I grew up in a small town and have some fond memories of the 90s, even though I was young then. But yes, we had a Blockbuster and yes, we regularly went there to rent movies, in the form of the now-cumbersome VHS tapes. This is an icon that now defines the decade, and exactly the kind of nostalgia that Rewind or Die aims to revive.

This slasher horror film tells the story of a young man who works in one of these shops (here it has the catchy title “Video2Go”) and suddenly finds himself caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse. It turns out that there is a killer on the loose who has you as his next victim.

Rewind or Die is divided into five chapters and begins with a rather uneventful evening at work. At first I was a little concerned about how linear and simple everything was. Locking up, cleaning up the store and putting the return tapes back in isn’t exactly exciting. However, I had to chuckle when I spoke to one of the customers who mentioned famous movies, albeit with slightly altered details to avoid any kind of copyright infringement.

Anyway, this is all part of the build-up before the crazed killer shows up and the real fun begins. This is where the environments turn into small open areas, each with its own puzzles to solve. Rewind or Die is a first-person action game where you search each area for useful items that will clear your way forward step by step.

The whole time, however, the killer is lurking and in some places actively patrolling the area. If you are spotted, you must run as the music starts and only fades away when you are safe. At first I thought (or maybe hoped) Rewind or die referred to a clever game mechanic or important story element, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. I guess that was probably something that was constantly being said by people who worked in video stores.

Figuring out what to do and where to use your items is fairly easy as you move through the killer’s lair looking for a way out. It’s mostly a matter of tracking down switches and electrical components, but puzzles like the block circuit will require a little more of you. It’s just a shame there aren’t more of them. All in all, you’ll probably beat Rewind or Die in two to three hours.

However, Rewind or Die manages to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, which is a commendable achievement considering the lo-fi graphics. There are also plenty of jump scares, and while the plot is fairly predictable, they did catch me off guard a few times.

That’s right, Rewind or Die looks like a game straight out of the early days of the PlayStation 1, almost as if you were watching a horror movie you rented from the video store. The added effect of fuzzy VHS distortion is a nice touch, distorting the image enough to add authenticity but not distracting from the plot.

One thing that immediately caught my eye was the dubbing. Unfortunately it’s not great and isn’t helped by the B-movie script, but all in all that’s what adds to the charm. It’s also great to hear something from the north, so if you close your eyes you might as well be on the Leeds University campus.

There are certain points in Rewind or Die that can make a difference in which of the two endings you get, but it’s not too obvious at what point you make those decisions, which I like. There’s no “yes or no” situation presented to you, it happens naturally as part of the game. Oh, and there’s also a mysterious door adorned with the number 5.

Rewind or Die is definitely worth sticking with, even if it starts off rather boring. It may not push boundaries or really challenge the genre, but it will take you back to an era filled with nostalgia. It may not surprise you much, but while it lasts, it’s a good ride.

Although “Rewind or Die” is aimed more at 90s kids, it offers a short, crisp explosion of classic slasher horror that everyone can enjoy.