If you’re a fan of retro survival horror games like Silent Hill or Resident Evil, then you’re in luck! While Casper Croes’ own survival horror title, Alisa, released on PC in 2021, it’s finally made its way onto game consoles! This love letter to retro horror games with tank controls will take you back to simpler times, for better or worse. So, what do we think about Alisa?

Story and Gameplay

When it comes to the story and gameplay of Alisa, I found it to be quite entertaining. The retro feel of gameplay and its light take on story elements made it a perfect title for me to play on my Nintendo Switch. Having the ability to just pick it up and play for a bit was great because of its core gameplay loop.

Its puzzles were complex though not too difficult to enjoy, and that rings true for its combat too. You will have difficult enemies to fight, but it makes it feel that much more rewarding when you find their weaknesses and then cast them out easily on your next go-round.

Alisa is set within a nightmarish version of a dollhouse, which allows for the game to play with what are normally kids’ toys and turn them into something grotesque. It’s a pretty good B-movie concept that turns out to deliver wonderfully.

Graphics and Audio

Because it has the retro thing going for it in gameplay, that typically means that audio and visuals are going to go that same route. Luckily, both are even better than I was hoping for. The audio has this odd other-worldly sound to it, giving even more believability to the game’s setting.

The visuals do look pretty good most of the time, though I will say that even on the Switch, sometimes they looked a little too good. I was hoping for even more retro vibes, but some elements just looked maybe a bit too good and out of place at times.

Conclusion

When push comes to shove, Alisa is a darn good survival horror game for those looking for days gone by. If you’re a fan of the early days of horror games on that old PlayStation, then you really should give Alisa a try. Especially for those playing on the Nintendo Switch, this is a great purchase, as the game works perfectly on its small screen and tight control scheme.