Fans of '90s gaming nostalgia, mark your calendars. Dossman Publishing has officially unveiled a behind-the-scenes trailer for their highly anticipated title, The Henchmen, a retro-inspired open-world crime game that skillfully melds the best of '90s gaming aesthetics with modern conveniences. Developed by Alex Brocks, this game aims to capture the heart-pounding pace and gritty charm of iconic crime thrillers and cult-classic PlayStation titles, with a heavy nod to the golden age of gaming. The Henchmen is slated for release on PC this May 26, and you can wishlist it now on Steam.

What is The Henchmen All About?

Set in the fictional city of New Queens, players will explore two distinct timelines: 1990 and 1996. This time-hopping narrative anchors the game in mid-'90s cultural nostalgia while ensuring plenty of story-driven twists within its open-world structure.

While contemporary open-world games tend to focus heavily on sprawling maps packed with scaled-up environments, The Henchmen takes a more intimate approach. According to the trailer, the developers have deliberately "tightened" their open world to pack each corner with meaningful challenges. Rather than relying on mini-map markers or hand-holding, the game encourages players to explore freely. Hidden throughout the city are "henchmen tokens" that enhance your character's abilities and unlock additional surprises, doubling down on the rewards for your curiosity.

For those eager for action, The Henchmen offers survival challenges and brutal gang wars. Players also have an extra incentive to explore: hidden mixtapes featuring tracks from other Dossman games, offering a playful connection to the studio's wider catalog. And if the techno-heavy in-game soundtrack doesn’t strike the right chord? Players can swap it out for alternative tracks, with the "Dead Trash" soundtrack being a particularly recommended option.

Gameplay Highlights: Old-School Meets Modern

The key to The Henchmen’s appeal lies in its gameplay, which combines nostalgia for late-'90s mechanics with refinements for today’s gamers. The driving mechanics borrow heavily from the Driver series, featuring exaggerated steering and the delightfully chaotic addition of a "power slammer." On foot, action sequences deliver adrenaline-fueled gunfights inspired by classic "run and gun" titles. Players can string together slides, rolls, melee combos, and firearms for maximum effect.

Notably, this isn’t just a single-player experience. The Henchmen is designed from the ground up as a couch co-op game, allowing two players to team up and tackle challenges together. Missions even adjust dynamically to accommodate co-op gameplay. For those preferring to game solo, the developers assure that the title provides a rewarding experience regardless of how you choose to play.

Moreover, The Henchmen includes full Steam Remote Play support, meaning co-op partners don’t even have to own separate copies. This ensures you can connect with friends online seamlessly while maintaining that split-screen cooperative vibe unique to '90s gaming.

A Homage to Classic '90s Graphics with Customization Options

Dossman Publishing isn't purely fixated on cookie-cutter nostalgia. The Henchmen offers players extensive control over its aesthetic presentation. Gamers with fond memories of CRT monitors can enable retro-style effects to mimic that authentic '90s television look. Alternatively, users less inclined toward grainy visuals can disable these filters or opt for smooth texture filtering, replicating hardware-accelerated PC graphics from the mid-'90s era.

This attention to graphical flexibility captures the spirit of personalization that older generations of PC gamers often enjoyed. The developers acknowledge that not everyone views the '90s the same way, aligning perfectly with the game’s overall philosophy of allowing the player greater agency.

Accessibility and Platform Support

Designed with controllers in mind, The Henchmen prioritizes a smooth, intuitive experience from the start. The developers have fine-tuned input systems to ensure no fights break out over who gets to use the keyboard and mouse during co-op sessions. Interestingly, the game is also fully compatible with Steam Deck—a critical selling point for players who want a portable experience.

Why This Game Matters Now

Open-world crime games are plentiful, but The Henchmen sets itself apart with its unabashed love for '90s gaming sensibilities. By bridging the gap between nostalgic aesthetics and modern quality-of-life updates, it appeals to both gamers who lived through the PS1 era and younger players curious about what made that decade so iconic.

The thoughtful design decisions—such as modifying the graphical style, the inclusion of hidden rewards for exploration, and true couch co-op capabilities—demonstrate how this game refuses to simply rely on nostalgia. Instead, it aims to modernize beloved conventions.

For enthusiasts looking for an unapologetically retro yet contemporary sandbox, The Henchmen appears poised to deliver. With its release date just around the corner, there’s plenty to anticipate ahead of May 26.