Neon Inferno
Developer: Zenovia
Publisher: Retroware
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (Reviewed), PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here
Overview
You never really know where the next indie game might be drawing inspiration from for its retro-inspired title. There are tried and true classics that can be referenced in any genre and when it comes to run-and-gun arcade shooters, the options are numerous. This includes the likes of Contra, Metal Slug, and even a classic favorite of mine, Sunset Riders. What few would have been looking for however happens to be a game that developers Zenovia really pulled out of nowhere for inspiration for its neon-soaked cyberpunk themed pixel game, and that is Wild Guns of all things. Featuring numerous inspirations from this unique pull from the early ‘90s and putting their own spin on things, how has Neon Inferno ended up?
Story
Set in the cyberpunk styled future of New York City in 2055, players can take on the role of either Angelo Morano or Mariana Vitti. Angelo is an orphan who was taken in by the Don of “The Family,” which is the remains of the Italian Mafia, and trained his whole life as a killer to serve him. Mariana was a spoiled rich kid who took to the streets for thrills only to pickpocket Angelo one-day and find herself knee-deep with The Family, changing her name to join the organization’s criminal side. Regardless of who players select to play as, they will be assigned a mission to hunt down a member of the Yakuza set to leak information to the NYPD before being able to choose from three other missions in any order.
New York City in this cyberpunk dystopia is rife with corruption, ranging from its police force all the way through to government officials and taking these people down is exactly what players will be doing until the major twist is revealed that sets them down their last few missions in a row. As mentioned earlier, there is minimal actual difference between what happens in the story between playing as Angelo or Mariana other than some minor differences as they all play out the same way. The story itself isn’t anything groundbreaking, with the game’s only real twist being predictable for anything set inside of a mafioso family, though the different types of enemies and bosses players will face off against are rather unique given the game’s setting.
It is rather unfortunate though that, thanks to there being no notable differences in story and the fact that the story mode is ultimately the only game mode available, since Arcade is just story mode with one life, that the game doesn’t really have much to offer past its two or three hour long runtime depending on how much players struggle with the game’s difficulty.
Gameplay
Players have one objective when it comes to the eight or so missions in Neon Inferno and that is to kill everything in their path or make it to their objective all while staying alive themselves. This is a run-and-gun style arcade shooter to its core and while many stages feature stopping points where players must slay every enemy to continue, there are a few locations that they can simply run through as well depending on skill and status. The unique thing about Neon Inferno is that there are no healing elements nor are there really lives to work with. Players take damage from any attack they receive, be it from a bullet, blade, or explosion and will carry it forward throughout the level until they eventually die. Thankfully, on most difficulties there are checkpoints scattered throughout each mission and players can select to restart from their most recent checkpoint at full health.
There are three difficulty options to choose from when playing through the story mode with Novice being the easiest by giving players more health, less complex firing patterns from enemies, Medium which gives players a slight boost in health and easier enemies as well as more frequent checkpoints that match what is offered on Novice, and finally Hard. Hard mode is identical to the game’s Arcade Mode with limited player health and complex enemy patterns only players are able to have checkpoints here and there within missions. As for the Arcade Mode, players must survive all the way to the boss and defeat it to complete a level in a single life, though as mentioned this is the only other game mode beyond Story Mode. It is worth noting that the title does feature couch co-op with each player controlling one of the two playable characters which is a nice touch, especially for a run-and-gun shooter like this one.
Beyond checkpoints and having a health system there are a few other elements that give Neon Inferno a unique feeling and that happens to be bullet deflection and an element taken directly from Wild Guns, the ability to have enemies in the background and foreground and needing to shoot at them or dodge their attacks to deal with them separately from enemies directly on the player’s own direct path. Any green bullets, missiles, or bombs fired by enemies can be deflected away, often directly at the assailant with a well-timed swipe of the player’s blade for increased damage and holding the button down can trigger “adrenaline” which slows time and allows for players to aim the deflected bullets wherever they want, including at enemies in the background. Adrenaline is limited and recharges over time and not every green item can be deflected, some are merely destroyed but it is a useful tool especially against some bosses.
The Wild Guns dynamic of enemies appearing in the background and foreground is an interesting one but also one that can be a bit limiting. To attack these enemies players must hold the bumper and aim a reticle (that has a fast and slow toggle) to fire at these enemies but unfortunately this leaves them completely still. This means players are meant to mostly take potshots at enemies in these situations while staying mobile to avoid enemies on the main pathway and dodging incoming fire from the background. Thankfully, most attacks from off-screen and homing attacks are shown through warning indicators so players know where to avoid or dodge and avoid damage. It is as chaotic as it is fun, but also kind of annoying in later levels even on an easier difficulty, and far worse on harder difficulties.
One thing that Neon Inferno does wonderfully is keep players engaged through ever-changing level set-ups. Actual enemy types are a bit limited but not only are boss encounters all multi-stage, but every mission has unique elements to it too. Many feature different elements such as riding on a vehicle of some sort and swapping lanes to avoid civilians and obstacles, needing to platform jump around obstacles or climb through hazards, and even face off against mini-boss style enemies partway through some stages. In fact, some stages even feature little elements where players can have enemies fight one another either through leaving different factions alive to shoot at one another for a moment or directing homing attacks and lead them into another enemy instead, offering plenty of variety so players never quite know what to expect per stage.
Depending on player performance they will be given a star rank and money to spend at a “weapon shop” available between missions. The five star rank is locked to Hard mode only which is disappointing and the weapon upgrades are similarly disappointing. Not only are players only allowed to have one at a time and cannot grab an upgrade mid-mission, but they have limited ammo and, when swapped to in the middle of a fight, must be used until their ammunition runs out. This makes these upgrades feel rather pointless especially since almost all of them are also incredibly useless in combat with only one feeling notably powerful, the homing shot and this is only thanks to how effective it is at tracking bosses and the way many zip to the background.
Audio & Visuals
Zenovia has done a fantastic job creating a retro-looking cyberpunk aesthetic to Neon Inferno, be it from the neon-lit city streets players will battle through to the large robotic monstrosities players will face off against, the team has done a wonderful job here. Combine this with optional CRT lines and filters to help give the game a unique look and there is a real nice touch to almost every graphic in the game, especially since every level features a unique theme to itself as well. There is also some nice spritework done for the little “cutscenes” and visual differences between the two characters in these scenes.
There is no voice work of any kind in Neon Inferno which is a bit of a disappointment outside of a character’s death grunts. Thankfully though the title does sport a wonderful sounding soundtrack that works wonderfully with the game’s aesthetics.
Overall
Neon Inferno draws inspiration from the run-and-gun classics and even one that most never have likely even heard of to create an engaging and challenging experience that can really push the player’s skills to their limits. Perhaps a bit too far at times so be ready for some real challenges here with some bosses. With a wonderful aesthetic and soundtrack to back it up, this retro-styled game looks as great as one can expect from an indie game, even if it is only a couple of hours long in the end for the price.
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