Before delving too deep, I’ll be up front and admit that I’ve traditionally found this subgenre to be underwhelming. Whether it’s being inundated with too much text and not enough substance to keep me engaged or feeling disinclined to apply what I’ve learned while starting a new playthrough, I just haven’t been able to connect with the gameplay style. Unfortunately, my issues with Rough Justice ‘84 seem to only exacerbate this core problem, as they include poor (or at least poorly explained) controls, speech audio that is jarringly loud compared to the background music, and other general annoyances.

It’s unfortunate, because the game’s style is right up my alley, as it celebrates the 1980s aesthetic and vibe, which are absolutely my core wheelhouse. However, these superficial elements can only draw you in so far; if the overall experience is lacking, they won’t be enough to keep you invested. This is a title that I wish I could say I was more interested in, but its various issues made me realize that if I wanted to invest more time in this subgenre, I would be better off doing so with one of its less problematic competitors.