RETSNOM

About

RETSNOM is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Somi and was released on July 23, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"RETSNOM is a puzzle platformer with unique mirror-based mechanics. Your daughter is infected with a zombie virus and the only cure is in a mirror maze-guarded future lab. Mirrors in the game reflect, hide, and invert the world, and understanding these properties is key to solving the game's intricate puzzles."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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62%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

music6 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features interesting and original puzzle mechanics that challenge players to think creatively.
The pixel art and overall visuals are appealing, contributing to a unique atmosphere.
The music, while polarizing, is described as hauntingly beautiful and fits the game's tone well.

The controls and mechanics can feel awkward and inconsistent, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The story is considered thin and predictable, lacking depth and character development.
Many players find the game boring and repetitive, with puzzles that can feel tedious and overly difficult.

music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it dull and poorly fitting, while others praise its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere. Critics note issues like music disappearing and being annoying, while supporters highlight its calming and emotionally resonant qualities. Overall, the soundtrack's effectiveness seems to vary significantly among players, impacting their overall experience.
- “Although the plot is paper thin, the game's art style, mechanics, and musical choice will keep you invested from start to finish.”
- “With a chilling atmosphere and a haunting yet beautiful soundtrack, this game is a fantastic puzzle experience with a beautiful narrative.”
- “The music is hauntingly beautiful and suits the game's atmosphere perfectly.”
- “Dull, clunky, the music is annoying rehashed piano, the input sometimes does not register at all (makes the jump-and-mirror tasks very tedious), the graphics are horrible - a mishmash of grey tilesets more suitable for a pre-alpha prototype rather than a finished project, the plot is pretty predictable, the music disappears sometimes, the camera is zoomed in way too close.”
- “Also, I felt that the music does not fit with the game at all... personally, I couldn't bear listening to this depressing music, so I turned the sound off and played with my own music.”
- “Classical music to make you feel smart when you actually feel dumb.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of innovative and challenging mechanics, particularly in puzzle-solving, which can feel awkward and steep in difficulty for some players. While the art style and soundtrack enhance the experience, opinions are divided on the new mechanics introduced in later levels, with some players finding them frustrating. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of puzzles and light combat, encouraging creative thinking but also presenting significant challenges.
- “Although the plot is paper thin, the game's art style, mechanics, and musical choice will keep you invested from start to finish.”
- “Interesting story, unique game mechanics that drive the player to think in multiple directions about how to solve puzzles, and maintains a zen-like simplicity.”
- “Really interesting puzzle mechanics with seemingly multiple ways to solve them.”
- “In World 2, I stopped playing because I do not like the new mechanics that are being introduced.”
- “Throughout almost the entire playthrough, I felt like I was wrestling with the puzzle mechanics.”
- “Because of the steep difficulty of the main puzzle mechanic, each solution is a real chore.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it uninteresting, predictable, and overly complex without delivering depth. While some appreciate the emotional hook of a father's quest to find his daughter, others feel the narrative is shallow and fails to engage, leading to a lack of motivation to progress. Overall, the storytelling attempts to be thought-provoking but often falls flat, leaving players confused or disinterested.
- “Interesting story, unique game mechanics that drive the player to think in multiple directions about how to solve puzzles, and maintains a zen-like simplicity.”
- “- the story of a father looking for his daughter is enough to get you hooked and to motivate you ahead.”
- “Although the plot is paper thin, the game's art style, mechanics and musical choice will keep you invested from start to finish.”
- “The story really wants to be deep and complex, but it comes across as wonky and shallow.”
- “Sadly most of the weight lies in the brief exchanges and the remainder is saved for what might be called a plot twist by few.”
- “Because although I may not be the best at puzzle games, I lost interest in both the story and actually wanting to move forward in the game after about the first 10 levels.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players criticizing them as dull and reminiscent of a pre-alpha prototype, featuring uninspired art and a lack of variety in scenery. Conversely, others praise the visuals as crisp and clean, highlighting an appealing art style that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the graphical quality seems to vary significantly, impacting players' enjoyment differently.
- “Although the plot is paper thin, the game's art style, mechanics, and musical choice will keep you invested from start to finish.”
- “Art style is nice to look at.”
- “Excellent concept, superb visuals and music.”
- “Dull, clunky, the music is annoying rehashed piano, the input sometimes does not register at all (makes the jump-and-mirror tasks very tedious), the graphics are horrible - a mishmash of grey tilesets more suitable for a pre-alpha prototype rather than a finished project, the plot is pretty predictable, the music disappears sometimes, the camera is zoomed in way too close.”
- “It doesn't help that the uninspired art style comes with no variety in scenery.”
- “Not interesting for its graphics, retsnom will completely blow your mind by its game mechanics!”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The atmosphere of retsnom is characterized by a chilling and immersive quality, enhanced by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that complements its narrative. Players find themselves absorbed in a simple yet creepy environment, making it an engaging experience for puzzle enthusiasts.
- “With a chilling atmosphere and a haunting yet beautiful soundtrack, Retsnom is a fantastic puzzle game with a beautiful narrative.”
- “This game is a great buy if you want to strengthen your brain and get absorbed into a simple but creepy atmosphere.”
- “The music is hauntingly beautiful and suits the game's atmosphere perfectly.”
- “This game is a great buy if you want to strengthen your brain and get absorbed into a simple, but creepy atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is tedious and frustrating, with clunky controls and unresponsive inputs making tasks feel laborious. Additionally, the graphics are criticized for being subpar and unpolished, while the repetitive music detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players find the grinding elements to be unenjoyable and lacking in polish.
- “Dull and clunky, the music is an annoying rehashed piano. The input sometimes does not register at all, making the jump-and-mirror tasks very tedious. The graphics are horrible - a mishmash of grey tilesets more suitable for a pre-alpha prototype rather than a finished project. The plot is pretty predictable, and the music disappears sometimes. The camera is zoomed in way too close.”
- “Grinding feels like an endless chore with no real reward. The repetitive tasks become mind-numbing, and the lack of variety makes it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The grind is excessively tedious, with little to no incentive to keep pushing through. It feels more like a punishment than a gameplay mechanic.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is minimal, resulting in tragic and dramatic moments that fail to resonate emotionally with players.
- “There is minimal character development, so tragic and dramatic moments lack emotional weight.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with their journeys.”
- “Character arcs are predictable and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while the game features complicated and touching moments, the minimal character development undermines the emotional impact of its tragic and dramatic scenes.
- “All you need to know is it's complicated and touching.”