Retention

About

Retention is a single player action game. It was developed by Sometimes You and was released on January 13, 2015. It received negative reviews from players.

"Retention" is a game-photo album where you help a man recollect his memories after an accident, through slides of his past. With a unique genre and 8 different endings, your choices and observations will shape his fate. The game features an original soundtrack, Steam Trading Cards, and a user-friendly interface for an immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

25%

Audience ScoreBased on 272 reviews

music11 positive mentions

story10 negative mentions

The photos are visually appealing and well-composed, providing a nice aesthetic experience.
The game offers a unique concept of exploring memories through image selection, which some players found interesting.
The soundtrack is relaxing and complements the visual experience.

The gameplay is extremely limited, consisting only of clicking through images with no meaningful interaction or story.
Many players found the execution vague and uninteresting, leading to confusion and frustration.
The game lacks depth and coherence, making it feel more like a slideshow than a true gaming experience.

story
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
73%
14%
The game's story is widely criticized for being vague, disjointed, and lacking depth, with many players describing it as a confusing slideshow of random images that fail to convey a coherent narrative. While some attempt to piece together a story through the selection of photos, the overall experience is seen as hollow and unengaging, leaving players dissatisfied with the promised storytelling elements. Ultimately, the game is perceived as a missed opportunity to explore a meaningful narrative, instead offering a superficial and abstract collection of memories.
- “After I finished it the first time, I realized you were telling the person's life story through their memories.”
- “For me, I felt the main part of the game was using your imagination to create a story through the images you chose, and the bigger story of putting the images together into a lifetime of memorable moments.”
- “Moving right along, story-wise you play as a man who has an accident and has his memory stolen from him; he runs in search of finding out who he is, about his past, the people he knows, and his present.”
- “Confusing, obscure slideshow masquerading as a game, lacking story and meaningful interactivity.”
- “It promises a story, but there just isn't any.”
- “As a game with an alleged story, however, it is absolutely a failure, since it really isn't a game, and really doesn't have a story, even though it tries to trick you into thinking there might be one.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
62%
15%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and well-composed, while others describe it as odd, uninspiring, or even terrible. Many users appreciate the inclusion of the soundtrack, but criticize its limited variety and lack of fitting ambiance for the gameplay. Overall, while some enjoy the music as a pleasant backdrop, others feel it detracts from the experience, labeling it as a significant flaw.
- “Relaxing and interesting experience with nice instrumental music.”
- “The music adds an interesting touch to the game as well.”
- “The photos and music are lovely though.”
- “All in all pretty boring and the background music is also bad.”
- “The soundtracks, at least from my point of view, are awful.”
- “This isn't a game, it isn't art, this is a slideshow with bad music.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay of Retention has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and interaction, primarily revolving around the repetitive selection of images with minimal mechanics or narrative. Many reviewers describe it as a disjointed experience that fails to deliver meaningful engagement, often likening it to a slideshow rather than a traditional game. Overall, the consensus is that the gameplay is limited and underwhelming, leaving players wanting more.
- “Retention has a unique gameplay concept.”
- “The game has a well-composed soundtrack and exceptional gameplay.”
- “The game mechanics consist of clicking pictures to bring back the past.”
- “The gameplay consists of repeatedly selecting one of three pictures.”
- “The gameplay makes no sense and isn't explained at all.”
- “This is just a pointless slideshow with no story or gameplay whatsoever.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
62%
25%
The graphics of the game have been criticized for lacking aesthetic value and failing to engage gamers, with some reviewers suggesting that they may only appeal to photography enthusiasts. Overall, the visuals are deemed inadequate, leading to overwhelmingly negative feedback and recommendations to seek better alternatives.
- “The audio-visuals are perfect for what the developer had in mind, but the result will only appeal to photography enthusiasts, not gamers.”
- “The layout doesn't have any aesthetic value in it either and is only there for the sake of the game.”
- “It really isn't a 'game,' and doesn't even qualify as an 'interactive graphical experience.' Totally not recommended.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's replayability is mixed; while it offers eight different endings that encourage multiple playthroughs, many players feel that beyond exploring these endings, there is little incentive to replay the game. Some users appreciate the opportunity to view all individual pictures, but overall, the replay value is considered limited.
- “There is replay value if you want to be able to view all the individual pictures; it's worth it in my opinion.”
- “There are 8 different endings (4 good and 4 bad), which subtly implies that this game has replay value.”
- “The replay value goes beyond just finding the best and worst possible endings.”
- “There's no replay value.”
- “There is replay value, if you want to be able to view all the individual pictures (it's worth it in my opinion).”
- “8 different endings (4 good / 4 bad) as a subtle way to imply that this has replay value.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing cat pictures and the entertaining nature of negative reviews, which many players find to be the most enjoyable aspect. Overall, the comedic elements seem to stem more from community interactions than from the game itself.
- “I will say that the best part about this game is all of the complaining in the negative reviews; some of it is downright hilarious.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features excellent character development, with well-crafted arcs that enhance player engagement and emotional investment in the story.
- “The character development in this game is exceptional, allowing players to truly connect with the characters' journeys.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their growth feel authentic and impactful.”
- “The depth of each character's backstory and their personal growth adds a rich layer to the overall narrative.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the quality does not justify the costs, likening it to a poorly designed website promoting subpar content.
- “Some photos were nice, but it's still a cash grab for nothing.”
- “Essentially, it's the same as a poorly made website advertising their awful work.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, with users noting a lack of options for resolution adjustments and overall frame rate issues.
- “There are no options regarding resolution and optimization.”
- “Apparently, this is a case of poor FPS optimization.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a unique soundtrack that enhances its emotional impact, resonating deeply with players who engage with it. Some users find the combination of strange music and unconventional visuals evokes a sense of nostalgia and introspection, reminiscent of a teenage girl's social media experience. Overall, it has the potential to elicit strong emotional responses from its audience.
- “This game features an original and unique soundtrack that can be emotionally powerful for players who experience it at least once.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unfulfilling, with one reviewer noting that after just 15 minutes of repetitive clicking, the game culminates in a vague and unsatisfying ending.
- “I got to the end of the game after about 15 minutes of tedious clicking, and was given a vague ending of some sort that didn't seem to mean anything at all!”
- “Card farming ahoy!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game experiences numerous glitches, potentially related to resolution settings, affecting overall stability.
- “I don't know if the game expected a smaller resolution or fullscreen, but it has a lot of related glitches.”