Quick Review: Retrograde Arena

Some games are easy to learn and easy to play. Then, there are games that are easy to learn but hard to master. And then, there is Retrograde Arena by Indonesian team Freemergency.

At first, this looks super easy but wait until the first round of this hardcore multiplayer shooter to teach you that everything you’ve learned about games is nothing compared to this. Retrograde Arena is basically a super stylish arena twin-stick shooter for up to six players. Collect weapons and eliminate the opponent. The tricky part is that the controls and the environment are far more of a threat: all weapons have significant recoil, pushing you backwards. This makes movement interestingly complex: you constantly have to decide whether to shoot the enemy or to use the weapons blow-back to navigate. And precise navigation is key to Retrograde Arena. The tiny arenas have narrow corridors with three types of walls: red is instant deadly, yellow is bouncy and blue is neutral. This results in extremely fast-paced and chaotic matches, requiring the player to both manage a reverse movement within small spaces while at the same time avoiding enemy fire and touching the red walls. Anticipating your own movement of and your foe’s is the key to success in Retrograde Arena.

Shouldn’t you be afraid of a very steep learning curve (yes, there are tutorials) and looking for a fun multiplayer experience in retro stylish 80s looks, then we can fully recommend checking out Retrograde Arena. There is a demo on Steam to test your mettle before the game releases in late 2019.

Disclaimer: This review is based on a free review copy kindly provided by developer Freemergency.