Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

WaxWorks presents a unique fusion of point-and-click adventure and light RPG mechanics, setting players on a time-warped quest to eliminate their family’s sinister “evil twins.” The game’s core loop revolves around navigating maze-like environments, solving contextual puzzles, and carefully managing the weapons you discover. Each wax tableau you enter delivers a self-contained chapter, granting experience points and gear that vanish once you escape—ensuring every new level feels fresh and precarious.

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The interface is intuitive yet demands precision: you click to investigate objects, assemble key items, and choose attack points on approaching foes. The freedom to strike an enemy’s head, limbs, or torso adds a layer of strategy not often seen in late-80s titles. You’ll learn quickly which weapons excel against certain monsters and which spots yield the deadliest blows, but there’s always the risk of misclicking in a fight and losing precious health.

Puzzle design in WaxWorks strikes a balance between logical deduction and old-school trial and error. Clues are often hidden in ambient details like faded murals lining your uncle’s castle halls, beckoning you to rewind centuries and face off against demented kin in eras ranging from medieval dungeons to futuristic laboratories. While some players may find the occasional puzzle obtuse, the satisfaction of uncovering a hidden passage or cracking a cryptic riddle is well worth the effort.

Graphics

For its era, WaxWorks boasts richly detailed pixel art environments that bring each time period to life. The castle’s wax galleries are atmospheric, illuminated by flickering torches that cast dancing shadows across ornate stonework. As you step into each mural, the palette shifts to match the setting—blood-soaked medieval battlegrounds bleed into grimy Victorian corridors, then into neon-tinged sci-fi labs, lending each chapter a distinct visual identity.

Character sprites and enemy designs lean heavily into the macabre, with demented relatives twisting into grotesque forms worthy of a horror film. Animation frames are modest by modern standards, but they carry an uncanny charm that heightens the game’s eerie vibe. Every slash of your blade and stun from a gun blast feels weighty, thanks to well-timed sound effects and snappy sprite responses.

Technical limitations occasionally show—zooming in too closely may reveal a few jagged edges, and color depth can fluctuate during rapid scene transitions. Nonetheless, WaxWorks’ art direction remains cohesive, and the occasional glitch rarely detracts from the immersive experience. Players looking for pixel-perfect modern graphics might wince, but fans of classic PC horror will delight in the game’s period-authentic aesthetic.

Story

At the heart of WaxWorks lies a dark family secret spanning centuries: a legion of evil twins bent on serving Satan contrasted by a lineage of good twins striving to thwart them. Your journey begins with a deathbed confession from your uncle, who reveals your ancestral curse and tasks you with traveling through time to vanquish each malicious doppelgänger.

Each wax tableau serves as a portal to a different age, stitched together by the uncle’s hand-painted murals. As you progress, narrative threads unfurl through journal entries, cryptic letters, and environmental storytelling. Though the plot occasionally leans on familiar horror tropes—cursed bloodlines, malevolent doubles—the execution feels fresh thanks to the game’s segmented time-hopping structure.

Dialogue is sparse but effective, often delivered via brief text scrolls that maintain suspense and propel you onward. There’s a sinister undercurrent in every scene: the creak of a dungeon door, the hiss of laboratory steam, the chime of a Victorian clockworks. WaxWorks doesn’t inundate you with exposition, trusting that players will piece together the bigger picture as they explore—and the sense of discovery is all the more rewarding for it.

Overall Experience

WaxWorks is a bold experiment that marries adventure-puzzle gameplay with light RPG progression, set against a time-traveling horror backdrop. Its segmented structure makes for digestible chapters, allowing you to tackle bite-sized challenges without losing momentum. The reset of experience and equipment between wax works keeps stakes high and encourages you to adapt your tactics continuously.

Players comfortable with older PC game mechanics will appreciate the deliberate pace, strategic combat, and environmental puzzles. Newcomers may encounter a steeper learning curve, particularly when backtracking or trial-and-error solutions are required. However, perseverance yields genuine thrills—each vanquished evil twin feels like a personal victory against a centuries-old curse.

Ultimately, WaxWorks stands as a memorable entry among late-80s horror adventures. Its atmospheric graphics, clever time-travel premise, and challenging gameplay provide a distinctive experience that still resonates with retro enthusiasts. If you’re seeking a game that blends spooky storytelling with strategic puzzles and combat, WaxWorks remains a compelling—and delightfully unnerving—trip through time.

Retro Replay Score

7.1/10