By Brian Myers | Published
The most notorious cult film of all time finally has its mystique in the hands of gamers everywhere. The Rocky Horror Picture Show The video game has been requested by fans for decades and is now a reality, as followed by UK-based studio Freak Zone Games. While The Rocky Horror video game (its official title) is a far cry from the first-person shooters and open-world fantasy epics that have dominated video game sales for the past two decades, its gameplay and format seem quite promising.
The Rocky Horror Show video game has some of the same wry humor evident in the original source material and doesn’t shy away from taking jabs.
The Rocky Horror Show video game tells the story of Brad and Janet, the two protagonists of the horror musical, as they navigate the road to Dr. Frank N. Furter’s castle and explore the betrayal that lies there. The gameplay is a classic form of two-dimensional side-scrolling, in which characters move from the left side of the screen to the right, in the manner of countless games from the 1980s and 90s. player moves the game characters on the screen, multiple traps and creatures await him to take away his lives.
The Rocky Horror Show video game has some of the same wry humor evident in the original source material and doesn’t shy away from taking jabs. At one point in the game, Brad is warned by the castle’s guardian, Riff Raff, that he should “watch out for traps and poor level design”. As an added touch, whenever Brad’s character takes hits during the boss fight against Frank N. Furter, each contact causes him to lose clothes until his wardrobe is reduced to his tight underwear and white.
The hits “Dammit Janet” and “The Time Warp” are among the many familiar tunes that could make the Rocky Horror game one of the first you’ll sing along to.
The brain behind the Rocky Horror Show video game have certainly been influenced by some of the most popular side-scrolling offerings of years past. The gameplay is reminiscent of early Castlevania entries Mega Man and Ninja Gaiden, with the need for steady pacing and impeccable timing evident as scenes progress.
Any fan of the cult film and stage production will be delighted with the musical numbers from the original film included in an 8-bit soundtrack. The hits “Dammit Janet” and “The Time Warp” are among the many familiar tracks that could get the audience going. Rocky Horror Show video game one of the first you’ll sing on.
The brain behind the Rocky Horror Show video game have certainly been influenced by some of the most popular side-scrolling offerings of years past.
Rocky Horror Show video game is available on several gaming platforms and at a very reasonable price. Curious fans will find it available for $10 on the Nintendo Store for its Switch console and can get it for just $9 via a special promotion on PC with Steam. Before the Halloween season officially ends, the game will be available on PlayStation and Xbox.
The style and gameplay are not of a caliber that will win the developer awards for complexity or originality, but Rocky Horror Show video game seems like a fun way for fans of the film to reconnect with the cult film in a new format. It’s definitely a retro game, both in its aesthetic and its 8-bit soundtrack, and might just be what makes this Halloween season a fan’s dream come true.