Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Garrison delivers a classic top-down action experience that immediately feels familiar to fans of dungeon crawlers like Gauntlet. You choose from up to five distinct characters—each with unique strengths and weaknesses—and battle your way through over 100 procedurally laid-out levels. The core loop of clearing rooms, collecting potions, gold, scrolls, keys, and magic items is highly addictive, rewarding exploration as much as combat prowess.

The real depth emerges in multiplayer mode, where cooperation and character synergy turn each run into a tactical exercise. Speed-oriented rogues can dash ahead to trigger traps and uncover secret passages, while magic-wielding characters provide area-of-effect crowd control to manage hordes of enemies. This interplay not only adds variety but also encourages replaying levels with different group compositions to overcome specific challenges.

Enemy encounters are never monotonous. From projectiles and melee bruisers to health-draining specters and spellcasters, Garrison throws a steady mix of threats at you. Each enemy type requires a slightly different approach—kiting, crowd control, focused single-target damage—keeping combat dynamic. Add in a robust loot system, and you’ll find yourself making meaningful choices about inventory and upgrade paths to tailor your build for the dungeon’s next gauntlet.

Graphics

While Garrison doesn’t aim for cutting-edge visuals, its pixel-art style perfectly captures the nostalgia of classic arcade dungeon crawlers. Character sprites are crisply animated, with clear attack and spell effects that make it easy to track the action on screen—even when the room fills up with enemies. Subtle screen shakes and particle effects add weight to critical hits and spell explosions.

Level environments are varied enough to keep each dungeon visually distinct. You’ll traverse mossy crypts, lava-lit forges, frozen caverns, and shadowy catacombs, each with its own color palette and background details. These environments not only look appealing but also tie into gameplay—icy floors can slow movement, while molten walkways damage you if you linger too long.

The UI strikes a balance between clarity and nostalgia. Health bars, mana meters, and inventory slots are all prominently displayed without obstructing the action. Pop-up damage numbers and item pickup indicators are large and readable, ensuring that you always know exactly what’s happening—even in the most chaotic of skirmishes.

Story

Garrison’s narrative framework is deliberately minimalist: a once-grand fortress overrun by monstrous hordes, and it’s up to you and your companions to reclaim it piece by piece. The story unfolds through brief text scrolls found in hidden rooms, hinting at the fortress’s history and the source of its corruption. While not the game’s primary focus, these snippets add a welcome layer of context for lore enthusiasts.

The characters themselves are given only the barest backstories, but this works in the game’s favor—players can project their own motivations onto each hero. Whether you see your warrior as a battle-scarred veteran or your mage as a curious scholar, the lack of heavy narrative allows the gameplay to shine while still providing occasional world-building nuggets.

Boss encounters at the end of each dungeon tier serve as narrative milestones, each guarding a relic or key piece of fortress lore. These battles are more than combat gauntlets; they’re story beats that, once defeated, unlock new areas and deeper layers of the fortress’s dark history.

Overall Experience

Garrison excels as a modern homage to classic dungeon crawlers, blending addictive action, cooperative strategy, and a gratifying loot system. Solo players will find the challenge steep but manageable, while groups of friends can turn the experience into a lively multiplayer romp. The robust character variety means each playthrough feels fresh, and the intelligently designed levels ensure you’re always engaged.

Some players may crave a more in-depth narrative or cutting-edge graphics, but Garrison’s charm lies in its focused design: polished core mechanics, clear visual presentation, and seamless drop-in/drop-out multiplayer. Whether you’re tackling the fortress alone or coordinating with four friends, the game maintains a solid pace and a satisfying sense of progression.

For fans of Gauntlet-style action RPGs, Garrison offers over 100 levels of content, a wide array of enemies, and countless item combinations to experiment with. It’s a dungeon crawler that respects its roots while delivering enough modern refinements to feel wholly its own—making it a worthwhile addition to any action-RPG lover’s library.

Retro Replay Score

7.2/10