The Secret of Retropolis

About

The Secret of Retropolis is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Peanut Button and was released on July 21, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"The Secret of Retropolis" is a seated VR adventure-mystery game where you play as a robot detective, hired by a movie star to uncover a shady plot and reveal a conspiracy in a retro-futuristic city. With intuitive controls, the game is engaging for first-time VR users and relaxing for experienced ones. Immerse in the detailed hand-drawn environments, original score, and voice acting, all while reminiscing on 90's point-and-click adventure games. No robots were harmed in the making of this game.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 148 reviews

story42 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The Secret of Retropolis features a charming art style and engaging story, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, making it a delightful experience.
The game is well-crafted with smooth controls, humorous dialogue, and a jazzy soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
Despite its short length, the game offers a fun and immersive VR experience, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre.

The game is very short, typically taking around an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
Puzzles are generally easy and straightforward, lacking the complexity that some players might expect from a point-and-click adventure.
The voice acting and some graphical elements could use improvement, as they occasionally detract from the overall polished feel of the game.

story
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, often described as a charming film noir narrative filled with humor and unique characters. However, many reviewers note that the experience is quite short, typically lasting under three hours, which leaves players wanting more depth and development. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate story-driven games, particularly in a visually artistic and interactive format.
- “What a goddamn beautiful game, a game that brought me to tears at the end just because of the art. I always felt that VR was perfect for more artistic games, and this proved it, with the animations being on point, giving it a choppy feel. The story got me good; I fell in love with the characters when I first heard them, so much personality in such a short period of time.”
- “The world itself, the great story, and unforgettable characters are just part of the game's charm that will keep you deep into the game.”
- “The story is captivating, sad, and funny!”
- “Distinctive art direction, clever humor, and excellent overall atmosphere are let down by a rather thin story, underdeveloped characters, and short playtime.”
- “A shame, as I'd have loved to have spent more time in the world and given the story more space to breathe and develop.”
- “It really should have been longer; the story isn't great, to be honest.”
graphics
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the charming and unique art style that complements its noir theme, while others criticize it as simplistic or lazy. The visuals are described as stylized and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, though some users noted occasional graphical issues and a desire for improved lighting. Overall, the game's aesthetic is appreciated for its creativity and fitting ambiance, making it enjoyable for those who value artistic presentation.
- “The art style is charming, the story is immersive, the characters are all unique in style, don't get me started on the soundtrack and overall, I love this game.”
- “Amazing experience, with good story, good music, amazing visuals.”
- “The secret of Retropolis is a graphically beautiful VR world where we are a robot private eye, in a robot future world with an old-fashioned look.”
- “The graphics are a joke.”
- “You can call this an art style, but I call it lazy.”
- “The art style and mood is really sweet, with 3-5fps animated 3D volumetric drawings.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and a focus on immersive storytelling, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventure games. While the mechanics are straightforward, allowing players to interact with the environment in a fixed position, many reviewers noted the game's short duration of around one hour, expressing a desire for a longer experience. Overall, the combination of engaging story, charming dialogue, and effective mechanics creates a satisfying, albeit brief, gaming experience.
- “Gameplay is simple, but provides a new point of view to the old-school adventure genre.”
- “The gameplay itself is very simple, but there is enough interaction to create an immersive experience.”
- “It's a cool game with a classic noir story and good gameplay.”
- “Less than an hour of gameplay.”
- “The only downside is that the game is quite short (around 1.x hour of gameplay).”
- “That being said, there are other games which give me much more gameplay for the cost.”
music
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
28%
12%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its fitting jazz and blues soundtrack, which enhances the film noir atmosphere and overall immersion. Many reviewers highlight the quality and variety of the soundtrack, noting that it complements the charming art style and engaging story. While some feel the music may not be groundbreaking, it is consistently described as enjoyable and well-integrated into the game's experience.
- “The soundtrack doesn’t blow me away but still, it’s fitting for the game's film noir inspirations, having a jazz and blues soundtrack that complements the setting.”
- “Music is varied and fantastic; the little clip on the store does not fully indicate the quality of the music. Cheers to the devs on this point.”
- “The immersion is helped immensely by the lovely jazz-drenched soundtrack, and the dialogue delivery is adequate for a small 3-man studio production.”
- “The soundtrack doesn’t blow me away but still, it’s fitting for the game's film noir inspirations having a jazz and blues soundtrack that complements the setting.”
- “The voice acting, art, writing, music, and overall presentation are all cohesive and a joy to experience.”
- “The voice acting and sound mix weren't great, although the music and sounds (isolated) were okay.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many reviewers highlighting the satirical noir detective style, quirky dialogues, and enjoyable meta jokes. The combination of distinctive art direction and funny character interactions contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere, making it a delightful experience despite some critiques about the story's depth and character development. Overall, players find the humor to be a significant highlight, enhancing the game's appeal as a fun and engaging puzzle experience.
- “The satirical noir detective humor is on point and the 'single-screen' puzzles have just enough complexity to them.”
- “The character design is original and the dialogues are quirky and funny.”
- “The film noir elements are great, the dialogue is cheesy, funny, a bit over the top, and it fits perfectly with the story that is easy to follow.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its distinctive art direction, clever humor, and strong noir elements, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. However, the overall experience is somewhat diminished by a thin story and underdeveloped characters, with many players noting the short playtime despite the engaging visuals and soundtrack.
- “The art style drips atmosphere and fleshes out a world closer in feel to The Maltese Falcon than Blade Runner, despite the cyber-noir setting.”
- “Logical yet creative puzzles, great noir atmosphere and soundtrack, stylish hand-drawn visuals.”
- “Very unique art style, great atmosphere and interesting puzzles.”
- “Distinctive art direction, clever humor, and excellent overall atmosphere are let down by a rather thin story, underdeveloped characters, and short playtime.”
- “The art style drips atmosphere and fleshes out a world closer in feel to 'The Maltese Falcon' than 'Blade Runner', despite the cyber-noir setting.”
- “It does kind of remind me of an old point-and-click adventure game with the dialogue and especially the atmosphere.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted by original design and quirky, humorous dialogues, contributing to a unique and engaging experience for players.
- “The character design is original, and the dialogues are quirky and funny.”
- “The depth of character development really makes you feel connected to the story.”
- “Each character evolves in a way that feels natural and engaging, making their journeys memorable.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game is praised for its exceptional optimization, showcasing a polished experience that runs smoothly on mid-range hardware like a 1080 and 3600. The cartoony graphics complement the overall aesthetic while enhancing performance.
- “This is a pure labor of love, with every aspect of it polished and optimized.”
- “Graphics are cartoony but totally work with the overall aesthetic, and help with performance that was great on a 1080 and 3600.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features multiple dialogue options that encourage players to revisit and explore different sequences, enhancing its replayability. However, its short length and limited content, even for achievement hunters, result in minimal overall replay value.
- “The game is very short, even if you were to go for every achievement, and it offers little replay value.”
- “There are various dialogue options, and this gives the game a bit of replay value if you want to go back and explore all dialogue sequences.”

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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Secret of Retropolis is a puzzle game.

The Secret of Retropolis is available on PC, Virtual Reality, Windows and Oculus Quest.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing The Secret of Retropolis.

The Secret of Retropolis was released on July 21, 2021.

The Secret of Retropolis was developed by Peanut Button.

The Secret of Retropolis has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its atmosphere.

The Secret of Retropolis is a single player game.

Similar games include Moss, Tails Noir: Prologue, FORM, Detective Grimoire, The Silent Age and others.

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