Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Little Girl in Underland leans into its “bootleg demake” premise by blending conversational encounters with light combat mechanics reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures and action RPGs. As you traverse each surreal tableau, you’ll pause to exchange barbed dialogue with Sovietized characters—whether it’s the Capitalpillar spouting economic propaganda or Jabbearwock’s half-baked Leninist metaphors—before whipping out your latest weapon upgrade to settle the score. This cycle of talk-then-fight creates a steady rhythm that keeps exploration engaging without overwhelming newcomers to either genre.

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The combat itself remains approachable but surprisingly strategic. You unlock new “decadent western” weapons—each with distinct stats and satirical descriptions—and decide which one to deploy against your foes. Timing your attacks between dialogue quips can yield combo bonuses, adding a layer of depth to what might otherwise feel like a tongue-in-cheek brawler. Enemy behaviors shift as you progress, challenging you to adapt and making each boss encounter, such as the climactic showdown with the Queen of Democracy, feel earned rather than rote.

Puzzles are woven sparingly but effectively into the gameplay loop. While most of your time is spent conversing and clashing, occasional environmental riddles—like reconfiguring a broken propaganda machine or decoding cryptic slogans scrawled on crumbling walls—provide welcome breaks. These moments reinforce the game’s themes and encourage you to pay close attention to the absurdist details that pepper Underland’s design, ensuring that exploration never becomes mere filler.

Graphics

Visually, Little Girl in Underland strikes a bold balance between homage and pastiche. The art direction channels Jan Švankmajer’s stop-motion sensibilities—creeping textures, skewed scale, uncanny claymation faces—while injecting a grainy, VHS-era filter that evokes Soviet bootleg tapes. This aesthetic choice may feel rough around the edges, but it perfectly complements the game’s tongue-in-cheek narrative, turning every hallway into a haunted gallery of state-approved oddities.

Character designs are both familiar and twisted. The Magic Talking Cat flaunts a stitched-together grin, its eyes misaligned in true uncanny valley fashion, and the Capitalpillar’s multi-segmented body is draped in hammer-and-sickle motifs that feel both nostalgic and unsettling. Backgrounds employ muted pastel palettes interrupted by bursts of red propaganda slogans, creating visual tension that mirrors the game’s ideological satire. Animations, though intentionally jerky, are surprisingly expressive and lend each encounter a handcrafted charm.

The user interface embraces the same “cheap knock-off” motif: dialog boxes appear on faux linen-textured panels, weapon icons look hand-scribbled, and loading screens are accompanied by flickering scanlines. While purists might decry the deliberate imperfections, these graphical flourishes immerse you deeper into the premise, making every menu navigation feel like you’ve stumbled upon a lost piece of Cold War fan art rather than a polished AAA title.

Story

At its heart, Little Girl in Underland retells Lewis Carroll’s beloved journey through a new lens—one tinted by Iron Curtain absurdism. Fictitiously framed as a cheap Soviet adaptation of American McGee’s dark take on Alice, the narrative invites you to question not only the nature of Wonderland but the propaganda that molds reality. Your avatar, the titular Little Girl, follows the guidance of a sardonic Magic Talking Cat, venturing deeper into Underland’s retro-futuristic nightmare.

The storyline unfolds through a series of episodic encounters, each dripping with ironic commentary on democracy, capitalism, and authority. Instead of a Cheshire Cat’s cryptic wisdom, this feline interlocutor offers deadpan historical lectures and snarky retorts, setting the tone for a tale that’s as much political satire as it is a child’s fairy tale. As you move from warped tea parties to rickety election booths, the game cleverly uses its Sovietized enemies—like the Capitalpillar and Jabbearwock—to lampoon both Western excesses and Eastern orthodoxy.

Despite its satirical bent, the narrative remains surprisingly coherent. Plot beats follow a loose “rails” structure, but the strength lies in how designers reinterpret familiar Carrollian moments through faux Cold War tropes. You’re not playing to uncover radical plot twists; you’re playing to see how each classic scene—croquet with living hedgehogs, tea with anthropomorphic chairs—gets reimagined under a veneer of state censorship and underground dissent. The result is a fresh yet nostalgically unsettling story that keeps you engaged until the final confrontation with the Queen of Democracy.

Overall Experience

Little Girl in Underland delivers a uniquely surreal gaming experience that will resonate with fans of experimental art and offbeat humor. Its blend of conversational combat, environmental puzzles, and irreverent satire creates a cohesive package that feels both lovingly crafted and intentionally off-kilter. Though its deliberate roughness may put off players seeking glossy visuals, it’s precisely this aesthetic choice that sets the game apart in a crowded market.

Performance on modern platforms remains stable, and the minimalist soundtrack—punctuated by static-filled propaganda broadcasts—complements the visuals without overstaying its welcome. Voice acting shines in its deadpan deliveries, turning every mundane exchange into a showcase of comedic timing. Save points are generous enough to prevent frustration, and the overall playtime, clocking in around six to eight hours, feels well-paced for an indie title of this ambition.

For potential buyers, Little Girl in Underland is a must-try if you appreciate narrative innovation, political satire, or the legacy of Carroll and Švankmajer. It may not redefine gameplay mechanics, but its daring aesthetic and tongue-in-cheek story make for a memorable journey. Whether you’re lured by the promise of a Soviet-inspired Wonderland or simply curious about this cheeky “bootleg” concept, you’re likely to find more than a few surprises lurking behind every propaganda-laden door.

Retro Replay Score

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