Retrowave World

About

Retrowave World is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by RewindApp and was released on May 10, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

"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.

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 258 reviews

graphics19 positive mentions

stability29 negative mentions

The game has a strong retro aesthetic with beautiful visuals and an awesome soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Driving mechanics, while initially awkward, become enjoyable and add a unique charm to the gameplay.
The game shows a lot of potential for future updates, with active developer engagement and community feedback being taken into account.

Currently, the gameplay is quite shallow and repetitive, with many locations feeling empty and lacking engaging content.
The game is plagued by bugs and performance issues, making it feel unfinished and frustrating at times.
There is a lack of meaningful activities and incentives to keep players engaged after initial exploration, leading to a sense of boredom.

graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The graphics of the game are praised for their beautiful retro aesthetic, particularly the synthwave and vaporwave influences, which create an immersive atmosphere. However, many reviewers note that while the visuals are appealing, they are accompanied by inconsistent performance and a lack of gameplay depth, suggesting that the graphics may be the game's strongest aspect at this stage. Overall, the art direction is appreciated, but improvements are needed in detail and optimization to enhance the overall experience.
- “Overall graphics are beautiful.”
- “A world with a unique aesthetic created by passionate people, where the only goal is to wander and enjoy the moment.”
- “The artwork is fantastic.”
- “It runs pretty awfully right now, even with lower graphics and settings lowered, 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.”
- “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, and like another review stated, 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.”
music
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
42%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its chill retro vibe, primarily featuring synthwave and vaporwave tracks that perfectly complement the driving experience and aesthetic. While many players enjoy the soundtrack, some express a desire for a more diverse playlist, as the music can feel repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point of the game, enhancing the atmosphere despite criticisms regarding gameplay depth.
- “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...”
- “For now the game is mostly a driving/walking simulator, with beautifully designed places to visit and wonderful background music (synthwave and vaporwave) to accompany you wherever you go.”
- “Obviously the main focus of this game is a vibe n' drive in the 80s type deal but there are some little side activities you can do and the soundtrack matches the setting perfectly (shoutout to the OST artists).”
- “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.”
- “Barely even a soundtrack, to the point you have to make your own.”
- “The same music tracks are used in a lot of the games they make.”
gameplay
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The gameplay is widely criticized for being shallow, buggy, and lacking engaging content, with many reviewers noting that it feels empty and flow-breaking. While driving mechanics and car customization are highlighted as the game's core features, there is a strong desire for more diverse activities and improvements to the overall experience. Many players express hope for future updates to address these issues and enhance gameplay depth.
- “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 ski ball or even shooting some monsters up.”
- “There is even a fighting mechanic in this game; you can punch and block.”
- “The little gameplay that is there is strongly flow-breaking, bland to the point of emptiness and stretched beyond any reasonable limits.”
- “Gameplay is shallow as well; apart from driving around, you get to do few activities and that is all.”
- “Unfortunately, this game shows no potential and, more importantly, there's no indication that the developers aimed to create a pleasurable gameplay experience.”
stability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is currently experiencing significant stability issues, with frequent bugs, crashes, and long loading times, particularly when starting new games or entering buildings. While players acknowledge its early access status and express optimism for future improvements, many describe it as a "buggy, unfinished mess" that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, some users still find the game enjoyable and recognize its potential.
- “Once I try to start a new game, it pops up a loading screen and then eventually freezes.”
- “There's no hiding from the fact this game is very buggy and very unfinished.”
- “It's a buggy, unfinished mess.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
79%
13%
The game's story is perceived as minimal and lacking depth, with many reviewers comparing it unfavorably to classic titles like Vice City, describing it as a version of GTA without crime or engaging narrative. While there are various missions and activities, such as lifeguard rescues and driving around a retro-inspired map, the overall content feels shallow and underdeveloped, leading to a sense of missed potential. Players express hope for more substantial missions and a richer storyline in future updates.
- “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 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 also manages to feature casinos, real estate, beaches, and other cars on the roads while you drive, but what I'm saying is that the game in its current state has a lake's worth of content, but looking closer at it, the 'lake' is only centimeters deep.”
- “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.”
optimization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, including janky controls, clipping problems, and a lack of polish, particularly for an early access title. While some acknowledge improvements in stability over recent updates, the consensus is that the game remains unoptimized and barebones, leaving room for substantial enhancements in future updates. Despite these challenges, there is a sense of potential that players hope will be realized with further development.
- “The optimization has been tweaked; overall, it is more stable than it was two updates ago.”
- “Very un-optimized, yet loads of potential.”
- “The devs have done a good job for an anticipated game with potential; no big bugs, but performance needs some fixes.”
- “Its 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.”
- “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.”
- “Firstly, the optimization is horrid.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
18%
18%
The game successfully captures a vibrant 80s atmosphere, enhanced by an engaging soundtrack and appealing visuals. Players appreciate the relaxing ambiance and humorous driving model, although some find the graphics slightly demanding. Overall, the atmosphere is consistently praised as enjoyable and immersive.
- “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.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be both enjoyable and essential for progression, particularly in terms of earning cash and acquiring properties. However, many also note that the grinding can be quite heavy, suggesting that it may require a significant time investment that could deter some players.
- “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.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight the humor in the game primarily through its amusing driving model and quirky physics, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. While some bugs are noted, they are often perceived as funny rather than frustrating, enhancing the overall comedic experience. The combination of engaging visuals and a nostalgic soundtrack further complements the game's humorous tone.
- “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.”
- “Thou alpha, only bugs I have seen so far are somewhere between funny to very mildly annoying :)”
- “- funny physics”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The monetization strategy focuses on in-game purchases, particularly through clothing shops where players can buy new outfits as they earn money and level up. This approach encourages player engagement and spending, although some users feel that additional promotional efforts could enhance visibility and attract more reviews.
- “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.”
- “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 on.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players are drawn back to the game for its immersive world and strong sense of replayability, indicating that the experience remains engaging and enjoyable upon multiple playthroughs.
- “Players return for the immersive world they were transported into and the overall sense of replay value.”
- “The game offers a captivating world that keeps players coming back for more, enhancing its replayability.”
- “The engaging environment and diverse gameplay options ensure that players find plenty of reasons to replay the game.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a sense of nostalgia tied to the emotional frustration of technical difficulties in gaming, highlighting how these challenges evoke memories of past experiences with similar issues.