Haunted ROM is a new title from developer Crit42 Studio, which offers ten retro-inspired mini-games in one package. It’s due for release on September 18th, 2025, on Steam. The game will have all ten games on offer from the start and aims to give a modern approach to classic genres such as fast-paced arcade-style adventures and tactical turn-based offerings. Each game in the collection will have a retro aesthetic and presentation, with a clever hook that they are all linked in some way due to a glitch.
All of the games in Haunted ROM have come from a cartridge that players find. Due to the corruption in the data, visual distortions, garbled sound, and other bugs are rife throughout the gameplay. There is a mix of 8-bit and 16-bit, as well as classic FPS titles that aim to please retro fans. We plan to bring you our thoughts on this intriguing title next week.
A Few Games You’ll Find in the Collection
Cult of Ascension – A roguelite arena tactics RPG where you control a randomly generated cultist and climb the ranks of a secret order by surviving brutal battles. Customize your powers, recruit followers, and live long enough to perform the Rite of Ascension.
NULLand – Locked in a small room, you awake to the speech of something in the TV. In this First Person Escape Room experience, you have seven days to please your captor and discover how to get out.
Shadow Peddler – A dark narrative game of choices and exploration, where every decision comes at a cost. Travel through cursed lands, survive hunger, madness, and ruin. Collect enough Penitence Tokens to buy your salvation… if you’re still alive by then.
Spider Arena – A local competitive game for up to 4 players where spiders armed with cannons battle in vertical arenas. Crawl across walls, cling to the ceiling, aim and fire!
