Boss Team Games, a developer known for licensed IP games, is back with two new games delivered in a neat nostalgic package. RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead are two sidescrolling action games that hearken back to the 16-bit era of gaming.
Each game features characters from beloved franchises. Halloween has you strolling through Haddonfield New Jersey as boogeyman Michael Myers while Ash vs Evil Dead puts you in the boots of quick-witted Ash Williams. Both games deliver brutal gore, challenging bosses, and tough platforming. They will surely be hits with both fans of their series and 16-bit era gamers.
RetroRealms Arcade
Booting up the game drops you in the RetroRealm arcade, a lovingly recreated virtual arcade with two machines displayed prominently—one for each RetroRealm’s Halloween & Ash vs. Evil Dead. While both games are sold separately, they are connected through the arcade and similar story beats.
Behind the arcade, there is a diorama room showcasing your achievements through each game. Behind that are further digital memorabilia from the popular franchises and even a small video suite off to the side. Various tapes can be unlocked throughout each game showcasing the development team and how the games became possible. The most interesting part of the arcade is what isn’t shown. Several arcade cabinets remain covered, hinting at possible future games based on classic horror films.
RetroRealms Halloween
Halloween drops you in Smith’s Grove Sanitarium as the iconic Michael Myers. Myers is outfitted with his signature knife and various upgradable abilities to ease your journey through iconic set pieces from the series. Michael is greeted at the start by a being known only as the Overlord. A character who acts as the game’s big bad and crosses over between both games.
Where Halloween in particular shines is the lovingly recreated areas from the first film. There is the sanitarium, Phelps Garage, and even Haddonfield cemetery. The final resting place of poor Judith Myers. With only ten levels in total, two stages for each location, the game can be breezed through in around four hours. After an initial run-through though there are plenty of collectibles and hidden objects to keep players coming back. A Laurie Strode DLC even allows the player to go through the entire game again as Michael’s most famous prey.
RetroRealms Ash vs Evil Dead
Ash vs Evil Dead starts with the same Overlord approaching Ash Williams in his trailer home. Here, the Overlord has taken the Necronomicon and it’s up to Ash to get it back. Ash vs Evil Dead uses the IP from the Starz TV series so fans of the films who may have not seen the TV show could find themselves a bit lost with all of the references. Still, Ash vs Evil Dead highlights some iconic Evil Dead locations like the original cabin.
Ash’s move set is similar to Michael Myers, except with a chainsaw and shotgun in lieu of a butcher knife. Ash also moves quite a bit faster than Myers which makes this game feel more fluid and a bit easier to complete. Luckily though, if both games have been purchased either character can be thrust into each game. It’s not just a different character playing through the stages either. There are new story beats and a larger mystery with the Overlord to be unlocked. It’s not quite Nier Automata’s level of replayability, but it is a welcome addition to each adventure.
RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead
Each game on its own can be completed in about four hours with their main characters. In another direct inspiration from 16-bit gaming, the early levels are fairly easy but the difficulty ramps significantly towards the end. Some of the late-stage platforming sections can be incredibly challenging and the games do not have a robust checkpoint system. When you fail you are almost always dropped right back at the beginning of the stage. This can be frustrating but the games are generous with their rewards and upgrade trees which eases some of the pain.
The big deviation to the checkpoint system is the boss battles which thankfully allow you to respawn at the beginning of each failed attempt. The bosses vary in difficulty with some of the Halloween bosses requiring near-pixel-perfect maneuvers. Still, these are easy highlights of each game and are fun to take on with any character you choose.
A Love for Horror
Each game on its own acts as a love letter to retro gaming but also their source material. The Halloween theme is gorgeously recreated during Halloween and the deadite sprites in Ash vs Evil Dead are a treat with their gory explosions.
Each game does a great job of creating their respective worlds but not just being a “Hey remember this” trip. IP games have long had a history of being quick cash grabs but RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead is anything but. They are fantastic games on their own made better by the inclusion of classic franchises.
The Complete Package
As mentioned up top each game can be purchased on their own but the game works much better as a packaged deal. Laurie Strode in Halloween plays much differently from her stalker counterpart and is a joy to play through in the Ash vs Evil Dead levels. Ash vs Evil Dead’s DLC character is Kelly Maxwell and her inclusion is another welcome addition to the overall package.
The ability to play through each game as a different character doesn’t totally alter the game, but it does add a fun layer of versatility. There are tons of arcade tickets, Necronomicon pages, and Jack-O-Lanterns to find throughout, and being able to do so as a new character helps subsequent playthroughs feel fresh. The true brilliance of RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead is the tightrope of gameplay and nostalgia they are able to walk. Each game is difficult enough to satiate 16-bit-loving sadists but easy enough for fans of their respective franchises. Boss Team Games may add some quality-of-life features later on like an easy mode or upgrade trees that carry between games but none of those feel necessary. RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead is an easy recommendation for anyone with a love for SNES games or horror franchises.