I grew up in a small town and have some fond memories of the 90’s, despite only being a young ’un back then. But yes, we had a Blockbuster and yes we visited regularly to rent movies, in the form of the now considered bulky VHS tapes. This is one icon which now defines the decade, and is exactly the type of nostalgia Rewind or Die looks to rekindle.
This slasher-horror tale tells the story of a young lad who works in one of these very stores (although it has the catchy title of Video2Go here) and all of a sudden finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse. It transpires that there’s a killer on the loose who has eyes on you as his next victim.
Rewind or Die is split over five chapters, and begins with a somewhat unremarkable evening at work. At first I was slightly concerned at just how linear and basic things were. Locking up, tidying the shop and popping the returns tapes back hardly makes for nail biting excitement. Although talking to one of the customers who was referencing famous films, albeit with the details slightly changed to avoid any sort of copyright infringement, did make me chuckle.
Anyhow, this is all part of the build up before the deranged killer shows himself and the real fun begins. It’s here that the environments shift into small open areas, each with their own set of puzzles to solve. Rewind or Die is a first person action game that sees you exploring each area for useful items which will in turn unlock the path forward, step by step.
All the while however the killer is lurking, and at some points actively patrolling the area. If you’re spotted, you’ll need to run as the music kicks in, only fading out once you have made it to safety. At first I thought (or maybe hoped) Rewind or Die was referencing a clever gameplay mechanic or important story element, but sadly that was not the case. I guess it was probably uttered all the time by the folks that worked in video stores.
Figuring out what to do and where to use your items is pretty straightforward, as you navigate the killer’s lair on the hunt for a way out. It’s mostly a case of tracking down switches and electrical components, however puzzles such as the block circuit will ask a bit more of your grey matter. It’s just a shame there aren’t more of them. All in all, you’re likely to beat Rewind or Die in two to three hours.
However, Rewind or Die does manage to effectively put you on edge throughout, which given the lo-fi visuals is an achievement to be celebrated. There are also plenty of jump scares, and despite the plot being pretty predictable, they caught me out a few times.
That’s right, Rewind or Die looks like a game straight from the early days of the PlayStation 1, almost as if you were watching a horror film you had rented from the video store. The added effect of the fuzzy VHS distortion is a neat touch, distorting the picture enough to add authenticity but not to distract from the action.
One thing I noticed straight off the bat was the voice acting. I’m sorry to say it’s not great, and isn’t helped by the B-movie script, but on balance that’s all part of the charm. It’s great to hear some representation from the north too, to the extent that if you closed your eyes you could easily be on campus at Leeds University.
There are certain points in Rewind or Die that can make a difference to which of the two endings you get, but it’s not overly obvious at which point you make these choices which I like. There’s no “yes or no” situation presented to you, it happens naturally as part of the game. Oh and there is a mysterious door adorned with the number 5 too.
It’s definitely worth sticking with Rewind or Die through the rather pedestrian beginning. It may not break any boundaries or do much to challenge the genre, but what it does do well is transport you back to an era filled with nostalgia. It may not do much to surprise you, but it’s a good ride whilst it lasts.
Rewind or Die may be aimed at 90’s kids, but it offers a short, sharp burst of classic slasher horror which can be enjoyed by all.
