Retchid

Tu le sens mon gros Doom 3?

Retchid, developed by From Beneath Software and published by Perp Games, is a first-person horror shooter that wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve. Clearly influenced by the likes of Doom 3 and other atmospheric shooters of the early 2000s, it sets out to create a tense, slow-burning sci-fi experience rather than a fast-paced run-and-gun. Set on Titan, players take on the role of a TEC Engineer who arrives at a mining facility only to find it overrun by monstrous creatures tied to strange dimensional phenomena. The premise may sound familiar to veterans of the genre, but the execution is where the game builds its identity, with a focus on deliberate exploration, eerie storytelling, and relentless combat against grotesque enemies. One of the most striking aspects of Retchid is its atmosphere. The environments are deliberately dark and oppressive, with long shadows, flickering lights, and architecture that feels both functional and unnervingly alien. The design of the levels encourages players to explore carefully rather than rush forward, offering secrets, data logs, and upgrades tucked into corners or hidden passageways. This approach gives the world a layered feel, rewarding curiosity with lore and useful enhancements. The use of cosmic horror themes and even Mesoamerican-inspired motifs in some environments gives the game a unique aesthetic that distinguishes it from being just another corridor shooter. Combat in Retchid is both familiar and demanding. With a growing arsenal of weapons that each come with potential upgrades, players are given options to approach fights in different ways. Enemies, however, are brutal and unrelenting, forcing careful management of ammunition and awareness of surroundings. The combat doesn’t have the hyper-mobility of modern shooters but instead embraces a weighty, deliberate style that heightens tension. When combined with the dim lighting and claustrophobic level layouts, encounters with enemies often feel desperate and dangerous, which is exactly what the game is aiming for. The game’s progression system adds depth to the shooting experience. Suit upgrades, weapon improvements, and collectible items provide incentives to scour every level. This sense of growth, combined with non-linear level structures, helps balance the slower pace of exploration. Players who take the time to uncover secrets are often rewarded, not just with stronger abilities but with more insight into the mystery behind the devastated facility. PDAs and other lore elements scattered throughout enhance immersion, giving context to the horrors encountered. Being an Early Access title, Retchid is still very much a work in progress, and that comes through in both its strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, Episode 1 already includes multiple levels, a set of weapons, varied enemies, and enough content to showcase its vision. On the other hand, the game still has noticeable rough edges, such as awkward controls, sensitivity issues, and animations that sometimes feel stiff. Chase and combat sequences can occasionally be undermined by these technical shortcomings, which detract from what should be moments of pure terror or excitement. Visual quality is another mixed bag—while the environments carry the right mood, textures and details can appear dated or inconsistent, and performance may vary depending on hardware. Sound design plays a crucial role in building tension, and Retchid uses it effectively in certain areas. The ambient audio of creaking machinery, distant screams, and alien noises add to the sense of dread, while moments of silence make exploration even more nerve-racking. Weapons deliver impactful noise, though at times feedback in combat feels less sharp than it should. Voice acting and narrative delivery are serviceable but inconsistent, with some dialogue landing well and others breaking immersion. When the game leans heavily on environmental storytelling, it is at its most convincing. Despite the technical flaws and unfinished content, there is a clear sense of ambition behind Retchid. It doesn’t try to compete with flashy modern shooters but instead seeks to resurrect a particular kind of horror-laden FPS experience where tension and exploration matter as much as firepower. For players who grew up with Doom 3 or other atmospheric shooters, this game feels like a love letter to that era. The problem, for now, is that its polish doesn’t always match its ambition, making it more appealing to genre enthusiasts than to casual players. Ultimately, Retchid shows great promise, even if it is not yet fully realized. Its dark atmosphere, layered exploration, and deliberate combat system provide a refreshing alternative to faster-paced shooters, while its horror themes and environmental design capture the essence of creeping dread. At the same time, its technical shortcomings, uneven pacing, and incomplete state may frustrate those looking for a seamless experience. For players willing to embrace Early Access and overlook rough edges, Retchid already offers an intriguing, if flawed, return to atmospheric horror shooters. For others, waiting until later episodes release and the game receives more polish may be the best way to experience it at its full potential. Rating: 8/10

Great retro vibe, good spooky atmosphere, combat gets progressively more challenging but doesn't leave you stumped, very enjoyable for casual play. My only complaints are the lack of a save option when not in combat and maps, but I think those are coming.

I've got a mixed opinion about this game, but overall I'm glad to have played it, and I'm excited to see what the full release looks like. It's very clearly a project from Doom 3 fans, FOR Doom 3 fans, but it streamlines and refines the formula while incorporating elements from other classic FPS franchises - most notably Quake 1 through 4. And it makes some really interesting and clever decisions. Being a game *not* developed by a AAA studio flush with money from defining the First Person Shooter genre several times over, it doesn't bite off more than it can chew, and instead uses a smaller roster of enemies and weapons to compliment eachother *gorgeously*. And this is something I really appreciate in the genre. That said, I take some issues with the game. The sprawling, twisting corridors can be fun to explore, but it reaches a point every map or so where I really just want to figure out where I saw that last key door. The enemy balance is a little disappointing right now too - there's some really fun enemy types that ultimately pose no challenge due to dealing sneeze levels of damage. But with the game being in Early Access, that's all subject to change. I've but in my two cents (or maybe a few more cents) in the discussions board about it, and I hope to see this game fully realized by the end of things. As a project, it shows a lot of promise, and has served as my hyperfixation for the week.

Very spooky, tough levels. Good scare content.

A fantastic game! So much like Doom 3 and Quake 2. I wish game developers would make more games like this!

[i]...low quality product with reused assets and little detail in the environment ( like small objects etc ) and also non-interactable....can't comment to much on the enemies - they looked to much like plastic dolls! ***check out Syndrome if you want a really good sci-fi/hooror indie experience https://store.steampowered.com/app/409320/Syndrome/[/i]

This game is really good ,but could be a masterpiece!It's positives are atmosphere and creepy sound but the level layouts can be confusing and finally the enemies AI is somewhat off so if these issues could be fixed then a doom3 inspired masterpiece it could be!

I can't believe it's not DOOM 3 Hoping it'll get the polish it deserve along the way to the full release.

Honest review inbound. It's mid, and janky.