Games that are modern but nail that Retro feel just right

[TheSoulWalker TheSoulWalker]

We all know that period where companies were trying to push the "Retro" feel as a subgenre to their games, more often than not I remember said games failing for trying to either lean to hard into it or couldn't stand on their own two feet in general.

This thread is ideally made for people to showcase games that are new and modern must haves.

I'll start with 3 games and what Retro game they relate to the closest.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge -> X-Men Arcade moreso than the TMNT arcade games

Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling -> Paper Mario

BallisticNG -> Wipeout (The game even has a PS1 Graphics setting mode.)

 

[Tonberry]

The GOAT

 

[RuckusMcGuckus]

The GOAT
View attachment 93110

King Knights Campaign *chefs kiss*

 

[Cosmiken]

I'm not sure if this is a cringey answer or not, but the Angry Video Game Nerd game actually slaps.

 

[PSVitaForever]

Can "Octopath Traveler" and those SquareEnix titles with that particular kind of graphic ("Triangle Strategy"), and also other new rpgs with that pixelated style be considered "modern with a retro feel"? They remind us of the earlier FFs and rpgs, but with more and more details in every character sprite and in the backgrounds and all the quality-of-life improvements that won't make modern players go away.

I'm totally spoiled because FF8 has been my first videogame so I don't like very much the "old" graphics and games older than ps1 ones (though I've played FF1 on psp), but for example I've watched a family member playing Octopath (first one) and I thought it was nice.

 

[Tonberry]

Can "Octopath Traveler" and those SquareEnix titles with that particular kind of graphic ("Triangle Strategy"), and also other new rpgs with that pixelated style be considered "modern with a retro feel"? They remind us of the earlier FFs and rpgs, but with all the quality-of-life improvements that won't make modern players go away.

I'm totally spoiled because FF8 has been my first videogame so I don't like very much the "old" graphics and games older than ps1 ones (though I've played FF1 on psp), but for example I've watched a family member playing Octopath (first one) and I thought it was nice.

I wouldn't count them personally because I think they totally missed the mark (at least Octopath), but that's definitely what they were aiming for, so they probably count. They got better later on with Live A Live and DQ3, though!

I'd also like to add "I am Setsuna" to the list. It feels like a small-scale SNES era JRPG, and even incorporates Chrono Trigger-inspired combat fairly well which still seems pretty rare, but with modern graphics and an incredibly beautiful soundtrack that's almost entirely on piano.

 

[middler]

My vote is Evoland:

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Zortch nailed late 90's FPS style like Unreal.

 

[RuckusMcGuckus]

Here is one that's a bit of a stretch but I gotta shout it out.

Tunic is a newer game that has easily made it in my top favorite games of all time. Its essentially an top-down isometric Zelda clone. And not in terms of difficulty, but it also felt like a Souls-lite game. I wouldn't say that its retro in terms graphics and gameplay entirely, but its absolutely a love letter to some of these old games. The way it handles how you explore the world and learn how to play is really cool. You find game manual pages that are partially written in a fictional language. You don't necessarily have to decipher it to beat the game, you can, but it makes you feel like a kid again. You can't read but want to play so you have to make some guesses and assumptions to continue. Its very cryptic especially if you decide to 100% it. I highly recommend if anyone wants to play that you look up the bare minimum about it.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 9:18 PM

Zortch nailed late 90's FPS style like Unreal.

I just looked it up and genuinely thought you missed the point of the thread for a sec. If you put among actual retro games that came out looking like this, I wouldn't be able to spot it as the fake. Only $5 on steam rn too

 

[Tonberry]

Here is one that's a bit of a stretch but I gotta shout it out.

Tunic is a newer game that has easily made it in my top favorite games of all time. Its essentially an top-down isometric Zelda clone. And not in terms of difficulty, but it also felt like a Souls-lite game. I wouldn't say that its retro in terms graphics and gameplay entirely, but its absolutely a love letter to some of these old games. The way it handles how you explore the world and learn how to play is really cool. You find game manual pages that are partially written in a fictional language. You don't necessarily have to decipher it to beat the game, you can, but it makes you feel like a kid again. You can't read but want to play so you have to make some guesses and assumptions to continue. Its very cryptic especially if you decide to 100% it. I highly recommend if anyone wants to play that you look up the bare minimum about it.


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Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 9:18 PM

I just looked it up and genuinely thought you missed the point of the thread for a sec. If you put among actual retro games that came out looking like this, I wouldn't be able to spot it as the fake. Only $5 on steam rn too

I really wanted to love Tunic. I mean I still kind of do, but I haven't come close to finishing it because I don't really like how hardcore the combat was.

Everything else is absolutely top notch though. I really should give it another go.

 

[RuckusMcGuckus]

I really wanted to love Tunic. I mean I still kind of do, but I haven't come close to finishing it because I don't really like how hardcore the combat was.

Everything else is absolutely top notch though. I really should give it another go.

You really should if you're ever in the mood, I wouldn't force it though

Yeah, maybe I did downplay the difficulty a bit, it's definitely tricky at times.
Personally, I feel like if you've cleared a souls game you can easily clear this one, but you're right

 

[χKai]

Infernax

Prison City

The Transylvania Adventures of Simon Quest

 

[Tonberry]

You really should if you're ever in the mood, I wouldn't force it though

Yeah, maybe I did downplay the difficulty a bit, it's definitely tricky at times.
Personally, I feel like if you've cleared a souls game you can easily clear this one, but you're right

It was mostly the pace. One day I woke up and decided I didn't like rolling out of attacks or instantly dying in games anymore. No clue why, it just happened lol.

Infernax
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Prison City
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The Transylvania Adventures of Simon Quest
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Infernax goes so hard

 

[MonkeyMondays]

Helen's Mysterious Castle - pretty cool game, I replay it once in a while
Hell Pie - 3D platformer
Gravity Circuit - Megaman like, but with it's own mechanics
Azure Striker GUNVOLT 3 - Also Megaman like, but with it's own mechanics
Fallen Leaf - Again Megaman like, but with it's own mechanics
Siralim Ultimate - If you like monster taming and building an ultimate team this is for you
CrossCode - The goat
Sea of Stars - Chrono Trigger like
Cyber Shadow - Sidescroller Ninja Gaiden like, not as difficult
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 1 & 2 - Castlevania like. For me I like the feel of 1 more than 2.

There are plenty and I don't want this to be just games I like, plus I don't know what you consider retro since at this point anything below PSX is retro

 

[χKai]

Infernax goes so hard

It really does! I've played through it several times now, and I'm still not tired of it!

 

[sun0wl]

House of Necrosis on Steam

A turn-based horror RPG with retro 32-bit 3D graphics. Survive the horrors of the mansion that changes every time you enter.

store.steampowered.com

It's a Resident Evil mystery dungeon with FFVII spell animations (yes, really). The demo is exceptionally polished and I will be throwing my money at the developer when it releases. Definitely give it a shot if you're a mystery dungeon and/or PS1-era fanatic. Its character models, animations, and UI in particular capture the feel of Square/Capcom games of the time well (those message boxes are def from Parasite Eve lol).

 

[Tonberry]

Also this

And this to an extent

 

[qw90700]

- 2D retro -

https://store.steampowered.com/app/70300/VVVVVV/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/221640/Super_Hexagon/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1473550/Habroxia_2/

Verdict Guilty - 유죄 평결 on Steam

Verdict Guilty is a 90's arcade-style fighting game with a cops vs robbers theme.

store.steampowered.com

Death's Hangover on Steam

Death's Hangover is a ball and bat game, featuring horror elements, mature comedy and themes.

store.steampowered.com

Super Blood Hockey on Steam

Create and manage your team in a violent, dystopic world of no-rules, fast-paced, arcade-style, ice hockey action. Adjust training regimens, control diets, administer black market pharmaceuticals, and provide healthcare (or not) to a ragtag team of convicts at the mercy of your underhanded tactics.

store.steampowered.com

Dome Keeper on Steam

Defend against waves of alien attackers in this innovative roguelike survival miner. Dig for resources and choose from powerful upgrade paths. Is there enough time to mine a little deeper and get back to defend before the monsters attack your dome?

store.steampowered.com

2064: Read Only Memories on Steam

2064: Read Only Memories is a cyberpunk thriller that explores the social challenges of tomorrow through classic adventure gaming. A journalist-turned-detective teams up with Turing, the world’s first sapient machine, to unmask a conspiracy that will shake the foundations of Neo-San Francisco.

store.steampowered.com

WORLD OF HORROR on Steam

Experience the quiet terror of this 1-bit love letter to Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft. Navigate a hellish roguelite reality with turn-based combat and unforgiving choices. Experiment with your deck of event cards to discover new forms of cosmic horror in every playthrough. The inevitable awaits...

store.steampowered.com

The friends of Ringo Ishikawa on Steam

A highschool gang leader Ringo Ishikawa trying to live through his last autumn before graduation. With his best friends.

store.steampowered.com

- 3D retro -

Slipstream on Steam

Arcade-style racing game inspired by the spirit of the early 90s, with drifting mechanics and exotic tracks.

store.steampowered.com

The spy who shot me™ on Steam

The spy who shot me™ is a comedy retro FPS inspired by classic shooters of the 90s.

store.steampowered.com

Murder House on Steam

A local news team breaks into an abandoned house to chase a salacious ghost story... until a MANIAC chases them! ...VHS era 80's slasher. PS1 style survival horror!

store.steampowered.com

Christmas Massacre on Steam

Christmas is coming and Larry's got a big problem - his Christmas tree is telling him to KILL! Lead him through his murder rampage.

store.steampowered.com

 

[thanonyx thanonyx]

The Adventures of Elene Temple is supposed to feel like an 80s game for your Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, Amiga, Atari 800, Atari ST, Macintosh, IBM, or any other 80s PC of your choice. It even comes with a funny story behind its (fictional) development.

 

[Faust03]

I really like those two wario land clones

 

[Gyakon]

Signalis nails the playstation era style both graphical and gameplay wise, isn't a big surprise cause the dev was heavily inspired by the first Resident Evil

 

[NoctemDead]

Signalis nails the playstation era style both graphical and gameplay wise, isn't a big surprise cause the dev was heavily inspired by the first Resident EvilView attachment 93231

Beat me to it by 15 minutes.

I'll throw in Hollowbody: https://www.gog.com/en/game/hollowbody

And Labyrinth of the Demon King: https://www.gog.com/en/game/labyrinth_of_the_demon_king

 

[MonkeyMondays]

Beat me to it by 15 minutes.

I'll throw in Hollowbody: https://www.gog.com/en/game/hollowbody

View attachment 93241

And Labyrinth of the Demon King: https://www.gog.com/en/game/labyrinth_of_the_demon_king

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Labyrinth of the Demon King seems good, I like how the combat looks.
From the trailer Hollowbody feels like Silent Hill, but with Resident Evil gameplay.

 

[NoctemDead]

Labyrinth of the Demon King seems good, I like how the combat looks.
From the trailer Hollowbody feels like Silent Hill, but with Resident Evil gameplay.

Labyrinth of the Demon King feels like Shadow Tower if it was corrupted by Silent Hill and had better combat options.

Hollowbody does very much feel like a mashup of Silent Hill and Resident Evil. I think the dev (solo dev IIRC) has added multiple gameplay options like fixed vs. OTS camera, tank controls or modernized, and I'm pretty sure even a first-person mode in New Game +

 

[moonbits]

Slave Zero X is really good.