Some games embrace their inspirations in an obvious display of affection, which is exactly what developer Zenovia Interactive has done with Neon Inferno.
This 2D run-and-gun platformer has a ton of similarities to classics such as Contra, yet manages to achieve its own identity with an interesting narrative and engaging gameplay mechanics.
At first glance, the game makes a strong impression with its gorgeous, retro-inspired, cyberpunk art style. A lot of effort has been put into character design and the overall aesthetic, which carries through the entire game.
Neon Inferno boasts two playable characters, Angelo and Mariana, assassins who are set on eliminating their syndicate’s rivals. There aren’t many differences between them, aside from slightly altered cutscenes depending on who you pick.
However, with two characters available, you can pair up with a second player for some couch co-op action.
The game follows a familiar arcade-style formula: you select a target and complete a stage, culminating in a boss fight. Each stage has detailed backgrounds and foregrounds, which are essential to the core gameplay.
As you run and gun throughout stages, you can shoot enemies in both the foreground and background.
Although this seems nifty at first, you will soon find yourself becoming incredibly frustrated by the sheer number of elements present on screen. Whether that be projectiles or additional enemies, some stages simply have too much going on, which quickly becomes overwhelming and tedious.
Early on you are introduced to a bullet-time mechanic, an ability that allows you to deflect green bullets or bombs. When you combine this with sluggish character speed and the abundance of enemies to keep an eye on, it can be monotonous.
Despite this, Neon Inferno features three difficulty options, ranging from Novice to Hard. On the easier difficulty, enemy attack patterns are toned down, whereas Hard mode amplifies the chaos on screen.
Neon Inferno has nice visuals and is a solid throwback to classic arcade titles, though you may find yourself becoming overwhelmed by the high volume of enemies, projectiles, and more present on both parts of the screen.
