Haunted: Halloween '85

About

"Haunted: Halloween '85" is a retro-style NES game with side-scrolling, platforming, and beat 'em up action. Originally released in 2015 as a homebrew game for the original NES, it has now been released for PC while maintaining its 8-bit pixelated graphics and original hardware restrictions. The sequel, "HAUNTED: Halloween '86 " features the return of Donny and Tami to take on even more powerful haunts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic NES titles, providing an authentic retro experience.
Challenging gameplay with tight controls and engaging combat mechanics keeps players invested throughout the adventure.
The graphics and atmosphere evoke a charming '80s aesthetic, reminiscent of beloved retro horror games.

The lack of a save feature and limited continues can make the game frustrating, especially for modern players accustomed to more forgiving mechanics.
Questionable level design choices, including unfair enemy placements and slippery platforming, detract from the overall experience.
Some players found the combat mechanics inconsistent, leading to moments of frustration during gameplay.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The gameplay is a mix of challenging platforming and combat mechanics that can be both engaging and frustrating, with tight controls that enhance the experience. While some players appreciate the depth in combat and the nostalgic difficulty reminiscent of classic titles, others find the gameplay repetitive and occasionally hindered by imprecise mechanics. Overall, it offers a blend of fun and challenge, appealing to fans of old-school gaming.
- “With its challenging and engaging gameplay, players can enjoy countless thrilling hours of fun.”
- “The gameplay, while some platforming can rarely be nerve-racking, is tight, as well as the controls, with excellent control and combat mechanics.”
- “Its mechanics are consistent and function perfectly well when compared to other titles of a similar nature, even if it takes a little bit to fully understand your punch and uppercut hitboxes.”
- “The gameplay is pretty full, so the whole game is kind of a slog.”
- “The punching mechanic is suspect in places, as is the platform detection, and the game suffers from 'sliding' to a stop when you are moving, making platforming difficult if you want to place your jumps.”
- “The game design features some unfair situations, and by today's standards, the repetitive gameplay reminds me of times before everyone mastered copying Nintendo.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics are a nostalgic nod to retro gaming, reminiscent of classic titles like Double Dragon and River City Ransom, but they are described as rough and lacking polish. While some players appreciate the aesthetic, others find the overall quality lacking, particularly in character design and visual execution. The game does not push the NES hardware to its limits, which may leave some players wanting more in terms of graphical fidelity.
- “The graphics are simply stunning and harken back to the glory days of retro gaming.”
- “The art style reminds me strongly of Double Dragon and River City Ransom on the NES.”
- “It's a little janky, the controls feel slippery, the graphics are pretty rough, character design is meh, and it's got a few sections that feel cheap.”
- “It's not trying to break any sort of mold or dazzle you with graphics that push the NES hardware to its limits; because yes, it can be played on an original NES, which is pretty cool.”
- “Imagine River City Ransom with worse combat, controls, bosses, graphics, and music.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is described as a solid, retro-inspired soundtrack that effectively complements its Halloween atmosphere, evoking a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic NES titles. While some find it catchy and fitting for the genre, others note that it lacks memorability and depth compared to its inspirations. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's aesthetic, though opinions vary on its overall impact.
- “The soundtrack is cool, sounds like Nintendo but it's a bit more amped; you can tell it's newer than the original NES games, but it's not a bad thing.”
- “The game's OST is interesting and definitely gives off that catchy, classic retro kind of creepy feel that you'd expect from horror-style games during the NES era.”
- “It has a solid soundtrack that, despite being ultimately unmemorable, fits the atmosphere that the game's going for very well.”
- “It has a solid soundtrack that, despite being ultimately unmemorable, fits the atmosphere that the game is going for very well.”
- “Imagine River City Ransom with worse combat, controls, bosses, graphics, and music.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere effectively recreates real-life elements in a nostalgic NES style, contributing to its charm. While the soundtrack may not be particularly memorable, it complements the overall ambiance and enhances the immersive experience.
- “The atmosphere and recreation of actual things from real life in NES form is one of the great things about this game.”
- “It has a solid soundtrack that, despite being ultimately unmemorable, fits the atmosphere that the game is going for very well.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development in the game is criticized for its lack of polish, with users noting that the controls feel slippery and the graphics are rough, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the character design is considered mediocre, and some sections of the game feel poorly executed.
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disappointed with their growth.”
- “The choices you make don't seem to impact the characters in any meaningful way, which undermines the whole experience.”