“Groovy…”
Right in time for the peak of spooky season is California based indie dev: WayForward with their old-school rendition of two horror giants: Ashley Williams and Michael Meyers within RetroRealms: Double Feature. Acting as a 3D hub space in the form of a spooky arcade on a stormy night, what is sold as one, is actually two 16-bit-style platformers based on the John Carpenter’s 1978 classic: Halloween and the excellent Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series. Loosely following the same events in both games, players can either choose to play as either character, with story differences taking place if they decide to play in each other’s respective game world. Having released across Xbox Series S/X, PC, Switch and PlayStation 5 on the 17th October 2025; I’m going to cover the time I’ve spent with the PlayStation 5 version of the game, detailing the good, deconstructing the bad, whilst ultimately covering whether it’s worth your time and money at the £39.99 asking price (UK PSN Store) – Both games are also sold separately for £19.99 each.
In terms of gaming, nothing is more iconic than the humble platformer; from the glory days of the SEGA Mega Drive, to the modern day indie scene capturing the iconic gameplay style that was first seen in the likes of Donkey Kong (1981) and Super Mario Bros (1983). Being somewhat of a Sony Pony, my formative years in gaming were shaped by horror games, with the likes of Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen (1996) and Resident Evil (1996) being at the forefront, platformers by comparison were primarily a Nintendo thing (for the most part), with me only being exposed to them later on in my childhood. Combining both horror and platformers however has always been an interesting fusion of genres, being propelled to fan-favourite status with the likes of the Little Nightmares franchise (see my review for its sequel here). Platformers being what they are, when rumours of one of my favourite movie franchises was getting another game, I was both excited and terrified at the idea, as most Evil Dead games have been terrible (albeit I have a soft spot for the RE clone that was Hail to the King on PlayStation) especially with the latest instalment being given the asymmetrical 4v1 horror game treatment, which is the horror game equivalent of Battle Royale at this point. Being a 2D platformer however twangs at the ol’ nostalgia strings, opting for a 16-bit art style that pulls you back to the early 90’s. Dubbed as a ‘Double Feature’, RetroRealms delivers two distinct games (albeit identical in gameplay and controls) for two distinct horror IP’s: John Carpenter’s Halloween and the STARZ TV series (based on the movie franchise) of Ash vs. Evil Dead.
Taking control of a nameless, faceless player, the respective games are arcade machines in a dusty abandoned arcade, with two arcade machines for both Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead respectively. Players take control of both Ashley Williams and Michael Myers (both characters are playable in either’s respective game). Either game has a respective story that loosely interlinks with the other; In Halloween, players take control of the Haddonfield Butcher himself: Michael Myers, acting as an agent of destruction on behalf of the Dark Ones, butchering his way through multiple levels, including the streets of his hometown. Meanwhile, in Ash vs Evil Dead, players take on the role of Ash Williams, who coupled with his trusty boomstick and signature chainsaw, is once again tasked with recovering the pages of the Necronomicon, taking the war to the Dark Ones directly, whilst simultaneously mowing through hordes of deadites in bloody, titular fashion. Being a 2D 16-bit platformer, the obvious narrative threads for either game are on the lighter side, but there’s just enough there to give callbacks to characters and scenes from either respective IP. Straight off the bat, one of RetroRealms’ strongest features is it’s vibrant, nostalgic art-style, which showcases stellar sprite work, doubling down on an aesthetic style that transports you back to the golden age of gaming with the Mega Drive and SNES.
Dead by dawn: RetroRealms’ art style and locations offer a nostalgic callback to scenes from both the TV show and the classic movies of each respective IP.
In terms of gameplay, the style of game speaks for itself. Played from a 2D perspective, the term ‘Platformer’ is very telling, as you move across the various platforms, dispatching enemies and collecting items as you navigate through various levels, each featuring enemies and obstacles themed around their respective franchises. Each game has four characters you can play as; Ashley Williams and Michael Myers are the base, with Laurie Strode and Kelly Maxwell available through separate DLCs. Ash and Laurie have faster movement and can perform more fluid actions during combat, in turn making the gameplay feel more responsive and constant. In comparison, Michael and Kelly are slower and have limited agility, which can be frustrating to deal with in later levels where enemy/trap density is higher. One of the main abilities of all protagonists (with the helpful aid of an eye of a Dark One) is the ability to switch between the real and dark dimensions on a whim, giving the game almost Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver vibes, albeit much faster. Dimension shifting allows you to access otherwise inaccessible items, as well as solve navigation puzzles when you come to a block in your progress. Whilst it’s an interesting feature, I spent most of my time ignoring it completely unless it was necessary for progression, making me wonder if it could have been better implemented or removed entirely.
In terms of content and replayability, it’s a bit of a mixed bag; priced at £19.99 each or £39.99 together, the amount of content on offer feels somewhat lacking. There are 5 stages in either game, with two stages per world totalling ten levels overall, with a boss encounter every second stage; it can all be completed it around two hours per game. In terms of value, it comes in the form of replayability, as the game incentivises playing through both games with alternative characters, levelling up abilities and health pools with items obtained during gameplay. It can be somewhat of a grind to level up all four characters, which are done independently, and can get somewhat boring after the first or second run through. In a way, it kind of goes against what a platformer is in respect of it’s gameplay; the grindy sluggish nature of the game goes against the quick and engaging gameplay that the sub-genre is known for. Difficulty only adds to the tedium, as it does stay true to these types of games being notoriously hard in the respect of old school controls and minimal checkpoints; this however may or may not be a particular pet peeve of mine, but as mentioned previously, playing as slower characters such as Michael Myers kind of exacerbates this issue. Within levels you can also earn tickets to spend in the arcade itself to unlock memorabilia for the hardcore collectors out there.
The night he came home: Familiar environments from Haddonfield are present in RetroRealms: Halloween.
While RetroRealms: Double Feature is visually and atmospherically well-crafted, it’s a bit of a mixed bag across the board. The platformer gameplay and 16-bit art style are great, but that’s ultimately where it reaches heights, as the core loop and grind is extremely tedious that will only really appeal to the niche it’s intended for. Horror fans and retro enthusiasts will appreciate the homage to classic films and games, but at £20 a pop, it’s hard to recommend the games as they currently are, making it hard to justify the purchase.
A review code was provided by Tara Bruno PR.
