We — as in, both the gaming media and the wider player community — so often focus all of our headlines and attention on big AAA landmark releases, but I firmly believe it's important to zero in on the indie gems when they come around, too. Valve's PC gaming storefront Steam is a platform with plenty, and one new game in particular is making big waves on it.
That game is Retro Rewind, a charming shop simulator from Blood Pact Studios — a small team of two independent Canadian devs aiming to give their fans an experience that allows them to "relive the golden ages of video rentals." Indeed, Retro Rewind is all about running a video store straight out of the '90s, and it's already captured the hearts of thousands just one day after launch.
At the time of writing, the game is in the eighth place position on Steam's Top Sellers chart, just below Bungie's hot new extraction shooter Marathon and Capcom's critically acclaimed action-horror title Resident Evil Requiem. According to SteamDB, it's also peaked at 4,505 concurrent players according to SteamDB data; those are great numbers for an indie shop sim. It also has a "Very Positive" user review rating so far.
Sadly, having been born in 1998, I wasn't around to experience the glory days of renting VHS tapes and DVDs and don't really have any nostalgia for that era. But those that do speak wistfully of the joys of heading to their favorite video stores on Friday nights, browsing new films, chatting with movie buffs, and picking up snacks to prep for weekly movie nights.
There's just something tactile and habitual about that experience that doesn't exist anymore in the age of Netflix and Hulu and Disney Plus — a part of entertainment culture that's been snuffed out by the rise of digital streaming services. But in Retro Rewind, it lives on, which is probably why it's off to such a strong start.
I haven't played the game myself yet, but based on everything I've seen in its launch trailer and gameplay footage, it looks impressively in-depth, and encompasses pretty much every part of managing a video rental store that I can think of. At its core, Retro Rewind tasks you with keeping track of rentals, stocking the shelves with new releases, and helping customers find the movie(s) that they're looking for.
Beyond that, though, you can fully customize the decor and layout of your video store, add snack shelves, drink fridges, and popcorn machines to your floor plan, and hire employees to work alongside you as you expand your business.
The whole experience is tied together with the game's charming cartoonish style, and everything about its aesthetic — from the colorful tracksuits you'll see customers wearing to the vibrant neon signs you can spruce up your walls with — screams the '90s era.
Put simply, it's a blast from the past and a nostalgia trip for those who remember the video rental days, and a chance to experience that vibe for anyone too young to have been a part of that time, like myself. And hey, good news — there's a free demo of the game available, so you can try it out before you buy.
If you decide you like it, you can also purchase Retro Rewind for a sweet launch discount from now until March 24. It's got an MSRP of $19.90, but for the next week or so, it's just $15.92 at Steam.
🗨️ Will you play Retro Rewind?
Retro Rewind is a lovely little blast from the past for folks who remember the prominence of video rental stores, and is one of Steam's most popular new indie games. Are you going to get it and play yourself while it's on sale?
I'm curious, so let me know in the comments, and vote in our poll as well:
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