RetroRealms Arcade

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 148 reviews

gameplay6 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.
Each character has unique styles and weapons, adding variety and replayability to the gameplay, which is complemented by well-designed levels and collectibles.
The art direction and attention to detail are impressive, creating an engaging atmosphere that appeals to fans of the horror genre.

The game is criticized for its high price relative to the short length of the campaigns, with many players feeling that the content does not justify the cost.
Gameplay can be frustrating due to clunky controls and a lack of checkpoints, leading to repeated attempts at difficult sections without significant progress.
There are complaints about the lack of diverse character movesets and the overall simplicity of the gameplay, which some players find disappointing given the potential of the horror franchises involved.

gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
13%
The gameplay features a nostalgic blend of pixel art and old-school 2D mechanics, offering fast and addictive combat and platforming experiences across two interconnected games. While many players appreciate the smooth controls, fun level design, and character crossplay, others criticize significant issues like unresponsive wall jumping and lack of playtesting, leading to frustration and a sense that the game is overpriced. Overall, fans of the franchises may find enjoyment, but many feel the gameplay needs substantial improvements to justify its cost.
- “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. It needs to be fixed to even remotely justify the $50 it costs to get both the Halloween and Evil Dead arcade games. Some of the most finicky wall jumping; half the time it takes three or four attempts for the game to even register what you wanted to do. Most of the time, past level two, there are these large enemies off-screen that smash the ground and shake the whole screen. 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.”
- “It hurts me to vote no for this, especially after putting in several hours of gameplay on it.”
- “There's two games here, both of which share the same framework and gameplay, with different levels for each franchise.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
71%
13%
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 movie plots, it effectively integrates elements from those universes, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences. Players appreciate the potential for future expansions with new characters and story modes, making it an engaging experience for fans of the IPs involved.
- “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, and the story changes for the characters who visit a realm that isn't their own either!”
- “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.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while the inclusion of multiple characters offers some incentive to replay, many players feel that the short campaigns limit overall value. Suggestions for enhancing replayability include adding more levels, diverse gameplay modes like arcade or permadeath, and difficulty settings. Overall, while the game provides some replay value, it could benefit from additional content and modes to keep players engaged.
- “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.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and alignment with the overall vibe, contributing positively to the gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the smooth integration of music with game mechanics, enhancing the enjoyment of unlocking and upgrading features. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect that complements the art direction and gameplay.
- “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.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are described as visually pleasing, enhancing the overall experience of the game. The art style effectively incorporates fun references and complements the fast-paced gameplay and level design, making it a solid action platformer.
- “The visuals are very pleasing, 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.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization strategy has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing strong discontent over perceived exploitative practices.
- “This game feels like a cash grab, with excessive monetization tactics that ruin the experience.”
- “The monetization is so aggressive that it overshadows the gameplay, making it feel more like a money-making scheme than a fun game.”
- “I can't believe how much they charge for basic features; it really comes off as a cash grab.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with players expressing disappointment due to unpolished gameplay and frustrating mechanics that detract from the experience. While the novelty of the characters is appreciated, the overall execution leaves fans feeling let down and hoping for future improvements.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be prominent, as levels are notably short and structured around unlocking content, with only ten levels available. Additionally, technical issues detract from the overall experience, making the grinding feel less enjoyable.
- “Levels are extremely short, designed around grinding and unlockables (there are 10 levels in each game, yes), and on top of that, some technical issues distract me from playing.”