Some games are designed to scratch a nostalgic itch. "RetroRealms" wants to hit two of them simultaneously: The one that loves classic ‘80s horror franchises and the one that loves the arcade games of roughly the same era (maybe a bit more ‘90s, but the point stands). "RetroRealms" is the banner name for two (and likely more in the future) arcade experiences built around the iconic characters from John Carpenter's "Halloween" and Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" (technically, the Starz show "Ash vs. Evil Dead," but, again, the point stands). These are silly, addictive experiences designed to remind players of a certain age of plunking quarters into a machine in an arcade after school. They can get a little repetitive, and there are some weird difficulty spikes, but both are true of the games that inspired this release. I hope "Halloween" and "Ash vs. Evil Dead" are just the beginning. ("Friday the 13th," "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," "Saw," and, hopefully, "Child's Play" feel inevitable.)
Developed by WayForward and published by Boss Team Games, "RetroRealms: Halloween" and "RetroRealms: Ash vs. Evil Dead"—which, technically, are available separately or bundled together—drops you into an arcade with two machines to choose from (and plenty of space for more in the future in the same environment). In the back of the establishment, you'll find space for trophies and collectibles like Ash's car, but the bulk of the experience is in those arcade machines that feature well-designed levels in which you play characters from the films. Now, a word of warning: If you're looking for an adaptation of "Army of Darkness" or "Halloween V," keep dreaming. These games have pretty standard enemies, built primarily around demonic, Lovecraftian creatures that want to destroy you. However, the game settings have loose connections to the franchises, with Michael Myers battling through Smith's Grove Sanitarium to Haddonfield and Ash Williams moving from Mossy Oaks to Elk Grove, Michigan.
The main mechanics are your standard melee and weapon button-mashing. Still, there's also one in which you can transport yourself to a "Nightmare Realm," an alternate version of the level that's populated by creatures straight out of "Hellraiser" (another potential "RetroRealms" future installment). Going there can help with puzzles to progress through a level or find collectibles.
The structure of "RetroRealms" is pretty simple, with a boss every other level and in-game currency that allows upgrades to things like health, ammo capacity, and even special moves. Different characters have different weapons, which impact the flow of the levels and even the endings. And, yes, you can cross-populate with Laurie Strode tackling the "Evil Dead" levels and Ash going the other way if you want to mix it up. Replay value is enhanced with scores that can be topped and compared to your friends.
And that's about it. "RetroRealms" isn't a Game of the Year contender, but it's a fun diversion during spooky season 2024. Sometimes that's all you need. And, again, it gets the mental wheels spinning about future installments. It's easy to envision a packed arcade with tons of cross-populated options. Want Ghostface from "Scream" to go to the cabin from "Evil Dead"? Buy this game, and let's make that happen.
The publisher provided a review copy of this title.
