Honestly, the horror gaming scene is usually obsessed with "ultra-realistic" graphics. You’ve seen it: sweaty foreheads, ray-tracing on every drop of blood, and heavy-handed jump scares. But then RetroRealms Ash vs Evil Dead drops and basically tells that whole trend to take a hike. It’s 16-bit. It’s loud. It’s bloody.
And it’s exactly what the franchise needed.
Developed by the legends at WayForward—the same folks who gave us Shantae and River City Girls—this game isn't just a cheap skin for a retro platformer. It’s a love letter to the STARZ series that actually respects the source material. If you’ve spent any time with Ash Williams, you know he’s a mix of arrogance, incompetence, and genuine badassery. This game nails that vibe without needing a 50GB texture pack.
Why RetroRealms Ash vs Evil Dead Hits Different
Most licensed games feel like they were made by a committee that never watched the show. This isn't that. You’re playing through levels like the Mossy Haven Trailer Park and Elk Grove, and the attention to detail is sort of insane. We're talking 16-bit pixel art that manages to make a Deadite look genuinely gross.
The mechanics are snappy. Ash moves with a weight that Michael Myers (who stars in the companion Halloween game) lacks. You’ve got the chainsaw. You’ve got the boomstick.
But the real kicker? The Dark Realm mechanic.
By hitting a button, the entire level shifts into a hellish, nightmare version of itself. It’s not just a visual filter. It reveals hidden platforms and secret items, like the Necronomicon pages scattered throughout. Of course, the trade-off is that everything gets way more dangerous once you’re in there. It’s a gamble. Do you risk your last sliver of health to find a collectible, or do you stay in the "normal" world and play it safe?
The Arcade Hub and the Museum
The game doesn't just start with a menu. You enter the RetroRealms Arcade, a 3D hub that looks like a neon-soaked 90s dream. It’s a traversable space where you can walk up to the cabinets to play.
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- The Museum: As you play, you earn tickets. You spend these to unlock 3D models of iconic items. I'm talking the Kandarian Dagger, the Chevy, the whole works.
- Character Swapping: This is the coolest part. If you own both the Ash vs Evil Dead and Halloween titles, you can bring Ash into Michael Myers’ world or vice versa. Watching Ash try to survive Haddonfield is hilarious and weirdly fitting.
- Kelly Maxwell: She’s a DLC character, and she plays completely differently. She’s got a machine gun and a "pogo" jump that makes the platforming feel more like a high-speed arcade shooter than a brawler.
Is It Actually Hard?
Short answer: Yeah.
Long answer: It’s that classic "NES hard" style. The first few levels are a breeze, but there’s a sharp difficulty spike around the halfway mark. Enemies start coming from angles that are tricky to cover, and boss patterns require actual memorization. If you're looking for a relaxing walk through the woods, this isn't it. You’ll die. A lot.
One thing people often overlook is the weapon variety. While the chainsaw is your bread and butter, you pick up sub-weapons like nail guns, sickles, and lanterns. They have limited ammo, so you can't just spam them. It adds a layer of strategy to the 10 main levels.
Wait, 10 levels?
Yeah, that’s one of the common complaints. Each "world" has two levels and a boss. It’s a bit short for the price tag ($24.99 individually or $49.99 for the double feature). But the replayability comes from the leaderboards and the different characters. Beating a level with Ash is one thing; doing it with a slower, more deliberate Michael Myers is a totally different beast.
The Bruce Campbell Elephant in the Room
Let's address the one thing every fan asks about: Bruce Campbell's voice.
It’s not there.
Look, it’s a bummer. Hearing Ash quip "Groovy" in Bruce’s actual voice would have been the cherry on top. However, the game is so visually expressive that you almost forget after ten minutes. The animations carry his personality. The way he stands, the way he revs the saw—it’s unmistakably Ash.
The Facts You Need to Know
- Platforms: It’s on everything. PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC, and even the last-gen PS4 and Xbox One.
- Developer: WayForward.
- Publisher: Boss Team Games.
- Format: 2D Side-scrolling Action Platformer.
What Most People Get Wrong About RetroRealms
A lot of folks think this is a "beat 'em up" like Streets of Rage. It’s not. It’s a platformer first. If you try to play it like a mindless masher, the environment will kill you faster than the Deadites will. You have to time your jumps. You have to use the Dark Realm to find paths.
Another misconception is that it’s just a "reskin" of the Halloween game. While they share the same engine and hub, the level design for Ash’s world is much more chaotic. The bosses are designed for his ranged capabilities. It feels like its own game, which justifies the separate purchase for die-hard fans.
Your Next Moves in the RetroRealms
If you’re ready to dive in, don't just rush the main story.
First, focus on collecting those Necronomicon pages. They aren't just for show; they’re essential for 100% completion and seeing everything the game has to offer.
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Second, if you're playing on Switch, keep an eye on the load times. They’re a bit longer than the PS5 version, but the portability makes the "pick up and play" arcade nature of the game feel right at home.
Lastly, check out the leaderboards. The community is surprisingly competitive. Speedrunning these levels is becoming a thing, especially since Ash’s kit allows for some pretty fast movement if you know what you’re doing.
Actionable Insights:
- Buy the Double Feature: If you want the full experience, the bundle is cheaper than buying both separately later, plus you get the extra characters (Laurie and Kelly) if you bought it during the launch window.
- Master the Parry: You can actually deflect some projectiles. It’s a life-saver in the later, more crowded levels.
- Don't Ignore the Museum: The behind-the-scenes videos and 3D models are genuinely great for Evil Dead lore nerds. It's one of the few games where the "extras" feel like a reward rather than filler.
Grab your chainsaw. It’s time to send those Deadites back to the Dark Realm.