Brand-New Steam Retro Open-World RPG Is Bringing Back the Exploration Modern Games Lost

Indie games help Steam thrive, and one of the platform’s newest additions is embracing a fun-loving retro aesthetic and gameplay loop that serves as a solid reminder that some of the best gameplay design methods are decades old. Secrets of Temple Isle has just recently launched on Steam, and it’s well worth a look if player-driven exploration and PS1-style art design is something that interests you. A lot of indie projects have been embracing older games as a source of inspiration for current projects, and Secrets of Temple Isle nails recreating this long-gone gaming era.

Game development has evolved by leaps and bounds since the 90s, but there is a special charm that the games of this era boast that showcase that stylized, low-poly graphics and game design that pushes player discovery over hand holding is what helped make gaming so fun in the first place. Many of the best games of the 90s used exploration as a way to help players get lost in a world. Now, a lot of modern games, especially open-world RPGs, rely on markers and detailed maps to help players along the journey. This isn’t a bad thing, but games like Secrets of Temple Isle shake things up in a fun way that demonstrates how older techniques are still just as valuable in the modern gaming world.

Secrets of Temple Isle Is an Open-World RPG for Gamers Who Are Led By Curiosity

Check out Secrets of the Temple Isle on Steam

Even on Secrets of Temple Isle‘s Steam page, solo developer Moses Doyle emphasizes that the game is “designed for the curious.” Exploring aimlessly in an open-world game can be daunting, so this play style isn’t for everyone. However, those who love to explore solely on their own instincts will likely get a kick out of Secrets of Temple Isle. There are many great 90s action RPGs that use exploration as a way to immerse players further into the gameplay, and that seems to be Secrets of Temple Isle‘s ultimate goal.

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Secrets of Temple Isle’s Story Is Just as Charming as Its Core Gameplay Design

Players take on the role of a treasure hunter who finds themselves caught in a strange invasion taking place on the titular Temple Isle. Time-traveling pirates have appeared, and they seek to take over the island and disturb its peace. Imagine an Indiana Jones game complete with a time-bending storyline and greedy pirates to fight against. It’s a fun mash-up of ideas that leans hard into the playfulness that defined a lot of 90s video games.

Because of the main character’s treasure-hunting background and the deeper mystery that lies in the depths of the island, the game uses this as a starting point to inspire players to be extra aware of their surroundings and think outside the box. Games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider showcase the more action-heavy moments of a legendary treasure hunter’s life, but Secrets of Temple Isle knows that adding exploration into the mix is a great way to make players feel like they are really stepping in the character’s shoes.

Secrets of Temple Isle Is Off to a Modest Start, But It Deserves to Find Its Audience

As I’m writing this article, Secrets of Temple Isle only has five reviews on Steam, but they are all positive, which is a great start. The game has only officially been on Steam for a few days now, so there is still plenty of time for it to gain extra traction. There are so many great indie games on Steam that it can be incredibly difficult to decide which ones are worth the time and effort. Not everyone is into open-world RPGs that are focused on unguided exploration, but there is definitely a subset of gamers that this kind of game is perfect for.

Recent gaming discourse has made it clear that Secrets of Temple Isle‘s open-world design is something that certain audiences have been craving in AAA games. Marvel’s Wolverine may not be an open-world game, but it’s a great example of the ongoing world design frustration that I’m talking about. Sony’s newest PS5 exclusive has left a lot of people annoyed with how often the game holds players’ hands. Marvel’s Wolverine‘s scent trail is one of the main targets in this debate. Markers are found all over the map that point players in the direction they need to go instead of letting them figure it out for themselves, and many see it as overkill.

Marvel’s Wolverine isn’t the only game that is guilty of this, either. For an open-world example, the recent Ubisoft era has also ignited backlash for its excessive use of map markers. Ubisoft’s open-world design has even inspired memes across the internet. It may have the benefits of looking like a modern AAA game, but Secrets of Temple Isle‘s open-world design is the antithesis of the marker-heavy map trend.

Other Confirmed Features for Secrets of Temple Isle

• Third-person perspective
• Combat with weighted attacks
• Aggressive enemies that inflict high damage
• Character leveling to become stronger
• Hidden dangers like pressure plates, spike traps, and shooting darts
• Hand-made caverns with hidden loot, like ancient relics and useful gear
• Modern camera handling
• Home/base customization

So, for those who are in the market for a new Steam indie game, Secrets of Temple Isle might be a fun hidden gem to dive into. It’s special blend of 90s-inspired dungeon crawling and modern control tweaks promises a great match that lets players take a trip down memory lane while also getting to experience a game that feels new.

Not all modern open-world map designs give into the Ubisoft-like world design. Games like Elden Ring and Hell Is Us embrace letting players loose and discovering the world for themselves. Secrets of Temple Isle‘s core philosophy is built on that premise, which hopefully helps the project stand out in the constantly growing crowd of Steam indie games.