At first glance, RetroRealms Halloween & Ash vs. Evil Dead might seem like just another typical licensed platformer, complete with nostalgic graphics, over-the-top violence, and two beloved, recognizable characters. But after playing, it became obvious to me that this was something more special, thanks to a world full of nostalgia and Easter eggs from the Halloween and Evil Dead franchises, and gameplay that is so fun and intuitive I had a hard time putting it down. In fact, I frequently found myself booting it up on my Steam Deck just so I could play it a little more.
While Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead are two separate games, they share the same overworld arcade, feature similar playstyles, and allow you to play as both characters in each other's titles. They’re still distinct experiences, and I found myself having a hard time deciding which one I preferred playing over the other. That's not to say both were perfect experiences since both fell into the usual action-platformer trappings of occasionally having too many enemies on screen at once during particularly tricky platforming sections and offering additional weapons and skills that didn't seem to help much when compared to the default kitchen knife and chainsaw arm, respectively.
RetroRealms – Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead Gameplay Screenshots
Getting deeper into the gameplay, the dark realm mechanic is one of the better aspects here. By activating it, you can see the world as a demonic representation of itself, which not only features its own unique enemies but also helps unlock secret pathways and shortcuts. It not only made the world more interesting to look at, but also encouraged me to explore and keep an eye out for hidden collectible Necronomicon pages and Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns.
Halloween, of course, has you assume the role of Michael Myers as you rip and tear your way through an assortment of levels resembling locations from the movies. He uses his signature kitchen knife and has an imposing playstyle that requires you to get in close to your enemies and helpless victims to kill them in the most cartoonishly hyper-violent way possible. Boss battles in Halloween are similar to Mega Man, where you need to figure out your enemies' patterns and exploit any weaknesses to get in close enough to finish the job. While Myers has a limited number of ranged attacks, I never felt like I wasn't able to quickly get within range of my enemies to fill the levels with copious amounts of blood.
Ash vs Evil Dead, meanwhile, is similar to Halloween in story and how the game is played but is still very much its own unique experience. Unlike Michael Myers, Ash has access to his Boomstick and a plethora of ranged weapons such as a dagger, bombs, and a nail gun. He moves a little quicker than Myers, and his levels and boss fights feel a bit more chaotic and require a more aggressive and faster playstyle. There were multiple times I found myself overwhelmed by several enemies and had to think fast in order to successfully fill the screen with an excessive amount of pixelated blood and gore that wasn’t mine.
Both games feature the ability to play as each character in different worlds, and this adds another layer of playability that very few platformers have successfully managed. While both worlds are very much in tune with their respective properties, playing Evil Dead as the menacing and slower-moving Myers made for an interesting experience that never felt tacked on or gimmicky. It's great how both of these worlds can work interchangeably and not miss a beat. It's even more fun when I get to see story beats play out with the wrong characters. Regardless, it's worth it just to see Michael Myers do a sick burnout in Ash’s car.
It's great how both of these worlds can work interchangeably and not miss a beat.
The third layer of these two retro games is the overworld that takes place in a seemingly abandoned arcade. Here you’ll be able to play both titles on separate machines and spend in-game currency to purchase various trinkets and items from both respective movies to display in a museum. This extra layer of immersion makes the more mundane aspects of a licensed game a little bit more interesting by letting me physically unlock in-game collectibles such as Michael Meyers’s mask and various weapons he used throughout the films.
With its excellent attention to detail, compelling replayability factor, and hilariously over-the-top gore and cartoon violence, RetroRealms Arcade Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead is shaping up to be a standout experience for anyone who is a fan of both properties and/or is just looking for a fun, gory, and rewarding action-platformer.