yet engaging mechanic that encourages players to improve their skills over time.
The game offers both arcade and endless modes, providing a variety of challenges and replayability for fans of the genre.

The camera angles can be disorienting, making it difficult for players to accurately gauge their position and navigate obstacles.
The auto-aim feature is unreliable, often prioritizing reflective enemies over those that can be damaged, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game can become repetitive due to limited content and a lack of significant unlockables, which may deter long-term engagement.

music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
33%
10%
The game's music is widely praised for its engaging synthwave soundtrack that complements its retro aesthetic and fast-paced gameplay, creating an immersive 80s atmosphere. While many players find the soundtrack catchy and fitting, some note that it can be repetitive and lacks variety, though it remains enjoyable throughout. Overall, the music is considered a strong point of the game, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms of its limited range.
- “Incredibly fun, addicting gameplay, with a killer synthwave soundtrack!”
- “This game's 80s neon tron aesthetics, synth-wave soundtrack, engaging gameplay, and tight controls is worth the play.”
- “The soundtrack is superb, and everything feels neat and polished.”
- “Not much musical variety, and while feeling authentically retro and nostalgic, none of the tunes stuck in my head like (just the most recent example off the top of my head) Strafe's did, or even something simpler like Bit-Blaster XL.”
- “Sometimes retro-centric synthwave style game soundtracks forego melody in the pursuit of pure atmosphere.”
- “Music does get repetitive.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The gameplay is described as incredibly fun and addictive, featuring smooth mechanics and a captivating synthwave soundtrack that enhances the experience. While it offers straightforward, skill-based challenges with a focus on mastering sequences, some players note that it can become repetitive due to limited content. Overall, the game combines minimalistic design with intense action, making it engaging and hard to put down.
- “Incredibly fun, addicting gameplay, with a killer synthwave soundtrack!”
- “Gridd forces you to develop your skill and doesn't skimp in the reward for your growth as you unlock the next mind-bending level of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is brilliant in its 'simplicity' and makes it hard to stop playing!!”
- “The gameplay is fairly simple and straightforward from the beginning.”
- “Gameplay: 2/10.”
- “Exact same gameplay.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
The game's graphics are highly praised for their vibrant 80s neon cyberpunk aesthetic, effectively combining retro visuals with modern 3D effects. Players appreciate the engaging color palette and stylistic choices, which evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic arcade games, though some caution that the intense colors may be overwhelming for sensitive players. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience significantly.
- “This game's 80s neon Tron aesthetics, synth-wave soundtrack, engaging gameplay, and tight controls are worth the play.”
- “Graphics are capable of capturing you fully but still manage to keep what is happening on the screen clear.”
- “Visuals are excellent: the choice of colors and effects is the retro eye candy you always looked for.”
- “The graphics: either you love them or get a headache from the colors.”
- “Stylistically: pure 1980s neon-tinged Tron meets nightmares (the Bishop of Battle). Grid lines, modern re-imaginings of vector graphics rendered in 3D and lit with bold colors.”
- “Mix 3 parts Tron, 2 parts Star Fox, add in a VHS filter and aesthetics.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a strong retro-centric synthwave soundtrack that prioritizes creating an immersive experience over traditional melodic elements.
- “Very atmospheric.”
- “Sometimes retro-centric synthwave style game soundtracks forego melody in the pursuit of pure atmosphere.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, performing well even on low to mid-tier hardware, ensuring a smooth experience for a wide range of players.
- “Runs great on low to mid-tier hardware.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs, which is impressive.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The game offers a nostalgic on-rails shooting experience reminiscent of 80s arcade classics, appealing to players who enjoy the challenge of improving their performance with each run rather than seeking extensive unlockable content. Its replayability hinges on the simple joy of striving for higher scores and further progress.
- “If you're craving an on-rails shooter that captures the essence of the 80s, especially if you enjoyed movies like Tron or Nightmares, and you don't need a lot of unlockable content or replay value beyond the classic arcade thrill of 'Can I make it further this time than my last run?', then I can highly recommend this game.”
- “The game lacks significant replayability, as once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return.”
- “After finishing the game, I found myself with no desire to play it again; the lack of varied content really hurt its replay value.”
- “While the gameplay is enjoyable, the absence of different modes or unlockables means I won't be coming back for a second playthrough.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The story in this shoot'em up game is minimal, primarily serving as a backdrop to the gameplay, which revolves around hacking themes rather than a deep narrative.
- “The plot is almost non-existent; it's just a shoot 'em up game with a vague hacking theme.”
- “There isn't much depth to the story, making it feel more like a series of levels than a cohesive narrative.”
- “The narrative feels tacked on and fails to engage, leaving players wanting a more substantial storyline.”