The Secret of Retropolis

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 276 reviews

story82 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The art style and presentation are charming, with a unique retro-futuristic aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
The game features well-thought-out puzzles that reward exploration, and the narrative is engaging and humorous.
Despite its short length, the game provides a polished and enjoyable experience, making it a worthwhile play for fans of point-and-click adventures.

The game is very short, typically taking around an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
Some players found the puzzles to be too simple and the overall gameplay lacking in complexity.
The voice acting quality varies, with some performances feeling amateurish, which can detract from the immersive experience.

story
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging and immersive narrative, set in a charming film noir world filled with unique characters and clever humor. While many players appreciate the captivating storytelling and artistic visuals, several reviews note that the game is relatively short, leaving them eager for a sequel or additional content to further explore the narrative. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy story-driven experiences, despite some critiques regarding character development and length.
- “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.”
- “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!”
- “The story was passable.”
- “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.”
graphics
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the charming and unique art style that complements its retro sci-fi and film noir themes. While some players appreciate the stylized visuals and ambiance, others criticize the graphics as being simplistic or "lazy," noting occasional performance issues. Overall, the game's aesthetic is generally well-received, contributing to an engaging atmosphere despite some technical shortcomings.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Amazing experience, with good story, good music, amazing visuals.”
- “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
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and a unique take on the classic point-and-click adventure genre, offering an immersive experience through engaging mechanics and a compelling story. While the game is praised for its charming design and smooth interactions, many reviewers note its brevity, with gameplay lasting around an hour, leading to a desire for a longer experience. Overall, it successfully combines humor and nostalgia, though some players wish for more depth and content.
- “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
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
40%
6%
The music in the game has received praise for its fitting jazz and blues soundtrack, which complements the film noir atmosphere and enhances immersion. While some reviewers noted that the soundtrack may not be groundbreaking, it is described as varied, enjoyable, and cohesive with the overall presentation. Additionally, the inclusion of a replayable song list adds to the charm of the experience.
- “The soundtrack 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 three-man studio production.”
- “Beyond the voice acting, the art, writing, music, and overall presentation is all cohesive and a joy to 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.”
- “The vos & sound-mix weren't great, although the music and sounds (isolated) were okay.”
- “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.”
humor
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its satirical noir detective style, featuring quirky dialogues and clever meta jokes that resonate well with players. While the writing is sometimes described as childish, it remains entertaining and complements the engaging visuals and art direction. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its narrative, making it a recommended experience for those seeking a light-hearted puzzle adventure.
- “The satirical noir detective humor is on point and the 'single-screen' puzzles have just enough complexity to them.”
- “Amazing experience, funny dialogue, and just great art work.”
- “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
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its distinctive art direction, clever humor, and a strong noir vibe, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. The stylish hand-drawn visuals and engaging soundtrack contribute to a rich, immersive world, though the experience is somewhat diminished by a thin narrative and short playtime. Overall, while the atmosphere is compelling and unique, it leaves players wanting more depth and length.
- “Logical yet creative puzzles, great noir atmosphere and soundtrack, stylish hand-drawn visuals.”
- “A fun and very atmospheric game, although very short - completed it, saw 2 different endings, and looked at all the extras in just over an hour.”
- “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.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is highly praised for its optimization, showcasing a polished experience that runs smoothly on various hardware, including 1080 and 3600 setups. The cartoony graphics complement the overall aesthetic while enhancing performance, reflecting the developers' dedication to quality.
- “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 helps with performance that was great on a 1080 and 3600.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game features multiple dialogue options that encourage players to revisit and explore different sequences, providing some replay value. However, its short length and limited content, even for achievement hunters, result in overall low replayability.
- “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.”
- “The game is very short, even if you were to go for every achievement, and it offers little replay value.”
- “The game is very short, even if you were to go for every achievement, and it offers little replay value.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is highlighted by original character designs and quirky, humorous dialogues that enhance the overall experience.
- “The character design is original, and the dialogues are quirky and funny.”

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The Secret of Retropolis
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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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