Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Perry Rhodan: Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt places you in a classic first-person adventure framework that relies heavily on point-and-click mechanics. Navigation is handled entirely with the mouse: you click to move between fixed camera positions, examine your surroundings, and interact with objects. This simplicity makes the game accessible to players familiar with traditional adventure titles but may feel dated for those expecting free-roaming 3D environments.

The core of the experience is puzzle-solving. As Perry Rhodan, you’ll collect items, inspect them from various angles, and drag & drop them onto other objects in the world to unlock new pathways or trigger events. Some puzzles are cleverly integrated into the environment, demanding close attention to detail. Others can border on obscure, requiring trial-and-error or pixel-perfect clicks, which can frustrate newcomers if they’re not patient or used to older-style adventures.

Progression follows a mostly linear path: you solve a puzzle, move to the next pre-rendered location, and repeat. While this strict structure can feel repetitive, it also ensures you’re never overwhelmed by too many choices at once. Hints are not built into the game, so persistent players dedicated to exploring every corner will be rewarded, though those who prefer more guidance might struggle without external walkthroughs.

Interaction with the environment feels tactile and deliberate. The drag-and-drop item combinations occasionally lead to surprising solutions, keeping you on your toes. However, a handful of interfaces can be clunky: dragging an item over the wrong hotspot might cause the cursor to vanish or reset, forcing you to reload or backtrack. On balance, though, the gameplay loop remains solid for fans of old-school adventure challenges.

Graphics

The visuals in Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt are entirely pre-rendered, showcasing richly detailed backdrops that capture the exotic alien architecture and mysterious locales Perry finds himself in. Each scene is lovingly crafted, from towering spires and crumbling ruins to bioluminescent forests and humming control rooms. These static images often feel more like interactive paintings than game levels.

Although the pre-rendered approach limits camera movement and animation fluidity, it compensates with high-resolution textures and thoughtful lighting effects. Shadows and highlights are used to excellent effect, imbuing corridors and plazas with depth and atmosphere. It’s clear that the development team prioritized mood and setting over real-time 3D freedom, creating moments of genuine visual awe.

Character models and creature designs are more modest, sometimes appearing stiff or disconnected from the background plates. Encounters with alien beings mostly occur via still frames or simple animated sequences. While this can diminish emotional engagement, it also maintains a consistent aesthetic: every view feels like a glimpse into Perry Rhodan’s vast, untamed galaxy rather than a shallow, polygonal world.

Overall, if you appreciate the nostalgic charm of mid-90s adventure titles, the graphics here will resonate. The pre-rendered scenes hold up surprisingly well on modern displays, provided you don’t mind occasional moments of visual stasis. For players seeking cutting-edge visuals or dynamic environments, however, Thoregon may feel somewhat static and dated.

Story

True to its licensed origins, the narrative in Perry Rhodan: Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt remains more of a framework than a deeply woven tale. You awaken in an alien galaxy with no memory of how you arrived, and your primary goal is simple: escape. This minimalist premise serves as a springboard for exploration rather than a driving epic drama.

Fans of the long-running Perry Rhodan novels will appreciate subtle nods to familiar concepts and creatures from the series, though the game never delves deeply into established lore. Characters you meet along the way provide brief exposition or puzzle hints, but they rarely develop beyond functional archetypes. As a result, the game feels more like a sandbox for puzzle challenges than a story-driven adventure.

Dialogue is sparse and mainly serves to point you toward your next objective. While this keeps you focused on gameplay, it also means you’ll rarely feel an emotional connection to the world or its inhabitants. For players seeking a rich, character-driven experience, the game’s narrative thinness may prove disappointing.

Despite its narrative limitations, there’s an undeniable sense of mystery that persists throughout. The forbidden city’s secrets unfold at a measured pace, and occasional revelations—embedded in environmental details or item descriptions—offer glimpses of a larger universe. If you enjoy piecing together loose fragments of lore, these touches can feel rewarding.

Overall Experience

Perry Rhodan: Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt is a love letter to classic point-and-click adventures, complete with pre-rendered backdrops, brain-teasing puzzles, and a minimalist story. Its strengths lie in atmospheric visuals and handcrafted scenarios that evoke the feel of exploring a dangerous, uncharted galaxy.

On the downside, the game’s rigid progression and occasional interface quirks can frustrate modern players. The lack of in-game hints or a more robust narrative means that only the most dedicated puzzle aficionados or Perry Rhodan enthusiasts will find sustained enjoyment. Casual gamers or those seeking a richly told science-fiction epic may quickly lose interest.

Nevertheless, for its target audience, Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt delivers a satisfying dose of cerebral challenge and environmental immersion. The pre-rendered scenes stand out for their detail and design, while the puzzle structure provides a consistent, if sometimes unforgiving, gameplay loop.

In the end, this adventure game shines brightest when approached with the right expectations: a modest story as a backdrop, meticulously crafted puzzles, and nostalgic graphics that reward careful exploration. If that aligns with your gaming tastes, Perry Rhodan: Thoregon – Die verbotene Stadt offers a unique journey into a forbidden city unlike many modern titles today.

Retro Replay Score

null/10