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RetroRealms Arcade Halloween & Ash vs. Evil Dead looks to be a good retro time

By Hudson Brooklyn Oct 3, 2024

At first glance, RetroRealm’s Halloween & Ash vs. Evil Dead seems to be just another typical licensed platformer, complete with nostalgic graphics, over-the-top violence, and two popular, recognizable characters. But after playing it, I realized that this was something special, thanks to a world full of nostalgia and Easter eggs from the Halloween and Evil Dead series and gameplay so fun and intuitive that I had a hard time putting it down to lay your hand. In fact, I often fired it up on my Steam Deck just so I could play it a bit longer.

While Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead are two separate games, they share the same overworld arcade, offer similar gameplay styles, and allow you to play as both characters in each other’s titles. They are still different experiences and I had a hard time deciding which one I preferred over the other. That’s not to say that both were perfect experiences, as both fell into the usual action-platforming sections and, in particularly tricky platforming sections, occasionally had too many enemies on the screen at once and additional weapons and Skills offered that didn’t seem to help much in comparison to the standard kitchen knife or chainsaw arm.

RetroRealms – Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead gameplay screenshots

Digging deeper into the gameplay, the Dark Empire mechanics are one of the better aspects here. Activating it allows you to see the world as a demonic representation of itself, not only featuring its own unique enemies but also helping to unlock secret paths and shortcuts. Not only did it make the world more interesting, but it also encouraged me to look for hidden Necronomicon collection sites and Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns.

Of course, on Halloween you’ll take on the role of Michael Myers and make your way through a series of levels reminiscent of locations from films. Using his signature kitchen knife, he features an imposing playstyle that requires you to get close to your enemies and helpless victims to kill them in the most cartoonish and violent way possible. Boss fights in Halloween are similar to Mega Man, where you have to recognize your enemies’ patterns and exploit any weaknesses to get close enough to complete the job. Even though Myers only has a limited number of ranged attacks, I never felt like I couldn’t quickly get into range of my enemies to fill the levels with plenty of blood.

Ash vs. Evil Dead is similar to Halloween in story and the way the game is played, but is still its own unique experience. Unlike Michael Myers, Ash has access to his boomstick and a variety of ranged weapons such as a dagger, bombs and a nail gun. He moves a little faster than Myers and his levels and boss fights seem a little more chaotic and require a more aggressive and faster play style. There were several times where I was overwhelmed by multiple enemies and had to think quickly to successfully fill the screen with an excessive amount of pixelated blood and gore that wasn’t my own.

Both games offer 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 well tailored to their respective properties, playing Evil Dead as the menacing and slower Myers made for an interesting experience that never felt overdone or forced. It’s great how these two worlds can function interchangeably and not miss a beat. It’s even more fun when I see the plot play out with the wrong characters. It’s definitely worth watching Michael Myers do a sick burnout in Ash’s car.

The third level of these two retro games is the overworld, which takes place in a seemingly abandoned arcade. Here you can play both titles on separate machines and use the in-game currency to purchase various trinkets and items from the respective films to display in a museum. This added level of immersion makes the more mundane aspects of a licensed game a little more interesting, as I can physically unlock in-game collectibles like Michael Meyers’ mask and various weapons he used in the films.

With its outstanding attention to detail, compelling replayability, and hilariously over-the-top gore and cartoon violence, RetroRealms Arcade Halloween & Ash vs Evil Dead is shaping up to be an outstanding experience for anyone who is a fan of both properties and/or. or just looking for a fun, bloody and rewarding action platformer.