Retro Reboot or Pixelated Ploy? When 'Old School' Games Forget the Soul of the Past
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Many 'retro-inspired' games today miss the mark by only adopting pixel art visuals, rather than the full design philosophy—from sound to storytelling—of the eras they aim to emulate. True retro magic requires a holistic commitment, not just a superficial filter, a point made clear by games like *Legacy of Kain: Ascendance* and *God of War Sons of Sparta* compared to genuine throwbacks like *Terminator 2D: No Fate*.
First off, a tip of the wizard's hat to Giovanni Colantonio and Polygon, whose original piece, 'Legacy of Kain: Ascendance only looks the part of a retro game,' sparked this whole delightful ramble. Right then, let's dive in.
You know that feeling when you try to cast a classic teleportation spell, aiming for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but you end up a few dimensions off, holding a rubber chicken instead of a proper scroll? That's kinda what's happening with a fair few of these 'retro-inspired' games popping up lately, mate. We’re all here, starry-eyed, ready to dive back into the glorious pixelated past, but then some developers seem to have forgotten a crucial ingredient in the potion.
As a digital wizard who’s spent more than his fair share of hours tinkering with gaming's historical artifacts, I've got a fondness for the old-school. Especially those 2D platformers and action games from the 90s. The sights, the sounds, the overall *vibe* – there's a certain magic to games shaped by the era of chunky pixels and synthesised soundtracks. And I reckon a lot of today's developers feel it too, because 'retro' is absolutely all the rage right now. You can't swing a mana potion without hitting a new game that's paying homage to the golden age of side-scrollers, and even some of the big lads are looking back for inspiration.
Now, as thrilled as I am by this trend, it's also given me a new list of video game pet peeves that's growing longer than my spellbook. See, if you're going to draw on the language of retro games, you've got to give us something more substantial than just some nostalgic pixel art. It's not enough to slap a vintage filter on a brand-new selfie – it might *look* old, but the phone's still 5G-ready and taking 4K video, isn't it? The magic isn't in the filter; it's in the whole flipping enchantment.
I've felt this grumble brewing for ages, but it's really solidified into a full-on grievance thanks to a couple of recent releases. Take, for instance, *God of War Sons of Sparta*. When it was first revealed, this 2D Metroidvania certainly looked the part of an old-school game. That debut trailer promised a reimagined *God of War* that swapped 3D spectacle for 2D action and pixelated bloodshed. At a glance, it seemed like an ode to *Golden Axe* – full of shambling skeletons just begging to be hacked and slashed. But here's the kicker, folks: that comparison was only skin deep.
*Sons of Sparta*'s nostalgic visual style wasn't actually representative of the game itself. Instead, it adapted *God of War*'s modern ambitions straight into 2D. We're talking swelling orchestral music, professional voice acting that wouldn't sound out of place in a Hollywood epic, and a bevy of RPG systems pulled right from *God of War Ragnarök*. It's a perfectly fine action-adventure game, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't help but feel a little misled by the packaging. The art style felt less like a genuine throwback and more like a sepia-toned Instagram filter over a game that had little interest in the actual era it was evoking. It’s like trying to summon an ancient beast with a complex chant, only for it to arrive wearing designer trainers and listening to podcasts.
That same feeling hit me square in the chest again this week with *Legacy of Kain: Ascendance*. Developed by Bit Bot Media, this franchise revival leans even more explicitly into the retro era with its thick pixel art. Unlike *Sons of Sparta*, *Ascendance* at least makes a genuine effort to *feel* like a classic side-scroller, playing more like an old *Castlevania: Bloodlines* than any previous *Legacy of Kain* game. You guide vampiric antiheroes like Elaleth through sparsely designed 2D levels, dispatching enemies with simple slashes. There are a few extra twists, sure – parrying and blood-sucking finishers – but it’s mostly a lot of walking right and slashing straight ahead. Nothing about its rudimentary design particularly stands out, but credit where it's due, it *is* at least faithful to the era in its gameplay limitations.
Even there, though, *Ascendance* struggles with commitment, like a wizard who starts brewing a potion and then half-way through decides to make a sandwich instead. It’s backed by a grand orchestral score that feels utterly out of step with the visuals, and it's full of long, overwritten dialogue interludes that are all fully voiced. Bloody hell, it’s like someone tried to put a Shakespearean play soundtrack over an 8-bit NES game! The presentation is inconsistent throughout, and that makes for a faux-retro experience that never quite feels cohesive. The throwback action starts to feel thin and shoddy when placed up against booming metal and an overabundance of inscrutable lore. You’re left lost between eras, feeling like you’ve accidentally ripped a hole in the fabric of gaming time.
So, what's the actual flaw here? It's that both *Sons of Sparta* and *Ascendance* treat 'retro' as just a visual aesthetic, rather than a full design philosophy. The true greats of the SNES era aren't just memorable because they're pixelated. It’s the way they sound, the way they feel to play, the way they tell stories – all working in tandem to create their unique atmosphere. There’s an art to conjuring mood and tension from synthesized instruments, just as there’s an art to building a world or telling a story through concise writing and clever animation. Honestly, *Ascendance* communicates less through its deluge of bland dialogue than *Super Metroid* does with a few perfectly chosen keyframes. That’s proper magic, that is.
Thankfully, plenty of developers today still understand that. Last year’s excellent *Terminator 2D: No Fate*, for instance, wears its 90s influences like a badge of honour, and the result is a truly transportive game. Storytelling handled through beautifully drawn interstitial cards, a blood-pumping synth soundtrack, and pitch-perfect pixel art all work together to create something that feels like a long-lost gem unearthed just yesterday. It's an absolute delight to play because it's so easy to buy into its adherence to history and make you feel like a kid playing an SNES tie-in to a great movie you just saw.
And let's not forget Tribute Games – they've absolutely nailed down that art, mate, with recent releases like *Marvel Cosmic Invasion* and *Scott Pilgrim EX* convincingly teleporting you straight back to the arcade. They don’t just mimic the looks; they capture the very *essence* of those games, right down to the frantic button mashing and the subtle design choices.
Now, this isn't to say that games drawing on the classics can't experiment. Far from it! Last year’s *Absolum* successfully linked old-school beat-'em-ups to modern roguelikes, drawing on the design language of both genres to create something entirely new and exciting. That’s the sort of innovation we digital wizards love to see – invention often happens when developers mix and match influences to push well-trodden ideas forward. They’re building new spells, not just re-reading old incantations with a new accent.
But I don’t feel that clever blending in something like *Ascendance*. Instead, I’m left playing a vaguely nostalgic side-scroller where pixel art is just a stand-in for genuine substance. It's like a Halloween vampire that hastily tosses on a cloak before rushing out to a party. If you're going to dress like a bloodsucker, at least remember to put some fangs on. Or, you know, actually *be* a bloodsucker. Authenticity, even in pixelated form, is what truly makes the magic happen.
Tags: Retro Gaming, Game Design, Pixel Art, Gaming Trends, Nostalgia
Original article: Polygon