Retrowave World

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 163 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Retrowave World Game Cover
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"Retrowave World" offers an immersive nostalgia experience with its 80s-inspired setting, featuring neon lights, synthwave music, and iconic supercars. Explore this idealized futuristic version of the 80s, leaving behind your daily troubles and embracing the calm of a retro sunset world. The game perfectly encapsulates the unique feeling of nostalgia evoked by Synthwave and Vaporwave music, even for those who didn't live through the era.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 163 reviews
music19 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • Retrowave World captures the nostalgic 1980s aesthetic with stunning visuals and an engaging synthwave soundtrack, creating an immersive experience.
  • The game offers a sense of freedom similar to GTA, allowing players to explore, customize cars, and engage in various activities like delivering pizzas and visiting casinos.
  • Despite being in early access, the developers are actively listening to community feedback and regularly updating the game, showing promise for future improvements.
  • The game suffers from performance issues and bugs, leading to a frustrating experience for many players, especially during early access.
  • Content is currently sparse, with many areas feeling empty and lacking engaging activities, which can lead to boredom after a short playtime.
  • The driving mechanics and controls are often described as clunky and unrefined, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
  • music36 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its engaging synthwave and vaporwave soundtracks, which perfectly complement the retro aesthetic and enhance the immersive experience. Players appreciate the chill vibe it creates while driving, although some note that the limited variety in tracks can lead to monotony over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable for fans of retro music and aesthetics.

    • “Engaging soundtrack: the synthwave soundtrack is a perfect complement to the game's retro theme, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
    • “A great open-world retrowave game where you can just let your mind wander while listening to chill retro music on a car ride, or drive to the beach to save a hot chick's life, or go in search of hidden VHS, etc...”
    • “The music is key here.”
    • “Barely even a soundtrack, to the point you have to make your own.”
    • “The idea of the game is great but after 5 minutes it's getting boring; there is not a purpose to play for and the music all sounds the same, the city feels dead and there is nothing to do.”
    • “Visuals and music are fine but there's literally no gameplay at all.”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning pixel art style and vibrant colors, effectively capturing a nostalgic retro aesthetic that appeals to both old-school gamers and newcomers. However, some reviews highlight inconsistencies and underdevelopment in gameplay elements, which detracts from the overall experience despite the strong visual appeal. While the aesthetic and soundtrack are celebrated, the game's performance issues and lack of engaging content are noted as significant drawbacks.

    • “Stunning visuals: the game's pixel art style is absolutely gorgeous, capturing the essence of retro aesthetics with vibrant colors and intricate details.”
    • “Very pleasant early 2000's aesthetic which seems to merge GTA and NFS.”
    • “A world with a unique aesthetic created by passionate people, where the only goal is to wander and enjoy the moment.”
    • “I have appreciation for the UI designs and the art direction it's shooting towards, but purely talking about the gameplay itself, right now, it lacks a lot of things. Even at the core of what it's trying to be, in elements of gameplay and visuals such as map design, driving, aesthetic, art design, and content, they're either inconsistent or undeveloped.”
    • “It runs pretty awfully right now, even with lower graphics settings, and that's with an empty vast map, without much notable life and presence.”
    • “It does not hold a single thing up right now that it can proudly say is its strong point aside from its aesthetic and visual style and music, but if all else is lacking, it takes away the enjoyment you get from them.”
  • gameplay25 mentions

    The gameplay in "Retrowave World" presents a mix of challenges and frustrations; while some players appreciate the precision required in platforming and the fun driving mechanics, many criticize the overall experience as shallow, buggy, and lacking in engaging content. Issues such as janky controls, clipping problems, and underdeveloped mechanics detract from the potential enjoyment, leaving players hoping for significant updates to enhance the gameplay experience. Despite its appealing visuals and art direction, the core gameplay elements fail to deliver a consistently enjoyable experience.

    • “Challenging gameplay: Retrowave World offers a satisfying level of challenge, with well-designed platforming sections that require precision and timing.”
    • “Fun and simple, driving mechanics and car customization is definitely the center point of this game.”
    • “Yeah, there is a whole arcade with a Yakuza-style gameplay feel of going into an arcade and throwing basketballs or skee ball or even shooting some monsters up.”
    • “I have appreciation for the UI designs and the art direction it's shooting towards, but purely talking about the gameplay itself, right now, it lacks a lot of things. I just can't seem to find something that the game pulls off fantastically right now. Even at the core of what it's trying to be, in elements of gameplay and visuals such as map design, driving, aesthetic, art design, and content, they're either inconsistent or undeveloped.”
    • “Clipping issues, janky controls, and poorly optimized gameplay really killed it for me. Hopefully, this gets the love it deserves and a few great updates down the line.”
    • “Unfortunately, this game shows no potential and, more importantly, there's no indication that the developers aimed to create a pleasurable gameplay experience.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, performance issues, and long loading times, particularly in multiplayer aspects. While many acknowledge its early access status and express optimism for future improvements, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and unoptimized, detracting from the experience. Despite these issues, some players still find enjoyment and potential in the game's charm and gameplay mechanics.

    • “Almost all my playtime is from running a script at the buggy, incomplete, barely functional casino.”
    • “It's a buggy, unfinished mess.”
    • “There's no hiding from the fact this game is very buggy and very unfinished.”
  • story13 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth, with many users noting that it feels more like a sandbox experience reminiscent of GTA without the crime elements. While the game offers a variety of activities and missions, such as lifeguard rescues and exploration, it is criticized for having a shallow narrative and minimal overarching plot. Overall, players see potential for a more engaging story that could elevate the retro-themed gameplay.

    • “This is the coolest retrowave game at this time; the map is not huge but honest, with interesting quests and places to visit.”
    • “I believe it could even become a GTA-esque game that is more focused on the 'retro life' aspect, rather than the 'illegal gangster mission' aspect.”
    • “This game is what you do in GTA when you are between missions: an opportunity to drive around, listen to great music, and just enjoy being in this environment.”
    • “This game sounds like it is supposed to be Vice City reincarnated, but currently it is GTA without crime, barely has a story, and is even lacking fun too.”
    • “The game in its current state has a lake's worth of content, but looking closer at it, the 'lake' is only centimeters deep.”
    • “Controls are weird, missions, map.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received largely negative feedback, with users reporting significant bugs, poor performance, and a lack of polish, particularly in terms of controls and NPC interactions. While some improvements have been noted in recent updates, many players still find the game to be unoptimized and lacking in content, raising concerns about the developers' focus. Overall, there is a sense of potential, but substantial work is needed to enhance the game's stability and performance.

    • “The optimization has been tweaked; overall, it is more stable than it was two updates ago.”
    • “The developers have done a good job for an anticipated game with potential; there are no big bugs, but performance needs some fixes.”
    • “It's a buggy mess, it's incredibly unoptimized, sitting at 24 GB which should be about 1, and it is just overall extremely barebones even for early access.”
    • “Very unoptimized, yet loads of potential.”
    • “Clipping issues, janky controls, and poorly optimized gameplay really killed it for me... hopefully this gets the love it deserves and a few great updates down the line.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a strong 80s aesthetic, engaging visuals, and an impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the relaxing vibe and humorous driving model, contributing to a fun and immersive environment.

    • “The atmosphere is surely there: the visuals are what you'd expect, the soundtrack is awesome.”
    • “The 80s atmosphere is really nice.”
    • “The atmosphere is surely there: the visuals are what you'd expect, the soundtrack is awesome (I listened through most of it back in retrowave, though), the driving model is hilarious.”
    • “Barely any grind and, more importantly, a relaxing atmosphere.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some appreciate the fun and rewarding nature of grinding for cash and passive income through property investments, others find it excessively time-consuming and tedious, suggesting it may not appeal to those solely interested in grinding activities.

    • “I doubt people would be getting this game solely because they are looking forward to just grinding deliveries.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Heavy grinding.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, with players suggesting that additional clothing options should be available through in-game purchases rather than solely through real money transactions. This approach could enhance player engagement and incentivize spending as they progress in the game.

    • “Additional clothes would obviously be nice, but I feel like those should be steered toward in-game purchases, where you can find a number of clothing shops throughout the map and buy new outfits as you earn money and level up, once again giving the player more incentive to engage and spend money.”
    • “Cash grab, to be honest.”
    • “Additional clothes would obviously also be nice, but I feel like those should be steered toward in-game purchases, where you can find a number of clothing shops throughout the map and buy new threads as you earn money and level up - once again giving the player more incentive to engage and spend money.”
    • “I figure they could use more reviews since they don't have a publisher to do any advertisement work for them (that I know of).”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing driving model and funny physics, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. Players appreciate the blend of entertaining visuals and an engaging soundtrack, with minor bugs adding to the overall comedic experience rather than detracting from it.

    • “The atmosphere is surely there: the visuals are what you'd expect, the soundtrack is awesome (I listened through most of it back in retrowave, though), the driving model is hilarious.”
    • “The only bugs I have seen so far are somewhere between funny to very mildly annoying :)”
    • “Funny physics.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, often returning to immerse themselves in its captivating world and enjoy the overall sense of value it offers.

    • “Players return for the immersive world they were transported into and the overall sense of replay value.”
    • “The game offers countless choices and paths, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With multiple endings and diverse character interactions, I find myself coming back to experience everything the game has to offer.”
    • “The game lacks significant changes in gameplay, making it hard to find reasons to replay it.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there isn't much incentive to dive back in.”
    • “The limited variety in missions and quests means that replaying feels more like a chore than a choice.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express that the emotional aspect of gaming can evoke nostalgia, particularly when faced with frustrations like technical issues that remind them of past experiences.

    • “The frustration of not getting a game to work on my computer certainly made me feel nostalgic.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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