Rewind or Die PS5 Review 8/10 “The Good Stuff” 📼 @PuppetCombo @torturestar #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev #HorrorCommunity

Puppet Combo games have been my jam, I think I have reviewed one of their games every month for the last several months (I have another in the pipeline already, for next month). 

I’ve enjoyed every game, and the last few releases have been some of their most diverse - with Lakeview Cabin Collection being a side scroller and The Glass Staircase being a PS2 zombie horror inspired by classic Italian films. 

Rewind or Die gets back to what I imagine when I think of Puppet Combo - A grubby, dirty slasher-inspired romp with PS1 style graphics mixed with VHS. It’s not only what I think of… it’s what I love.

The game opens with Tony and Franky at home when all of a sudden there is a phone call and Tony - the character you control - is called into work as one of the other employees hasn't come in for the night shift. Now, if that wasn't horrible enough, the first big scare of the game comes when you take control of Tony, and you realise to your absolute horror… that the controls are inverted! So, when you push up, the camera moves down...terrifying. Luckily - unlike Super Mario Sunshine - you can put the controls back to how they should be, so after going into the menu and putting it right, off to Tonys job I went for more horror to unfold. 

Tony works in a video shop, which always gives me a smile as in my childhood I spent lots of time in video shops as half my family worked in them, my mother and brother worked in two different locations, so every time they are a setting in a video game, I have a big grin on my face. What would definitely take the smile off my face is a man in in a pig mask with giant hooks breaking in and abducting me. Call me old fashioned… but that would really put a damper on my day.

The main part of the game takes place in a slaughterhouse, this is where you will explore and desperately try and find your way out. As you explore you will find the traditional puzzles, they are enough to keep your interest but not enough to really challenge or become overly stuck. A nice addition to this game is the inclusion of voice acting, having played a lot of these games I think this is the first one with voice acting - which is always great as it adds some personality to the characters. The story is basic, but it does have some interesting developments for the couple of hours it takes you to complete, I was engaged throughout. You also have a final boss fight which is pretty cool, having a big showdown with Slaw was a fun but tense experience.

I feel Rewind or Die played to what I love about these type of horror games, but the one thing I didn’t enjoy was when the killer chases you through a series of tunnels and a network of boxes. Now, I did take a moment to ask the very pertinent question “Am I just thick?” as, when being chased through the boxes I was a directionless mess and couldn’t seem to discern my way through them, and with several dead ends it took me a fair few restarts, I do think Slaw moves fairly quickly and can kill you with only a few hits. I’m going to say it was a combination of both those factors so maybe if you’re not as thick as I am you may not find it as challenging, but I did - and it became a bit tedious after a while.

SUMMARY

I almost feel like I’m in a cult as I pretty much just praise everything Puppet Combo produces or publishes, I’ve yet to have a bad experience and this is no different. 

Come and join me at the Puppet Combo compound, we have a lax dress code, a talking Christmas tree, and many interesting people, although not all of them are friendly…