With a gripping mystery, memorable cast of robots, and some truly head-scratching puzzles, Peanut Button have delivered an outstanding vintage-style adventure
I have not played the first Retropolis game, so when I started playing the sequel, Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye, I honestly had no idea what to expect from it. Well, after finishing it, I can say that it's one of the best VR titles that I've played on my Quest 3 so far. If you are someone like me and have no idea what Retropolis is, well, it's a quirky point-and-click adventure set in an absolutely gorgeous and unique retro-futuristic world.
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You take control of Philip Log, a washed-up robo-detective, as he sets out to discover what has happened to his partner Jenny Montage after she unexpectedly goes missing. Over several engrossing locations across the city, his investigations would take you on a twisting journey involving a cunning villain and some surprisingly challenging and creative puzzles.
The story picks up a year after the conclusion of the first game. Philip and Jenny have been happily together, but she suddenly leaves Philip with little explanation, only to then phone him in a panic, saying that she is in danger from a mysterious kidnapper known as "The Magician". From here, you step back into Philip's shoes to seek out clues as to Jenny's whereabouts by exploring the gorgeous locales of Retropolis and interacting with its eclectic cast of robotic inhabitants.
The Magician is an intriguing antagonist. Although he does not directly appear until later, his threatening messages tease what machinations he has in store. Elsewhere, each new area presents new robot characters to converse with, all brought to life with fitting retro styles and accents. Their varied dialogue adds flavor to the investigation and helps flesh out the world.
From corrupt police officials and helpful sidekicks to internal monologues and intriguing twists and turns, Retropolis 2 has all the staples of a great quirky neo-noir detective story. The writing is great with tons of funny moments, lots of pop-culture references, quips, and a couple of fourth-wall-breaking instances from Philip that add a lot to the whole experience. Currently, there are four episodes in the game, and I think at least one more is coming, as the current ending feels kinda abrupt and comes out of nowhere right before the final "confrontation". As I said, I don't know what the devs' plans are, but it can go either way, as they can either add one final episode to conclude this story or release a full Retropolis 3 in a year or so, as the ending in this one kinda serves as a cliffhanger.
In terms of gameplay, it sticks faithfully to the point-and-click formula, where you use Philip's extendable arms to manipulate objects, pull levers, and combine inventory items. The puzzle design is very creative, takes full advantage of being in VR, and oftentimes, some of them had you stumped for a good while before the "eureka" moment. Figuring them out was immensely satisfying. I did get stuck in one part as I couldn't figure out how to "beat" an arcade machine, but the developers have thought about that as they have included a quick link to a walkthrough for the game directly from the pause menu.
Visually, Retropolis 2 is a treat for your eyes. From Philip's dimly-lit office to the bustling streets outside, every location, which, by the way, has been entirely hand-painted within VR, oozes charm and character. The same goes for all the animations in the game, as they have been hand-animated in VR; they have this retro stop-motion vibe to them. Accompanied by a jazzy 50s soundtrack, Retropolis 2's presentation is unlike anything I've experienced in VR to date. The only minor gripe I had with the presentation revolves around the voice of Philip. While the voice acting is strong, I feel like there's something wrong with how his voice sounds, like it's kinda muffled and more compressed than the rest of the voices in the game.
Yeah, Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye is a superb game. With a gripping mystery, memorable cast of robots, and some truly head-scratching puzzles, Peanut Button have delivered an outstanding vintage-style adventure. Although this episode leaves some threads untied, I can't wait to continue Philip's investigation when the subsequent chapters release. For fans of classic point-and-click games or those seeking an engrossing narrative in VR, this is a no-brainer recommendation. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 via a promo copy provided by the developers. Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye is available on Meta Quest and PCVR.
