TouchArcade Rating:

Stranger Things, Netflix’s TV show, really resonated with viewers both because it had a great cast and story but also—and perhaps primarily—because it perfectly evoked the 80s, tugging at those nostalgia strings throughout. Today in a surprise release, we are getting Stranger Things: The Game (Free), and it too hopes to take you back to the 80s both thematically and in terms of gameplay. This completely free game (no IAPs no anything) is pretty unforgiving, as were games back in the 80s, so it comes with two difficulty modes: Classic, for those used to dying a lot, and Normal, for those who want to explore the game at their own pace without fearing (spoilers) that they’ll meet Barb’s fate.

If you are a completionist, you can try and collect all the Eggos and Gnomes and complete the VHS library. And if you manage to collect everything, you might even get to unlock secret characters or never-before-seen footage of the upcoming Season 2. Speaking of Stranger Things Season 2, the new episodes are coming October 27th, and the developers plan on updating the game with more content and characters on that day. Even without the additional content, Stranger Things: The Game offers over 10 hours of gameplay, 7 playable characters to choose from, 6 Dungeons and over 30 quests, so this definitely isn’t a money grab. Enjoy the upside down.