RetroRealms Arcade

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 75 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • replayability
RetroRealms Arcade Game Cover
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"RetroRealms Arcade" is a 16-bit pixel art game featuring over-the-top arcade action with iconic horror characters. Play as Michael Myers from "Halloween" and Ash Williams from "Ash vs Evil Dead" in separate platformer games with terrifying levels and familiar sights from the original films and series. Purchase the Double Feature bundle to receive additional playable characters, Laurie Strode from "Halloween" and Kelly Maxwell from "Ash vs Evil Dead", each with their own play style, story, and achievements.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews
replayability3 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • The game features iconic horror characters and offers a nostalgic 16-bit experience with fun gameplay reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania.
  • The level design is well-crafted, providing a good balance of challenge and enjoyment, with unique character abilities that enhance replayability.
  • The game is visually appealing with great attention to detail, and it successfully integrates humor and references from the horror franchises.
  • The game is criticized for its high price relative to the short length of the campaigns, with many players feeling it lacks sufficient content for the cost.
  • There are significant gameplay issues, including frustrating platforming mechanics and a lack of checkpoints, which can lead to a punishing experience.
  • Some players feel that the characters do not have enough distinct playstyles, making the gameplay feel repetitive despite the potential for variety.
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay features a nostalgic blend of pixel art and classic 2D mechanics, offering fast-paced and addictive action with a mix of combat and platforming. While many players appreciate the fun level design and character crossplay, some criticize the game for its finicky controls and lack of polish, leading to frustrating experiences. Overall, fans of the franchises may enjoy the novelty, but the gameplay's execution has left some feeling disappointed.

    • “It feels like stepping into a time machine with pixel art, simple yet addictive gameplay, and that nostalgic vibe.”
    • “The basic gameplay is fast and snappy enough with a fair amount of options, the level design is simple and fun, a good balance of combat and platforming, the visuals are very pleasing, all the little references are really fun.”
    • “The music is on point, and the gameplay feels really smooth and fun.”
    • “I was really looking forward to this but this was immensely disappointing. It's obviously unplaytested and incredibly overpriced. The wall jumping is finicky; half the time it takes three or four attempts for the game to even register what you wanted to do. After level two, there are large enemies off-screen that shake the whole screen when they smash the ground. If you were touching anything, you will get flung around or knocked down. This makes the precision platforming a test of luck, not skill. It's obvious this was not playtested. I really wanted to push through, but it's not worth it and it's not any fun. The novelty of playing as these characters is cool, but they and the fans deserved a better game. Maybe in the future, on sale, it'll be worth a shot after patches to fix the gameplay and level design issues.”
    • “There's two games here, both of which share the same framework and gameplay, with different levels for each franchise.”
    • “A lot of old school 2D mechanics in this game.”
  • story12 mentions

    The game's story is creatively tailored to different characters, offering unique twists and nods to various movie franchises, which enhances replayability for fans. While the narrative may not closely follow the original plots, it effectively integrates elements from the films, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences. Overall, players appreciate the engaging storytelling and hope for more character additions and story modes in the future.

    • “If you love any IP they add to this, then definitely buy it; they’re very creative with the story modes!”
    • “There's tons of nods to the movies and plenty of inspiration from them too, but with their own unique twist. The story changes for the characters who visit a realm that isn't their own!”
    • “The storytelling is simple but works very well for the characters and is a great way to tie in future IPs.”
    • “Sure, it's got barely anything to do with the plot of the movie (unless a hidden cut exists where Michael Myers murders demon spiders whilst escaping the hospital).”
    • “It slightly changes the story and collectibles, but not much else.”
    • “Other playables should have different stories per each game.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is seen as limited, primarily due to the need for additional purchases to access extra characters, which some players feel detracts from the experience. While the inclusion of multiple characters offers some replay value, many reviewers express a desire for more diverse gameplay modes and longer campaigns to enhance replayability further. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the game's length relative to its genre, noting that it still provides a decent amount of replayability for a horror platformer.

    • “The multiple characters also add replayability, which is nice considering the campaigns are really short otherwise.”
    • “Again, just a difficulty mode or an 'arcade' mode where you start on 1-1 and have to finish the game with only a certain amount of lives would be great for replayability.”
    • “That's some BS right there; if you want any replay value, you have to shell out more cash for extra characters.”
    • “For the amount of replayability this holds, I feel it's pretty lengthy for a horror gory platformer, and we don't have too many of those.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and alignment with the overall vibe, enhancing the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the smooth controls and level design, which complement the enjoyable musical elements.

    • “The music is on point, and the gameplay feels really smooth and fun.”
    • “Music is nice, upgrading is nice, unlocking stuff is nice, controls and level design feels nice.”
    • “From what I've seen, I love the art and music and vibe, and I really want to enjoy it.”
    • “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “While the sound design is decent, the soundtrack is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience.”
    • “The background music is often too loud, drowning out important sound cues and dialogue.”
  • graphics2 mentions

    The graphics are visually pleasing and effectively complement the fast-paced gameplay, featuring simple yet engaging level design. The visuals are enhanced by fun references to the series, contributing to a solid overall experience in this action platformer.

    • “The visuals are very pleasing, and all the little references are really fun.”
    • “It's just a really solid action platformer wrapped with a series you know, with dialogue, visuals, and characters all referencing it.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, suggesting that the game prioritizes profit over player experience.

    • “This game feels like a blatant cash grab, prioritizing profits over player experience.”
    • “The monetization strategy is so aggressive that it ruins the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I can't believe how much they charge for basic features; it feels like they are just trying to milk players for every penny.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional response to the game is largely one of disappointment, as players feel let down by its lack of polish and playtesting, which detracts from the enjoyment of the experience. While the novelty of the characters is appreciated, the frustrating gameplay and design flaws overshadow any potential emotional connection, leaving players wishing for a better execution in the future.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be prominent due to the extremely short levels, which are heavily focused on unlocking content. Additionally, technical issues detract from the overall experience, making the grinding feel more frustrating.

    • “Levels are extremely short, designed around grinding and unlockables. There are only 10 levels in each game, and on top of that, some technical issues distract me from playing.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “I find myself spending more time grinding for resources than actually enjoying the gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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