Recent reviews by Retrl

After playing Lost Castle 2 for about 3.5 hours, I was very impressed. From the first minutes, the game is addictive with its lamp-like atmosphere and pleasant cartoon graphics. The battles feel dynamic, and the variety of weapons and skills is pleasantly surprising — you always want to try something new. I especially liked how each new find — whether it's an armor or an artifact — really affects the style of the game. The locations are diverse, and each new zone is of interest: what awaits around the next corner? The first boss battle wasn't easy, but that's what fuels the excitement. Co-op with friends has added a lot of fun and chaos. Overall, the game feels like a cozy adventure with elements of surprise that you want to return to.

I recently came across Night Book on Steam and decided to give it a try — I've been playing for a couple of hours so far. This is an interactive horror film where you choose how the plot will develop. You play as a girl named Loraleen, who works as a video translator and accidentally reads a text that summons demons. Storylane seems simple, but everything quickly turns into a creepy thriller. The whole story takes place at her house, and because of this, it creates a feeling of claustrophobia, especially if you play in the evening. The decisions that have to be made are not always obvious — you constantly doubt whether you are doing the right thing. Interestingly, the plot branches out, and it is clear that different choices really affect what is happening. The actress playing Loraleen conveys emotions very well — you just believe that she is on the verge. The game looks more like a movie with interactive inserts than a classic horror, but it holds the atmosphere perfectly.

UPD: Don't tell me it's based on a true story. yeah?

The first three hours in Into the Restless Ruins flew by unnoticed — the game surprised with the original mechanics: You build your own dungeon using maps. The atmosphere is mysterious and gloomy, as if you are unraveling an ancient Celtic curse step by step. Every room is a decision, and every move is a risk, because the torch goes out, and the darkness does not spare. Autoboy seems simple at first, but you quickly realize that the key to victory lies in proper placement and route selection. Gradually, characters from Scottish legends are revealed, and dialogues with them add depth to the world. You collect Glimour, exchange it for relics, upgrade your deck — and all this in an ever-changing maze. The game is difficult, it does not forgive mistakes, but this only makes you want to reach the Caretaker more. So far, this is one of the most unusual card roglikes I've played.

I've been playing Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition for almost 6 hours now, and suddenly I'm stuck. At first, everything seemed a little slow and uncomfortable, but then I got involved: I figured out the crafting, started collecting my weapons, and it became really interesting. Visually — cool pixel graphics, in the spirit of old arcades, but with lots of details. The missions are short but varied, and sometimes they get annoying, especially the bosses — you have to think and not go ahead. The music is cheerful and adapts well to the action. I'm playing alone for now, but I feel like it's going to be a lot more fun working with friends. In general, it's a great thing if you want something old—school, but with modern features. I didn't think I'd get stuck, but now I'm definitely going to move on.

I recently downloaded BodyRecords and spent a couple of hours in the game — the impressions are sharp, as if I myself had been in a nightmare. The atmosphere is really catchy: the view from the body camera adds to the feeling that you are not playing, but really there, in these creepy corridors. The microphone is especially annoying — I was scared several times that the monster jumped out precisely because I said something out loud. You're playing and you're afraid to even breathe! The puzzles are not the most difficult yet, but they are interesting, and most importantly, they require coordination with the team. You can't get far without communication and the support of friends, especially when the chases begin. Death is not the end, and that's cool: I got into Backrooms when I was unlucky, and I tried to return — the adrenaline was off the charts. In general, if you like co-op horror games with an atmosphere and non—standard mechanics, I strongly advise you to try it.

I just spent three hours in the Terminal Department, and it was one of the most intense and strangely mesmerizing gaming experiences I've ever had. You wake up in an endless hospital hallway where everything seems normal... until you start to notice that something is wrong. Every little thing — be it a skewed chair or a suddenly extinguished light — can be a signal of an anomaly, and if it is missed, the consequences can be frightening. When the corridor is suddenly flooded with red light, your heart really sinks into your heels — this is not just a visual effect, it's an alarming signal that you missed something. It's really cool that the game has almost no interface — nothing distracts from the atmosphere. You are constantly tense and looking at the smallest details in order to survive and not get stuck in this madness forever. I haven't reached department 13 yet, but I already feel like this loop is driving me crazy. A real gift for fans of liminal horror and attentive players.

I tried Carnival Heroes for the first time today — and the game really surprised me! It's a mix of tabletop and mini-game madness, where every move is something new. The mini-games are cool, especially liked "Speed Runner" and "Bombastic" — fun and driving. The game is constantly keeping you in suspense, because you need not only to collect resources, but also to think about how to get around your rivals. I really liked the system with friends and objects — it adds tactics. The graphics are bright and cartoony, perfect for an evening skating rink with friends. I was a little confused at the beginning, but I figured it out quickly. Overall, it's a great game for those who like to have fun and compete.

I launched Tactical Warfare, and the first feeling was like I was back in the era of classic RTS. I sat down to play for Terrans, decided to try to protect the Earth from invasion. An interesting construction system immediately catches your eye: you can plan the base in advance, and the units are produced in parallel. This is convenient, you do not have to wait until one barracks is completed to install another.
The gameplay is lively, especially when the first serious attack begins. In Siege Survival, you can feel the tension — the enemies are coming in waves, and if you don't allocate resources correctly, you will simply be demolished. By the way, money decides everything here, so you have to choose: invest in the economy or immediately create an army.
I was also pleased with the tactical component. There is an interesting route system — you can prescribe in advance where the troops will go and what tasks they will perform. It helps a lot, especially in difficult battles.

Money Theft is a third—person action game where the player controls a gangster who survives in a world full of zombies and soldiers. His goal is to destroy enemies and collect bags of money in five different cities. The character has firearms at his disposal, as well as conventional and armored vehicles with limited fuel reserves. The enemies are divided into regular zombies, super zombies and armed soldiers, which adds variety to the battles. The locations are large, but sometimes monotonous, and the gameplay is more focused on combat mechanics than on exploring the world. The game is suitable for those who like simple action movies without a complicated plot. However, the lack of depth and well-developed mechanics can quickly make it monotonous.

The Rings of Powder is something strange, but damn exciting. I launched the game, and from the first minutes I realized that I was waiting for something unusual: polygonal graphics, absurd dialogues and some ... all too familiar characters with “completely different personalities”. The essence is simple - you build an underground kingdom, collect resources, send units for research. But the further you play, the more you notice references, irony and completely ridiculous situations. One elf, for example, reasoned so “wisely” that I closed the game and went to rethink life. And then I came back, because the gameplay is really addictive. It's even interesting to idle here - the kingdom lives its own life. In general, if you want to relax, laugh and a little digging in the mines, this is the perfect option.