It's October, which means spooky season is upon us and gamers are looking for fresh horror titles to play. October 2024 has no shortage of horror games for fans to check out, with one of the more unique offerings being RetroRealms Arcade, a game that serves as a hub for 16-bit-style 2D platformers based on classic horror franchises.
Developed by WayForward and published by Boss Team Games, RetroRealms Arcade is, in effect, a hub housing two different platformers for fans to check out. One is based on director John Carpenter's slasher movie classic Halloween, while the other is themed after the Evil Dead franchise, specifically the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series.
Are You Looking Forward to Any Halloween In-Game Event?
There are various games with annual Halloween events, and it's always a hoot. I'm looking forward to Fortnite's Halloween event: Fortnitemares. Thankfully I only have to wait a couple more weeks, as it should start on October 15.
After first booting up RetroRealms Arcade, players find themselves in a creepy, seemingly abandoned arcade that they can explore from a first-person perspective. There isn't much to see at first; a room to the right has some bonus videos to watch, but the door leading further into the building is boarded up. Besides the videos, the Ash vs. Evil Dead and Halloween arcade cabinets set up in the hallway are the only things to interact with at the start of the game.
RetroRealms: Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead Impressions
I'm a bigger fan of the Halloween franchise than Evil Dead, so, naturally, I decided to check out that arcade cabinet first. The Halloween game starts with the overarching antagonist known as the Overlord rousing Michael Myers from his slumber in the psych ward, letting him loose to hack and slash his way to freedom. Michael is able to kill most of his victims with a single knife attack, though there are some foes that take a few more hits to go down. Typically, those are the non-human enemies, which take the form of demonic creatures that fire projectiles and fly across the screen not unlike the Medusa heads from Castlevania.
RetroRealms takes Michael Myers and locations from the Halloween film franchise and translates them to a 2D side-scrolling action platformer format that wouldn't be out of place on the Super Nintendo. Things are perhaps a bit too basic at times, but there are some cool gimmicks to shake things up, like the ability to swap between the "real" world and a demonic realm to solve simple exploration puzzles and snag hard-to-reach collectibles. Another interesting feature is the shop, which lets players cash in the currency they've collected to level up Michael's abilities, increasing his stats and unlocking new moves in the process.
The progression system is a modern twist that gives added replay value to the game that wouldn't necessarily be found in the classic 16-bit titles that inspired it. Plus, it gives players more incentive to go out of their way to collect absolutely everything in any given level. It also means that if players get stuck on boss fights, they have the option of revisiting a previously-completed stage to grind for cash to level up and try again. I didn't find the boss fights in the Halloween cabinet to be terribly difficult, but it's still nice to have that option.
The Evil Dead cabinet plays out the same as the Halloween one in terms of gameplay, but instead of Michael Myers and his signature knife, it has Ash Williams and his chainsaw. The core gameplay between the two cabinets is identical. Players complete minor platforming challenges, kill a bunch of enemies, and do their best to hunt down collectibles.
Where the two cabinets differ are their stories and locations. Whereas Michael is being strung along by the Overlord in the Halloween cabinet with the promise of getting his dead sister's tombstone, Ash is instead motivated to stop the evil creature and get back the Necronomicon. And whereas Michael is busy murdering innocent people in Haddonfield and the surrounding areas, Ash fights demons in locations that should be familiar to those that have watched the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series.
RetroRealms Arcade Has Potential to Be a Great Horror Hub
RetroRealms has an interesting wrinkle in that it lets the two franchises intermingle. This means that players can choose to jump into the Evil Dead cabinet as Michael Myers instead of Ash Williams, if they so desire. The story changes if players do this, though the actual gameplay seems to play out largely the same. It's a little disappointing that players can't take their leveled-up characters into the other cabinets and instead have to start from scratch, but it's still fun to mix and match. It's a neat feature and, if more cabinets are added in the future, could become an even greater selling point for RetroRealms Arcade.
Besides Michael Myers and Ash Williams, Kelly Williams and Laurie Strode are available as DLC characters. I was unable to try either character out during my preview, but there is a ton of potential here to flesh out the roster with even more horror characters later on. RetroRealms Arcade could very well become a hub for side-scrolling interpretations of classic horror franchises, though that will largely depend on the success of these first two cabinets.
Developer WayForward has a long history of making high-quality side-scrollers, and so far, RetroRealms Arcade seems like it's going to be yet another feather in its cap. I've only played the first two worlds of either cabinet, but I'm excited to go further and see what else the game has to offer.
RetroRealms Arcade
- Released
- October 18, 2024
- Developer(s)
- WayForward Technologies
- Publisher(s)
- Boss Team Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the RetroRealms™ and take control of iconic horror characters in two separate games filled with over-the-top arcade action!
Step into a 16-bit Pixel Art world filled with gory good fun as horror legends Michael Myers and Ash Williams! Slice and shoot your way across multiple levels of terrifying platformer action filled with familiar sights and sounds from the original “Halloween” film and the STARZ television series “Ash vs Evil Dead!” Test your skill, use your weapons, and confront twisted and fiendish versions of iconic characters in two separate games that can be connected for even more fun. (Each game sold separately.) Engage in epic, heart-pounding encounters to overcome the ultimate evil in this sprawling adventure filled with over-the-top terror!
RetroRealms Arcade:
RetroRealms includes access to the RetroRealms Arcade that connects select RetroRealms games with other titles in the series that you own (games and DLC sold separately) to unlock new access and abilities and create the ultimate mash-up of horror legends!
Retro Aesthetic:
Immerse yourself in Pixel Art-styled 16-bit visuals and a hauntingly nostalgic horror soundtrack. RetroRealms pays homage to classic side-scrollers while delivering a fresh take on retro gameplay.
Secrets, Upgrades, and Unlockables:
Discover hidden relics and collectibles. Unlock new power-ups and abilities to enhance your character’s skills, and discover all-new ways play.
See where you Stand:
With leaderboards for both “Halloween” and “Ash vs Evil Dead” you can see how you stack up against other RetroRealms players. Do you have skills to get your name on the high score list?
It’s the ultimate arcade experience with iconic legends of horror! Cross into the RetroRealms and see if you have what it takes to make it out alive!
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
RetroRealms Arcade launches on October 18 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The Best War Games was provided with a PC code for this preview.