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The Secret of Retropolis

Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Point & Click, Story Rich, Adventure

Play modes: singleplayer, VRONLY

Release Date: 21-7-2021

Developer: Peanut Button

steamwebsite

Our verdict

8/10

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Players: 1
  • Playtime: 1–2 h

The Secret of Retropolis is a VR-only point-and-click adventure from Peanut Button. You play a robot detective hired by a movie star for a shady job in a retro-futuristic city of robots, uncovering a noir conspiracy. It is played seated with simple controls, which makes it a good pick for VR newcomers and anyone who misses 90s adventure games.

Players rate it highly: 141 of 152 Steam reviews are positive. The written review in our sample praises the polish, the hand-drawn art style and animation, and puzzles designed around VR rather than ported from a flat screen. Player tags lean towards noir, comedy, detective work and voice-acted narration.

The catch is length. Most players finish in about an hour, and the sequel continues the story. It is a fine short evening in a headset, best bought on sale if you mind paying full price for an hour. Skip it if you want a long or demanding puzzle game, or if you do not own VR.

Pros

  • Hand-drawn noir city of robots looks great in VR
  • Puzzles are built around VR hands rather than ported
  • Seated, simple controls suit first-time VR players

Cons

  • Over in about an hour
  • VR only, with the story continuing in a sequel

About

From the Steam store page · View on Steam

The Secret of Retropolis is an adventure-mystery VR game like no other before. A classic story retold from a first person perspective. Play as a robot detective hired by a famous movie star for a shady job. Uncover the plot with your actions and reveal a conspiracy in the city of robots.


As a seated experience with intuitive controls, first time VR users will find this game engaging and easy to play. Experienced VR users will find this game casual and relaxing.


Enter a sprawling retro-futuristic cityscape with an original score, ensemble of voice actors and detailed hand drawn (in VR!) environments.


Boot up that nostalgia for your favorite 90's point-and-click adventure games. Look around. Find items. Solve puzzles. Keep the past alive.


  • No robots were harmed in the making of this game.
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More from Peanut Button 

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The Secret of Retropolis
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Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye
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