Boss Team Games is delivering something I never knew I needed, which is beautifully pixeled 2D action platformers based on horror properties. RetroRealms is an incredible mash-up of Ash vs Evil Dead (yep, the television show) and Halloween in one slick package. Each has its own campaigns, although there are plenty of similarities in the gameplay, and the characters can be used freely in both modes (so Michael Myers can terrorize Deadites if you want them to get a taste of their own medicine). It’s an unexpected blast and filled with love for the source material.
The gameplay is pretty straightforward. Each character has their main melee attack, which you’ll be able to smash enemies with and charge up for a more devastating blow, and a special ranged attack that costs ammo to use. Some puzzle-solving comes into play too. There are in-level collectibles that are placed in hard-to-get areas that often require the use of the realm mechanic, which allows you to use a meter to go into the Nightmare Realm — an alternate version of the level with slight differences. It all comes together to create a really fun base game that is constantly tweaked depending on who you’re playing.
Each game has its own campaign, and it’s really great to see some familiar locations recreated within the game. These aren’t remakes of the source material, though, as there’s a big bad that is influencing the world and causing these scenarios, so there’s plenty of original content as well. The characters are well-written — Michael Myers is totally silent, while Ash Williams never shuts up in cutscenes — and it’s clear that there was a real reverence for the source material. There’s occasionally some slightly frustrating level design, but it’s rare enough to never slog the game down.
The game really shines in its boss encounters. These are when strategy really comes into play as you’ll have to conserve health by dodging attacks and learning the boss’ patterns. Getting through the end of one of the in-game worlds is quite satisfying, and what’s cool is that you’ll have to alter your approach depending on what character you are playing. Some fights are naturally easier with some of the characters’ abilities, while others will test your mettle.
The game currently has four characters: Myers, Ash, Laurie Strode, and Kelly Maxwell. Each is quite fun to play, and the slight difference really can change your strategy at each level. For example, Laurie has a double jump, which allows for some new opportunities, while Ash can charge up his melee attack for a shotgun blast. It results in a game that is highly replayable — each character has their own trophy sets as well — and is fun to experience each time.
There are also quite a few bonuses included. The in-game collectibles can be used to buy trinkets in a museum, such as Ash’s car, which are nice 3D models of some iconic Evil Dead and Halloween objects. There are also some really gorgeous dioramas that can be unlocked that play off the realm motif that are fun to look at as well. The cherry on top is that there’s an interactable VCR that allows you to watch some behind-the-scenes videos of the developers gushing about horror and making the game.
RetroRealms Review: Final Verdict
Developer WayForward has put together yet another charming and challenging platformer, this time with a classic horror theme. RetroRealms is a real treat for fans of Evil Dead and Halloween, as these are fun to play through regularly and even more fun to mix and match the scenarios. Laurie Strode going up against Deadites? Why not! This is the type of horror fun that can only be achieved in gaming, and I’m fully for it.
SCORE: 8.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital PS5 copy for our RetroRealms review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000.
