In 2026, and streaming sucks. Films and reveals are cut up throughout a dozen providers and apps which are all getting worse and costlier. But it surely wasn’t all the time like this. There was a time, years and years in the past, whenever you’d head to a constructing to hire a film. You’d seize a VHS tape, possibly a soda and a sweet bar too, after which head residence to observe the most recent flick. You may’t return in time, however you possibly can play Retro Rewind – Video Retailer Simulator, a newly launched Steam sport that permits you to run certainly one of these old-school film rental retailers.
Out now on PC, Retro Rewind is but yet another of these “retailer simulator” video games which have been flooding Steam for a number of years now. I’ve performed lots of them, and most of them lack any character and really feel like they had been spit out by a manufacturing unit. That’s not the case with Retro Rewind, which is full of appeal and character.
Each a part of this retailer sim feels prefer it was made by individuals who cared. It additionally feels just like the devs grew up going to locations like Blockbuster and different native rental shops, as Retro Rewind captures the vibes completely. All of the faux film covers you encounter ooze the mid-’90s. You may as well enhance your retailer similar to most rental locations had been embellished again then, with film posters and tacky carpet designs that includes popcorn buckets. Clients will often deliver again motion pictures late, and also you’ll must cost a charge (or not), and a few folks even break tapes, forcing you to toss them into the trash. RIP. And sure, all through the day, you’ll must step away and rewind returned VHS tapes earlier than placing them again out on the cabinets.
Like all of those retailer sims, the essential loop has you beginning with nothing and slowly increase your retailer day-to-day as you get extra cabinets, higher motion pictures, and new decor, quickly even hiring workers to assist run the place because it expands. Doing all of this in Retro Rewind is rarely a slog. For instance, stocking motion pictures is a deal with as you get to carry as much as 10 at a time and may simply drop them if you need. And it is best to try this no less than as soon as as a result of it makes an exquisite noise. Each tape is a bodily object that makes a satisfying plastic thwack when it lands within the return field, on the ground, or on the counter when somebody plops it down so that you can scan on the register.
Retro Rewind additionally options loads of occasions and different issues that may change up the day-to-day move of working a rental store. Weekends are busier than common. Holidays and climate can have an effect on what sort of motion pictures folks need. Occasions within the city can result in crowds. And new releases, whereas costly to purchase, will help deliver extra folks in and price extra to hire, making it simpler to rack up some money to purchase extra cabinets or extra motion pictures.
Oh, and maintain an eye fixed out as a result of now and again, a shady determine will seem behind your store with some bootleg motion pictures and porn. These are cheaper than the stuff you get from extra respectable avenues, however some clients won’t wish to take care of seeing them on the identical shelf alongside the films they got here to hire.
I’m only some hours into Retro Rewind, and I’m excited to get again to my rental place and assist clients discover a good film whereas managing the cellphone and restocking movies. Plus, I wish to see what new motion pictures are coming and increase my retailer so I can hire much more motion pictures to extra folks.
Certain, in a variety of methods, I’m simply working a job, nevertheless it’s a job that principally doesn’t exist anymore. Rental shops are lifeless. Streaming killed them. That makes me unhappy. However no less than Rental Rewind is right here to supply me with a digital time machine that take me again to a time when motion pictures got here in massive plastic containers and weren’t instructed to you through some AI algorithm.
