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About Retroid: Cartridge Protocol
Retroid: Cartridge Protocol is a roguelike action shooter developed by Zero1Play and released on November 7, 2025. Set in a retro sci-fi universe, it tasks you with battling the Legion through procedurally generated levels filled with shifting environments and adaptive enemies. The goal is to hack enemy facilities, upgrade with Cartridges, and push further into each run. The game leans into fast-paced gunplay mixed with rogue elements like permadeath and randomized progression. It’s a single-player experience focused on iterative improvement and high-stakes combat. Expect a mix of twitch-based shooting and strategic resource management.
Gameplay
Each session starts with a mission to infiltrate a Legion facility. You’ll sprint through randomly generated maps, using a mix of melee and ranged weapons to clear enemies. The Legion evolves between waves, altering tactics and abilities, forcing you to adapt or die. Cartridges act as skill upgrades, but you can only equip a few at once, so prioritization matters. Between runs, you unlock permanent upgrades using earned resources. Controls are tight, with responsive aiming and quick movement, but the camera can get jittery in tight corridors. Runs last 15, 30 minutes, blending action with rogue-lite risk/reward loops.
What Players Think
PlayPile users rate it 8.2/10, with 75% completion rate and average playtime of 12 hours. 45% of players finish it, a solid number for roguelikes. Community moods are split between adrenaline (62%) and frustration (38%), with reviews praising intense combat but criticizing repetitive enemy design. Critic scores hover around 80/100, calling it a “satisfying blend of chaos and strategy.” Achievement completion is 72%, with 250 total trophies. Price at launch was $29.99, but it’s often discounted. Players note that late-game scaling feels unbalanced for some.
PlayPile's Take
Retroid: Cartridge Protocol works best for fans of fast roguelikes who enjoy learning enemy patterns. The $20 price tag (post-discount) makes it a low-risk buy, especially if you like permadeath and incremental upgrades. While the camera and enemy AI have quirks, the core loop of fighting smarter each run is addictive. Skip it if you dislike high difficulty or prefer open-world freedom. For its genre, it delivers a solid challenge with enough depth to justify multiple playthroughs.
Game Modes
Single player
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