Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Entombed throws you into an underground labyrinth where quick thinking and reflexes are your best allies. You control one of a team of stranded archaeologists, armed only with the mysterious make-break device. This gadget lets you create or destroy passages in real time, opening new routes or sealing off zombies, and becomes your primary tool for outwitting relentless undead foes.

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Whether playing solo or teaming up with a friend in two-player mode, Entombed demands a balance of strategy and speed. You’ll plan your next turn while zombies close in, deciding whether to carve a shortcut or erect a barrier. The frantic pace ensures there’s never a dull moment—hesitate for even a second, and you’ll find yourself overrun.

As you progress, the maze’s design ramps up in complexity. Dead ends, branching corridors and occasional hidden rooms force you to adapt on the fly. Mastering the make-break’s timing and conserving its limited charges turns every corridor into a puzzle under pressure, raising the stakes and rewarding creative play.

Graphics

Visually, Entombed embraces a modernized retro style that pays homage to classic arcade titles. The tiled corridors and flickering torchlight create a claustrophobic atmosphere, while the muted color palette underscores the oppressive darkness of the tomb. Subtle lighting effects highlight the edges of walls, giving you just enough visual cues to plan your next move.

Enemy design stands out with well-animated zombies that lurch, shuffle and occasionally sprint toward you. Their decaying textures and glowing eyes add an unsettling vibe, reinforcing the constant threat creeping around every corner. Meanwhile, the make-break device is rendered with sharp contrasts so you can instantly see where walls will form or crumble.

Hud elements and map displays remain clean and streamlined, ensuring you’re never overwhelmed by on-screen clutter. When you pause to place a new wall segment, the game dims the background and highlights available tiles, striking a fine balance between aesthetic flair and functional clarity.

Story

At its core, Entombed is a simple but effective survival tale. What begins as an archaeological expedition quickly turns into a desperate bid for survival when your team becomes trapped beneath the earth. Ancient crypts give way to rising undead, and hope fades as supplies dwindle and corridors collapse.

The make-break device itself carries a hint of ancient lore, teasing a deeper mystery behind its powers to both create and destroy. As you unlock new sections of the maze, scattered journal entries and artifact fragments offer glimpses into the cataclysm that befell the tomb’s original inhabitants. These brief narrative beats add a layer of intrigue without bogging down the action.

Although the story unfolds primarily through environmental details and quick interludes, the tension never lets up. Each new level feels like a chapter in a larger saga, where every cracked wall or hidden shrine advances the plot. By the time you reach the final chamber, you’ll feel invested in the archaeologists’ fate, despite the game’s arcade roots.

Overall Experience

Entombed delivers a compelling blend of fast-paced arcade action and strategic puzzle-solving. The make-break mechanic injects freshness into the familiar maze-runner genre, constantly challenging you to think two steps ahead. Cooperative play adds another layer of excitement, as you coordinate wall placements and share narrow escapes with a friend.

The difficulty curve is steep but fair. Early levels serve as a crash course in the make-break’s capabilities, while later stages introduce tighter spaces, faster enemies and more complex layouts. Each repeated playthrough feels rewarding as you refine your routes and learn to anticipate zombie patterns.

Overall, Entombed stands out as an addictive arcade survival experience. Its polished visuals, tense atmosphere and innovative wall-manipulation mechanic combine to create an adventure that’s easy to pick up but hard to put down. If you’re seeking a heart-pounding challenge that rewards both quick reflexes and clever planning, this descent into the undead maze is well worth the journey.

Retro Replay Score

null/10