Spooky and retro
If there are two things I really love it is retro video games and horror movies. Well, if you are anything like me, have I got a package for you. WayForward returns to the side-scrolling action genre with their latest set of games. RetroRealms is a vehicle for classic horror icons to get their chance at action platformers, it is also the first time we have seen Michael Myers in a video game of his own in a very, very long time. This new hub serves as a way to enjoy two (for now) games that follow two of horror’s greatest icons. I feel like more are in store down the line, but for now let’s take a look at what is available now.
So what are RetroRealms? These side-scrolling adventures are pretty standard fare and rely on their subject matter rather than actual mechanics. The platforming is fairly simple and the combat is extremely visceral. Each level is actually quite hefty with some questionable checkpoints and a neat realm-swapping mechanic that opens up some interesting traversal. These are simple games with one purpose in mind; to let players assume the roles of these icons while mowing down tons of enemies. It is simple fun.
MSRP: $24.99 (per game)
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $14.99 (per game)
First up we have the return of Michael Myers to video games with Halloween. Yeah, it is a pretty generic name, but just know you play as the iconic horror villain and he has a knife. The story kicks off with a demon resurrecting Michael and basically asking him to kill anything that moves. That works as motivation I suppose.
The Evil Dead portion is pretty much the same except the demon steals the Necronomicon and Ash must retrieve it. It really feels like an arbitrary reason to mow down enemies and jump on some platforms, which is exactly what we get. There isn’t much difference between the two games when it comes to structure, which continues to enforce my thought that this is a platform. Freddy next?
That being said, there is a hook to both games that involves shifting the world around the player. Basically there is an orb that characters have that can be used to warp into a new, more horrifying world. The enemies here are more aggressive and the platforming more difficult. What it does do though is open up hidden areas and items. It is a neat mechanic, but after a while it felt more like a crutch than a feature. It is also on a timer, so you can’t just switch whenever you want which led me to sitting and waiting to swap when I saw a hidden item.
Michael and Ash are not the only playable characters either. Players can go through either game as the aforementioned characters, but there are also other characters from the universe. They play slightly different with unique weapons, but the core game play remains mostly untouched. There are also a host of cool features such as behind the scenes videos as well as a museum that has unlockables which can be obtained using the coins found in the main game.
Visually WayForward nailed all the usual pixel glory. Enemies explode into glorious amounts of pixelated blood and the world looks good. Animations are great and the enemy variety is great at first, but quickly starts to repeat. The music is great. I loved the remixed rendition of the Halloween theme. This is also a juicy sounding game with some nasty squish and slop sounds. I love it.
This time of year is flooded with horror games, but we rarely see retro titles with as much love and care as RetroRealms provides. WayForward crafted a solid action platformer with recognizable characters. It is a little pricey and I worry we may not get future endeavors, but I would love to see Chucky, Freddy, and so many others get their own games. For now this is the perfect game to play during spooky times if you have a nostalgia for classic side-scrolling action titles.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
