Roman Sands RE:Build review finds ambitious time-loop horror marred by bugs
Roman Sands RE:Build traps players in a time loop at a decaying beach resort, where they perform repetitive concierge tasks for demanding residents. Its deliberately monotonous structure critiques reward-driven game design and gig-economy labour, while flamboyant vaporwave visuals and sound create an unsettling, surreal atmosphere.
The game’s second act shifts to a failing underground research station, combining oxygen management, scavenging and obscure puzzles with a darker survival-horror tone. Although its melancholy story and thematic ambition impress, frequent freezes, missing prompts and unclear puzzle design undermine the experience, making the game intriguing but frustrating.
- A surreal time-loop game satirising repetitive labour and reward systems.
- Its resort and underground chapters offer strikingly different experiences.
- Technical problems and opaque puzzles frequently disrupt its compelling story.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Roman Sands RE:Build review – marooned in a crumbling vaporwave dream”.