At some point, asymmetrical multiplier games became the de facto home of classic horror icons in video games, whether it’s Jason from Friday the 13th or Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That’s a fine trend, and games like Killer Klowns from Outer Space are further proof that the approach is nothing if not fun. If you are craving something different from legendary horror figures, though, RetroRealms is a name you might want to keep an eye on.
RetroRealms is equal parts a platform and a universe. It’s a place where you can play games based on classic horror franchises and, uniquely, mix them up with one another. Want to fight the Evil Dead as Michael Myers, or break out of Smith’s Grove Psychiatric Hospital as Ash? That’s the idea, and Digital Trends went behind closed doors at PAX West find out exactly how that works and, more importantly, how it plays.
Tribute to terror
At PAX, I met up with Tim Hessem, executive producer of RetroRealms for Boss Team Games, and Mike Herbster, game director and designer at WayForward Technologies. The team guides me through a demo and explains that RetroRealms is effectively the universe they are making, and it’s meant to allow them to bring in and play with any horror franchise. At launch, there are two: Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead (they also have a lot of ideas for who they could add next).
The main hub in RetroRealms is basically a haunted Pizza Hut that players explore in a firstperson perspective. It’s a cool setup, evoking an ’80s vibe that fits the subject matter perfectly. There are two arcade cabinets, one for Halloween and one for Ash vs Evil Dead, and an open room populated by rotatable dioramas showing scenes from each game.
Another room further back acts as a museum, with cases holding 3D renders of items from the games. As I inspect Michael Myers’ coveralls, I hear some fun stabbing sounds. A separate wing features an Evil Dead gallery, with things like Ash’s shotgun and chainsaw in view. Hessem tells me they worked closely with the IP holders to make sure they got every detail right, down to the shape and shade of Ash’s sideburns.
With the guided tour done, it’s time to play. We go to the Halloween machine first. A short cutscene introduces the Overlord, a malevolent being trying to take over everything. He helps Michael escape his cell, and I start stabbing my way from one end of the asylum to the other. The bloody and colorful 2D platforming action feels a lot like a modern take on the original Castlevania formula, particularly when I “liberate” some pitchforks from an unlucky nurse, and start using them as a ranged attack to augment my stabs. A mix of wall jumps, fast slides, and charged attacks add an almost Mega Man X-like quality to the traversal.
As I move around, I occasionally encounter roadblocks. A single button press sends me to an alternate, twisted version of the same area filled with monsters and a body horror aesthetic. I can do that switch at any time, though a timed meter limits the duration of those visits. It’s a slick way to solve puzzles and avoid enemies, though the risk of appearing right on top of a monster adds risk to it. The levels are challenging enough that I die a few times, though a generous checkpoint system and fast reloads get me back to slashing quickly. Herbster explains that it gets harder as you go, but you can buy permanent upgrades for your character to make them more powerful after missions.
Another stab at it
After a while, I switch to playing as Ash in his game, and I’m surprised by how different he feels. He’s physically a bit smaller, noticeably faster, and attacks in a different arc. Herbster explains that Michael is built like a tank, while Ash is much more acrobatic. This time the Overlord is after the Necronomicron, something Ash isn’t going to take lying down. As I chainsaw and shotgun blast my way through Deadites, I can’t help but laugh when I discover a downward attack while I’m in the air that has me pogo-sticking on my saw, à la Scrooge McDuck in Ducktales from the NES. These guys have done their classic platformer homework.
Next, I’m playing as Ash, but in Halloween. The dialogue between Ash and the Overlord is different than before, and the enemies now have glowing eyes, indicating they too have become Deadites (since Ash, unlike Michael, isn’t going to just go around murdering everyone). It remixes the level to a surprising degree, especially on my next go-round when I’m controlling recurring Halloween protagonist Laurie Stroud. I use her unique time-dilation ability in a wild boss fight I won’t spoil. Stroud and Kelly Maxwell from the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series are both available as DLC characters, and they’re every bit as fleshed out as Michael and Ash, with unique weapons of their own, like Kelly’s assault rifle.
According to Hessem, the team has ideas for many different horror IPs — and they have access to them too. They are also open to fan feedback. If they can realize the vision of being a hub of excellent of horror icons that can mix and match characters across all of them, then this could be the start of something really cool for horror fans.
RetroRealms launches on October 18 for PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.