Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator, developed and published by Blood Pact Studios, is available on Steam now.
Relive the age of renting videos by starting your very own video store. You’ll be renting movies, selling, organising and more. As with every old video rental store, you’ll be taking reservations, charging late fees and preparing snacks for your customers. Owning a video rental store means decorating it with that classic 90s feel to build your dream business.
I am not ashamed to admit I spent most of my childhood in a video rental store. The one near me was called Choices; it was a budget Blockbuster, but I spent countless hours choosing which game I’d like to rent. To say I spent hours was an understatement; I’d always be told off for spending too much time in there – good memories. When I found out there was a video game that might let me relive those moments, I bought it instantly. Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator lets you relive it all, but this time you run it. Management involves ordering movies, preparing snacks, sorting out returns, and customising the place to your liking. You’ll also have to do the menial tasks like rewinding some of the tapes that customers couldn’t be bothered to do. You’ll also have to charge customers for late fees or damaged tapes; however, I kept letting nice people who simply forgot to bring it back get away with it, but god help the rude customers, I charged them all! It all feels so nostalgic and immerses you in that time period.
There are a lot of simulators out there; however, this one feels so detailed. The sheer number of movies is incredible. I do wish the ability to change pricing yourself was a thing; that is my only negative point. While some areas feel a little grindy, there are tons of tasks to do; however, you can hire staff to take care of some of the more menial ones, while you enjoy the fruits of your labour. As you progress, you’ll level up; levelling up means more items for your shop, for example, a candy floss machine, arcades, more displays, decorations, movie genres and more. It enabled me to make my shop more personal and sell new things. Money is important, so sometimes a little pirating might help. Every Tuesday and Thursday, a shady dealer will appear to sell you adult movies and pirated ones. The calendar system also plays a hand in how the game world is handled and how new movies are unlocked. Some days are event days that will affect customers’ movie choices and the game world around you. Most importantly, you need to keep track of movie dates. Every week or two, a new movie is released; you’ll buy these in bulk and get a cool cutout of the movie. I enjoyed this as I would make a big deal out of the display for each new movie. Obviously my favourite movie release was Forward To The Future… The control you do have over movie choices is what keeps me coming back.
Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator looks fantastic; it fits the theme perfectly. From the neon signs to the 90s-style carpets, it screams nostalgia. Every time I launched the game, it felt like it was a kickback to a better time where physical media reigned supreme, and the possibilities of renting were endless. I couldn’t put the game down; everything in its design was perfect to me. In its audio design, if you closed your eyes, you could imagine yourself back in a rental store, with the VHS tapes beeping once returned, the popcorn machine popping off; it was all just a chef’s kiss.
Verdict
Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator was a game that sent me back to much simpler times. A time when rental stores were booming before the streaming giants took over. I loved every second of it. No game has given me such nostalgia; I think the developers have done an amazing job in recreating it all. There are a lot of simulator games out there, and sometimes you get a few that stand out, and this one is at the top of that pile. Despite it being a bit grindy in areas, I had a blast. If you want to try before you buy, you can try out the demo that’s also available.
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